18 results for literary barbies

Writing Rules: How & Why We Play ‘Follow the Reader’

Writing rules tend to make newbies break out in hives. They, as I once did, believe that the word ‘rules’ automatically implies creativity is somehow stymies and the art will not flow. WRONG.

Transformation: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Transformation is an integral part all great stories. The trick, however, is to leave a trail of breadcrumbs to show how a character has either progressed or regressed. Few things can be more disappointing than reading a story where SUDDENLY, POOF! The MC has some grand epiphany at the end how they really needed to change in order to win.

No Sales or Lackluster Sales: It Isn’t the Reader, It’s the Book…Really

sales, book sales, publishing, Kristen Lamb

Agents predicted market changes and trends. They looked at what was already out, what was slated to be released, what was already selling, what wasn’t, what was saturated, etc. Then, they used that data to maneuver their authors around the sales minefield. Still do to the best of their abilities. Yet, there often are REAL reasons a book isn’t selling and it isn’t the reader’s fault. It’s all on the book and the author.

Embrace the Inner Psychopath: Great Authors Will Even Kill Christmas

Embrace the inner psychopath. If I could only teach ONE ‘trick’ for writing great stories, it would be this: The moral codes that make us excellent citizens make us terrible writers. We have to remember the rules change when dealing in the realms of imagination. Fiction is NOT life, rather it is an imitation of life. …

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Hook Your Readers: 3 Tips to Catch & Keep Your Audience

How do we sell our stories? That is the big question. It is the reason for craft classes and editing and cover design and agents and editors and all the time on social media. And while platforms and covers and algorithms do matter, there is one tried and true way to sell more books. Write …

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