We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.~ AristotleIt's that time of year again--New Year's Eve is less than three weeks away! Have you ever made an ambitious resolution, only to drift slowly back into the old, familiar status quo? Have you ever made a resolution that had... Continue Reading →
No more Kirkus Reviews
Drat! Now I'll never get a starred Kirkus review. Nielson announced today that it's shutting down the prepublication-review journal Kirkus Reviews.The Pepsi to Publishers Weekly's Coke when it comes to prepub press, Kirkus was always known, to the booksellers and industry reporters who relied on its write ups of forthcoming titles, as the cranky one.... Continue Reading →
For inspiration: visit Richard Jesse Watson’s blog
Richard is in the midst of a series on his creative process. If you're feeling at all dark and cold, it'll warm you right up.When I first read the text to The Dream Stair, it beckoned me both ways. Go up the stair to your attic room. Go down the stair to your cellar room.... Continue Reading →
Are you over-explaining?
Anita Nolan has a helpful post on the topic:Rue, the word, means to bitterly regret. RUE, the acronym, means “resist the urge to explain.” Writers often over-explain, especially in the first draft. We often show the reader something, then we tell them. We want to be sure they understand what we’re trying to say.Read the... Continue Reading →
Publishers delay ebook releases
The Wall Street Journal reports that HarperCollins has joined the ebook-delay bandwagon. They're experimenting with a four-week to six-month lag after the release of hardbacks as a way of protesting Amazon's $9.99 price. Publishers say this is below cost, and it's almost certainly behind the $9.99 price on hardbacks we've been seeing at some discount... Continue Reading →
Apply for a scholarship to attend our conference
Are you longing to attend an SCBWI Western Washington annual conference but find yourself in a financial pinch? Or do you know somebody else facing that challenge? SCBWI WWA will offer a scholarship for a writer or illustrator in our region to attend our 2010 conference on April 10-11, 2010.The scholarship will cover conference tuition... Continue Reading →
Amazon and Penguin’s Breakthrough Novel Award adds YA category!
The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for 2010 will add a separate category for young-adult fiction. The winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance. From Amazon:If you're an author with an unpublished or previously self-published novel waiting to be discovered, visit CreateSpace to learn more about the next Breakthrough Novel... Continue Reading →
Quote of the day: Junot Diaz
You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep... Continue Reading →
Some links from last night
What a great meeting we had last night featuring Lisa Schroeder and Liz Gallagher talking about the ABCs of crafting a career as a YA author, and Jolie Stekly talking about using music to tune your writer's voice.As the caffeine hasn't yet made it to my brain, I post this with a warning...I'll probably be... Continue Reading →
Baking cookies? Post on your blog
Julie Reinhardt sent along a link to a "Cookie Crawl" contest and a clever idea.If you're bringing cookies to the meeting tonight, why not promote your blog, as well? The Cookie Crawl info is here, with links to the rules. You might find some crossover readers in the cookie-baking crowd.