I just saw my new novel in a bookstore for the first time and nearly cried. Oh, all right, I'll come clean: I did cry. It
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It Takes a Village to Raise a Child—and to Publish a Book
The title of Hilary Clinton's bestselling book, IT TAKES A VILLAGE: AND OTHER LESSONS CHILDREN TEACH US, was based on an
Read MoreWhen You Finish Your Novel, What Then?
Recently, I took my mom to see The Great Gatsby. As we watched the scene where Nick is asleep on the couch, wan and pale and surrounded by manuscript
Read MoreThe AWP Conference in Boston: Where Writers Swim Like Fish
My first day at the AWP Conference in Boston, I stood for several minutes at the bottom of the escalator, paralyzed by the sight of so
Read MoreShould You Publish Your Own Novel? Four Things to Think About.
After writing five novels without selling any of them, I lost heart. What was I doing wrong? I had sold many articles and essays to national
Read MoreWriting a Synopsis for Your Novel: A Scary but Useful Exercise
(Note to readers: If you just want to skip to the "how to" part of writing a novel synopsis, feel free to scroll down a few paragraphs! I know how
Read MoreCan You Judge Your Book By Its Cover?
Seeing your book cover for the first time is like waiting for that guy from Match.com to show up at the restaurant. You've laid out your expectations
Read MoreDid I Hammer a Nail into My Bookstore’s Coffin?
I gave myself a book for my birthday this year: my own novel. It's still tough to admit that I'm self-published, despite the fact that
Read More“Do Not Snort on NPR” and Other Tips for Authors
What becomes shriekingly clear after you publish a book is this: Nobody cares as much as you do. I'd been writing for many years before I sold
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