Got some downtime? Study up. You may just learn a thing or two.
Athirst for knowledge? Fill your cup. We make a heady brew.
Got some downtime? Study up. You may just learn a thing or two. Athirst for knowledge? Fill your cup. We make a heady brew.
As e-book markets continue to soar (and physical stores continue to shutter), the author—you—has never had so many options for self-publication. But writer beware: there’s also crazy competition. Tread with care.
Seeking stardom? Admittedly, there are flashier stations than that of the author. Rather less lonesome ones, too, but, hey. We get it, for fame is the means to an end . . . an end whereby you’re paid to bathe in timeless streams of eloquence . . . an end whereby you make a living making others live more gaily, doing what you’re meant to do—indeed, weave stories—on the daily.
Needless to say, the better a book is when it’s sent in for editing, the better it will come out, so today we’ll be reviewing what you can do to refine your manuscript independently. Sure, an (excellent) editor will put order to the meanest of messes, but why beleaguer them with busywork?
Let’s face it: ghostwriting gets a bad rap, and it isn’t difficult to wrap your head around why. The process is shrouded in secrecy, undertaken to “trick” others, and carried out by an actual ghost. This last point is a big one too. Would such negativity surround the service if it were rebranded as unicornwriting, for instance? Placing undue emphasis on nomenclature: human nature.
In this world, nothing is certain, except death, taxes, and silly writing mistakes. Resist all you want, but the more you struggle, the worse you’ll make things for yourself. Constantly worry about death? That’ll cause ulcers—or worse. Refuse to pay the taxman? Sooner or later, he will come a-knocking . . . with a hydraulic door blaster.
Many writers consider dialogue the easiest aspect of prose. After all, it’s just talking, right? How hard could that be? Well, from our perspective, such a mindset probably explains the ubiquity of “direct speech” lacking in direction. Quotes may be your overlooked Achilles’ heel, but here’s the deal: today, we’ll dip you in the old syntactic Styx again.
Practice may not “perfect” make, but scuba diving shan’t precede one’s learning how to doggie paddle. Thus, we’ll make a case today for trying out the “kiddie pool.” Too cool for that? Well, Faulkner, Orwell, Hemingway, O’Connor, Steinbeck, Chopin, Dickens, Nabokov, and Twain weren’t, so you must be suave.
It couldn’t be said that a fondness for folk precludes one’s penchant for pop, punk, or polka. As such, we’d ne’er confine ourselves to fruits of but one wisdom tree either. Indeed, fruit salad is “where it’s at”—exciting, colorful, nutrient-rich—so do enjoy this brimming bowl of succulent cerebral quotes. To write well isn’t difficult. It’s thinking that’s the trick!
