How Can I Find a Literary Agent?
April 12, 2018 10:15 am Leave your thoughtsIn today’s digital publishing environment, many authors wonder if having a literary agent is at all necessary. The short answer... View Article
Writing Insights
How to Know When Your Book is Done
April 2, 2018 11:30 am Leave your thoughtsOne of the issues that comes up frequently with my clients and students, especially those who have been working on a particular project for a long time, is “How do I know when it’s done?”
What If The Roses Had Taken Advantage Of Quickie Divorces Online?
April 1, 2018 5:06 am Leave your thoughtsWar of the Roses, Warren Adler - The recent launch of It’s Over Easy sent a steady stream of emails my way with the following question: What does the author of The War of the Roses have to say about quickie divorces online?
How I came up with Evan Smoak
April 1, 2018 5:05 am Leave your thoughtsby Gregg Hurwitz Readers often ask me, “How did you come up with Evan Smoak?” It’s always tough to say... View Article
A Roman à Clef and its Aftermath
March 1, 2018 5:08 am Leave your thoughtsA roman à clef is a French word that loosely defines a novel as a work of fiction based on... View Article
Why You Need to Understand Publisher Macmillan’s Stand Against Trump
February 2, 2018 9:45 am Leave your thoughtsNo matter what form of writing you practice, whether you are a memoirist, novelist, poet, essayist or journalist—or you are... View Article
How I Got the Idea for ‘We are Holding the President Hostage’
February 1, 2018 5:31 am Leave your thoughtsWe Are Holding the President Hostage, Warren Adler - I have long been a fan of Mario Puzo’s 'The Godfather.'
A Key to Improve Writing Skills: What Is Story Shape?
January 6, 2018 12:16 pm 3 CommentsAll well-written stories have a compelling shape. Think of story shape as the underlying form or structure of a piece, often called the story plot. Some writers envision story shape like a pyramid, hourglass, stack of blocks, or a line graph. I like to imagine the tale as a lump of clay which takes on human form and meaning in the hands of a skilled writer.There are nine essential parts of a story:
The Art of Remembering, a Writer’s Greatest Ally
January 1, 2018 5:11 am Leave your thoughtsThe Art of Remember, Warren Adler - Even if you don't consider yourself a writer, there is something about this practice of reflection that we can all hopefully benefit from.
Confessions of an Accidental Novelist
December 8, 2017 8:19 am Leave your thoughtsWriting Insights, Lynn Slaughter, Page Street author: It was the end of a long critique session when one of my MFA instructors at Seton Hill University had us go around the table and share our journeys as writers