If you’ve read even one book on writing, you’ve heard some contradictory advice. On one hand, you’re supposed to keep your language “fresh” and “original,” “rendering” it through the character’s point of view. On the other hand, you’re told to avoid “purple prose,” “over-writing,” and “heavy-handedness.” Here’s a quick rule of thumb. You don’t need embellished language (or “rendered” language,…
In one of my clients’ biggest success stories of 2011, Mill Valley writer Ross Goldstein landed a film deal for his first novel, Chain Reaction, with Paloma Productions. I learned the news last month, and am delighted to share this interview with all you writers out there who are asking yourself if a well-written novel can truly find success if…
Dear friends, clients, fellow writers, and readers: In honor of this year’s holiday season, I’d like to say thank you for what you add to my life and business, The Threepenny Editor. I count myself lucky beyond reason for the chance to work every day with people who are as committed to books, writing, learning, and ideas as you all…
In another post, I ventured a functional definition of speculative fiction. I said that a manuscript is “speculative” (i.e., fantasy, sci-fi, or anything in between) if it requires the writer to invent a rule or condition for their world that acts as a metaphor for the novel’s theme. In other words: If you make something up, that something has to…
The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri My rating: 5 of 5 stars If there is one book I cite more than Strunk and White’s classic The Elements of Style, it is Lajos Egri’s relatively obscure gem. I happened upon it thanks to a writer-friend of a writer-friend who took one of James Frey’s (no, not that James Frey,…
This short introduction to character will help you make smart, strategic choices about who gets the starring role in your novel. It’s a tutorial based on an important concept discussed in my writing guide, The Editor’s Lexicon: Essential Writing Terms for Novelists.
This short introduction to structure will help you diagnose and fix problems with your novel’s plot. It’s a tutorial based on an important concept discussed in my writing guide, The Editor’s Lexicon: Essential Writing Terms for Novelists.
This is the final of a four-part series of class notes from the Social Media Bootcamp course, whose lessons I’ve adapted for authors. Whether self-published or traditionally so, you will be responsible for your own promotion, and this course has been an invaluable resource on how to use the Internet’s no-cost social media networks wisely–in other words, (1) without mindless…
This short clip is a lesson on how to use plot points to improve your novel’s pace, keep your character development on track, and prevent your reader from falling asleep. Remember–you can be your own best editor! See my book, The Editor’s Lexicon, for more tips like this.
This short clip is a lesson on how to move from situation to scene quickly, in the first few pages. Remember–you can be your own best editor! See my book, The Editor’s Lexicon, for more tips like this.
© Threepenny Editor 2012
Website by Ghosthorses.co.uk