Tag Archives: Writing
A Reader Writes: “I’m Interested in Writing a Children’s Book. What Do I Do?”
Hi Kevin, my name is Dori Maggart. I am married to Phil Maggart, Mike Maggart’s twin. We have met on a couple of occasions. A few months back I read an article about you and your profession as an author. … Continue reading
Priceless Writing Tips for Free: Capture the Thought in that Moment
Here’s a proven, 100-percent guaranteed method on how to get stuck in quicksand as a writer: Say you will do it later. You have an idea but you’re busy with something else so you tell yourself you’ll get to it … Continue reading
Priceless Writing Tips for Free: Observe Hemingway’s Dictum
Hemingway’s dictum for better writing was simple: Run it through the typewriter one more time. We no longer have typewriters but the advice is still sound. Almost without fail a second draft is better than a first: shorter, smoother and … Continue reading
Eleven Myths About Literary Agents
By Kevin Nelson 1. Getting an agent means you’ve taken the first step toward writing success. All it really means is you have an agent, nothing more. An agent should not ask for and you should never give her money … Continue reading
And Now We Interrupt This Blog for a Commercial Advertisement
Last year was a good year for me, financially speaking, and one of the reasons was that book you see pictured here. This year has been a terrible year for me, financially speaking, but one of the bright spots so … Continue reading
Filed under Adventures in Writing, Books
When You Write, Don’t Fight Your First Thought
Trying to write something and you’re stuck? Whether you’re knee-deep in an e-mail, blog, memo, report, article or longer, here’s how to get unstuck: Follow your first thought. If you trust your first thought, and follow it, it will lead … Continue reading
Illustrate Your Blog
By Kevin Nelson Leaf through any magazine or newspaper, and you will see photographs and illustrations accompanying most of the articles. Scan through most blog posts on virtually any website, and you will see words, words, words-often without any art … Continue reading
Do Writers Need Literary Agents?
Do writers need literary agents to sell their books? Many writers, both published and unpublished, believe that having an agent is a cornerstone of success, but I don’t think that’s true anymore. I had lunch last week with a writer-friend … Continue reading
Filed under Adventures in Writing, Books
How to Write a Better Blog
By Kevin Nelson Writing a blog? Here’s a tip on how to write a better one: Show the value of what you’re doing, not to yourself but to other people. Let me demonstrate by showing how I screwed up a … Continue reading
A Regular Joe
Recently I heard from Travis Roste, who runs joeheavyweight.com, a boxing memorabilia website (“Boxing for the regular Joe,” as he calls it). Travis lives in Minnesota and although we’ve never met, I know he’s an upright guy because he actually … Continue reading
Filed under Adventures in Writing, Books, Operation Bullpen, Parenting
The End of Paperbacks?
Yesterday I was chatting with book designer Usana Shadday, who thinks the future of publishing may not include paperbacks. No paperbacks? How so? “I think paperbacks will die, probably,” said the 29-year-old. He is a partner in The Book Designers, … Continue reading
Filed under Adventures in Writing, Books, Wheels of Change
How to Write a Successful Query
Last week I appeared on Scott Shafer’s radio program, The California Report, on KQED-FM, and it prompted some thoughts, curiously enough, about query letters. What’s a query letter? A query letter is basically a short, succinct sales pitch that writers … Continue reading
Writing with Children in the House
It was a quiet Sunday morning, and in a relaxed and optimistic mood I sat down on our family room couch with a mug of hot black tea, some papers and a pencil, thinking I could grab a few minutes … Continue reading
