Recent content by lrholland

Haunt Kindleboards. Watch what works and what doesn't. Write series, preferably in New Adult/Urban Fantasy. Turn them around quickly. Spend money to promote and build a mailing list. Or, if you can, find a successful author looking for a "writing partner". (A writing partner actually does all...

Beatrix Kiddo is a cinematic character. You probably mean Lisbeth Salander. If movies were included, I'd have Amélie Poulain.

I reserve the right to completely change my mind, but here are the first few I thought of: Dorian Gray Holly Golightly Lorelei Lee Psmith Nero Wolfe R Daneel Olivaw There's a fun game to be had where you quote either Jo March or Morrissey and ask people to guess who said it. For example: "I'm...

And?

As are racism, sexism, homophobia, trans-hate, ablism, et cetera. Also, it's only "politically correct" if you swear allegiance to the Daily Mail or Fox News and can't bear to see uppity minorities given anything. Otherwise, it's decency. Possibly, in this context, it also qualifies as good...

I think the word you are looking for is Also. In your original wording: Drowning is a wet way to die. Also pathetic.

That's one of those generalizations that doesn't really work. No one need ever publish any new books ever and we would all have more than enough to read if entertainment was the only goal.

In general terms, a publishing rationale is your statement of why your book is worthwhile. Why it was worth writing, and why people will need to read it, what it sets out to achieve, and what if anything new it has to offer. I personally think it's worthwhile thinking about this before you...

They forgot "Less is more".

It depends on your priorities. For me, DRM is anathema. It penalizes legitimate readers--they cannot share your book, they cannot read on multiple devices, in some cases it can make it harder for them to buy your book--while it does little to prevent the technically adept from pirating your book...

Never heard that before, but it's on the same track as Stephen King's famous million words, which dates back, probably, to the excellent but slightly problematic John D MacDonald. (It's also been credited to David Eddings, Jerry Pournelle, Ray Bradbury, and Elmore Leonard.)

Yes, but not always. I pretty much guarandamntee that most of the people offering critiques out of the good of their hearts would have torn this opening sentence apart. ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE is scrawled in blood red lettering in the side of the Chemical Bank near the corner of...

It depends. Context is everything. And self-confidence is essential. You can't let any self-important, semi-literate jackass put you off, but you'd be a fool if you didn't listen to people you can respect. I think you can split people into three groups. 1. People whose editorial instincts you...

I don't think that's a coincidence. It may be a statistically unlikely inciting event, but it can't be a coincidence because it's a single event, coincidental with nothing.

Ditto netball. I've lived here almost 20 years and never been to watch an American sport. I have driven many miles--thousands, actually--to watch proper football in places like New England, New Jersey, California, North Carolina, and Toronto, USA. This is the back of the official t-shirt I...