author

"A best seller was a book which somehow sold well simply because it was selling well". Sylvia Boorstein

My theory of characterization is basically this: Put some dirt on a hero, and put some sunshine on the villain, one brush stroke of beauty on the villain. Justin Cronin

Sorry – filed in wrong place

Good stories are driven by conflict, tension, and high stakes. William Landay

A reader is not supposed to be aware that someone's written the story. He's supposed to be completely immersed, submerged in the environment. Jack Vance

New blog post by Eva Ulian – discussions in this thread, please --- Don’t expect people who barely know you or don’t know you at all will promote your book. It’s not likely that people will go out of their way so you can climb a step up the ladder to success, unless they are invested. Nor can...

New blog post by Jake E – discussions in this thread, please --- When I first started down this self-publishing journey, I heard quiet rumours of the dangers of scammers. I knew they were out there. I knew they wanted my money (What little of it I have), and I knew they had no shame. What I...

We cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever. Haruki Murakami

'It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style.' P. D. James

“Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got.”

We read in bed because reading is halfway between life and dreaming, our own consciousness in someone else's mind. Anna Quindlen

“The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” Agatha Christie

I'm reading the book featured in this article (Duffy & Son). Highly recommend it. A wry, funny, and poignant study of getting older. So I did a little research into the author. I think his personal writing story might be of interest to many of us...

“Writing is like riding a bike. Once you gain momentum, the hills are easier. Editing, however, requires a motor and some horsepower.” Gina McKnight

“Editing. It’s like dieting; except a lot more violent.” Leya Delray

One false word, one extra word, and somebody's thinking about how they have to buy paper towels at the store. Brevity is very important. If you're going to be longwinded, it should be for a purpose. Not just because you like your words. Patricia Marx

I have written 20 books, and each one is like having a baby. Writing is not easy; some people want to write books but just can't put a story together. I can put together a story that interests both me and my readers. Jackie Collins

Talking about how I might write the next book is like talking about whether or not to have sex. Any dithering ruins it. Louise Erdrich

“As things stand now, I am going to be a writer. I’m not sure that I’m going to be a good one or even a self-supporting one, but until the dark thumb of fate presses me to the dust and says, ‘you are nothing’, I will be a writer.”, Hunter S. Thompson

A long time ago, I was talking to a history writer and author of many books - all with great titles. I asked him how he came up with them and he told me that none of his proposals had titles. What I never did was ask him how he pulled that off. Is there anybody doing that today? How could you?