A phrase stitched together one of the more mind-altering critiques I ever got on a story. Half of it was a common phrase, and an often maligned one. Maligned by those of us of the “you must have a thick-skinned” school of thought around stories. Because you do need a thick skin to be a…
Since I published my first book four and a half years ago, I’ve rarely known what I should do about marketing. It’s not for a lack of guidance. Just last week, I had 5 emails and 3 DMs on social platforms from people anxious to have me sign up for their marketing services. All these…
I screen stories for a literary magazine, and we host multiple contests throughout the year, including short story contests, novel excerpt contests, and chapter book contests. I hate to admit it, but I don’t love the chapter book contest. I’m also learning to hate the novel excerpt contest. Why? I have to reject a lot…
In a recent chat with a writer friend, we discussed the writing organizations we belong to and the benefits we get from each. I’m a huge fan of writing organizations. As writers, it’s tempting to work in a vacuum, where you don’t have to hear other people criticize your approach, flaunt their own accomplishments, or…
A number of fiction critics have pointed out the sorry endings to many of Stephen King’s novels. They admit these novels were exciting, interesting, intriguing, and mysterious—until the end. Some complain that these endings don’t ring true—that they’re unimaginative, outlandish, unlikely—even irritating. Perhaps this occurs because King is a pantser, and when he reaches the…