These days, with so many options for writers to self-publish and when even established publishing houses are suffering cutbacks in editorial staff, it's more important than ever to make sure you have the editorial backup to bring your book up to professional standards.
You can't very well write about your life without writing about the people in your life.
Everyone loves a good story. We all know one when we read one. But what makes a good story?
When you fill a blank page with your first sentence it can feel like a minor miracle. From nothing: something. From too many ideas about how to begin your essay, novel, nonfiction book, you home in on one and make your initial authorial decision. You may change that first sentence dozens of times, but by...
Personal statements are now de rigueur not only for college and graduate school admissions but also for grants, scholarships, fellowships, and some jobs. There are even stories of house sales lost in bidding wars for want of an appealing letter to the sellers. As a college essay expert, I have helped high school seniors find...
These Write Angles pieces are supposed to offer advice about writing. It was my turn to contribute a piece and I debated the subject. Should I write about how to write memorable characters or good dialogue? Give advice on writing a memoir, or discuss what makes a compelling story? After getting up from my desk...
I happen to know the most perfect book title ever, but there's one problem: I didn't think it up myself, and the person who did is a friend. She won't let me use it because she believes she's going to write a book to go with it. Meanwhile, this perfect title sits in limbo while...
I asked myself: What is it about going away that makes my writing so productive? The answer was this: No one knows where I am. When I went away to write, I was unplugged.
Facts which at first seem improbable will, even on scant explanation, drop the cloak which has hidden them and stand forth in naked and simple beauty. Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) Has the art of fact checking become as obsolete as phone books, cassette tapes, and floppy disks? Fact checkers are defined as employees or freelancers in...
Ever been tempted to tell your story? Today it's easier than ever to leave a legacy, publish a family history, or create a volume of the story of your life. Learn how in this article.