The only remaining way to sell books off the Internet (unplugged) is through the quality of the story. Problem is, when I began as an editor almost twenty years ago, the samples I received were trying to pass a NY gatekeeper. Now? Most wouldn’t pass 7th grade English.
Nov 18 2019
The Evil Has Landed: Villains Could Be Much Like You…or Even Me
Much of what goes into forming villains that gets underneath the audience’s skin is to understand—really understand our story—make sure it is strong enough and then search out those pain points that will likely exist in our readers. That’s how to know what variety of evil will unravel them the most.
Nov 06 2019
The Villain: Crafting Scoundrels, Sinners & Substance of Legends
All stories require a core antagonist (the force/character that is responsible for generating the story problem in need of resolution). This said, there are many different types of antagonists. While all villains are antagonists, not all antagonists are villains. The villain might only be one of many types of antagonists, but they have a power …
Oct 29 2019
On Writing: Why Mastery Should Matter to the Serious Author
Craft classes and grammar lessons aside, reading helps fill our toolbox. We are artisans, crafting people, places, worlds, and concepts with combinations of twenty-six letters. Would you trust someone to build your house who only owned (and knew how to use) a hammer and saw? Or a doctor who only knew how to wield a scalpel, but skipped learning how to suture?
Yet how many writers are publishing books and they don’t even possess the basic fundamentals of our craft? And are more concerned with a new marketing plan then why people don’t WANT to read their work, let alone PAY to read it?















