Criticizing authors (and other creators) who are not producing a finished story "fast enough" has become popular in the last decade or so. Some fans in the SFF genre in particular, where long series tend to be common, have even adopted a practice of only starting series once they are finished. I get it! I … Continue reading In Defense of Unfinished Works
Writing
How to Write a Publishable Book
It has been proven to me time and again that very smart, amazing people have very different tastes than I do. And that's okay. They might disagree with many of the things below, but this is my take on how to approach writing a book that is worth publishing. Appeal/Setup: The story needs a strong … Continue reading How to Write a Publishable Book
The Write Life
I'm not entirely comfortable writing about my own life, my own family, but I write this for a few reasons: The life of an author is often romanticized, and I think people should understand what it's really like (at least for me). I'm in a pretty awesome situation in life, and still the creative struggle … Continue reading The Write Life
Future Projects
I was going to log this somewhere just for myself but decided to make a blog post out of it. I'm a terrible blogger and have no idea where I should draw the line between personal and public when it comes to stuff I really care about. But you know what? We only live one … Continue reading Future Projects
Editing Is Writing
I am willing to bet that editing is what stands between most writers and their dreams. The act of writing is romanticized at length in writerly circles, while talk of editing is typically met with derision, or at best, patience. Editing is where the magic happens, people. Not all great writers follow this rule, but most … Continue reading Editing Is Writing
Writing Journal – One Big Thing
A discussion with my writing group led to a conscious solidification of a writing principle I've believed in for a long time but only now fully wrapped my mind around. It's not new to the writing world, but it is new to me, so here is my take on it: One KMAlexander suggested "One Big Thing" as … Continue reading Writing Journal – One Big Thing
Plotting for Suspense
I've done soul-searching regarding suspense in my own novel, and here are some rules on plotting for suspense I've come up with for myself:
The Second Book
I've heard people say that the "sophomore novel", particularly the second in a series, can be the most difficult book an author will ever write. Until I started writing mine, I thought that those claims were exaggerated. To some extent, I still do, but the second book does present some unique challenges. The writing itself isn't … Continue reading The Second Book
Beta Readers
This has been a very big month. Early this month, I finally sent my manuscript to a small group of beta readers who had expressed interest in reading my book and giving me feedback. I've only received detailed feedback from one beta reader, but the opinions so far from those who have finished the book … Continue reading Beta Readers
Literary Agents and Why I Want One
At a very basic level, literary agents take a 15% cut of the amount their authors make in exchange for selling your book to a publisher. They should have the contacts to make that happen. Essentially, they are gate keepers for the publishers. But that’s not all! They’ll typically handle the funds coming from a publisher, negotiate contracts, … Continue reading Literary Agents and Why I Want One
Scott Drakeford 