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Pitching Historical Romance Series (and Small Presses)

Julie Jun 11 2019
Posted in:
Guest Post, Miscellaneous, Speakeasy Sharing, Writing Life

There is one genre convention in romance that may never be broken: the happily ever after. Hearts must flutter at the close or heads will roll (or both, in the case of my Tudor books). But how do you pull off a romance serial—following the same two lovers—in which each novel features a happily ever after, yet keeps the story going, and is set in a different time period? I faced this conundrum while writing […]

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Finding the best agent for your career

Patrice Jun 5 2019
Posted in:
Beginner Resources, Industry Life, Tips From Industry Pros, Writing Life

Hey Readers, Hope you’re well! Happy June, Happy Pride Month. Gosh the time has flown—I swear it was just April, LOL. I often get asked for advice on querying and how to choose an agent. And usually when I do, I say something like you want to find someone who’s best for your career. But what does that really mean? I always feel like my “brand” is talking about things we often sweep under the […]

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Watch More Movies (For Real)

Aminah Mae May 15 2019
Posted in:
Writers Toolbox

I’m a big believer in listening and paying attention to all of the stories around you. To the people who talk about their days in a compelling way. To the family histories. To books, yes. To audiobooks. And to movies and TV shows. And in that vein, I would like to take a minute to validate all of you in your Netflix habits because I’m about to tell you to watch more movies. Stop feeling […]

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John Truby’s Theory of Opponents

Sarah May 11 2019
Posted in:
Miscellaneous

If conflict is what drives our stories, it would seem to follow that antagonists are a writer’s best tools to create that conflict and propel the story along. And yet tons of people, myself included, really struggle with writing antagonists that feel believable and interesting, who aren’t just mustache-twirling villains who are evil for the sake of being evil. Julie D. mentioned John Truby’s ANATOMY OF STORY in her post the other day, and by chance, […]

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Learning To Be A Better Writer Through Reading

Jules Apr 22 2019
Posted in:
Inspiration, Writers Toolbox

Recently, I purchased THE ANATOMY OF STORY by John Truby, which has long been held up as a sort of Bible on craft for Hollywood screenwriters. I had seen a lot of praise for the book among fellow YA writers, so I decided to give it a try, especially because I haven’t ever read craft books. My honest opinion? The exercises are helpful and have enabled me to delve deeper into my work and think […]

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