March 2010

March 2010

3/30/10 Writing and Publishing News

Wednesday 31st March

It’s the battle of the publishing titans. Which distributor won’t deal with publishers who are using the agency model? If you run into Prince Charles at the mall, who wants to stop you from blogging about it? Why shouldn’t you get too excited if HBO says it’s going to air your movie at long...

Why I Write

Tuesday 30th March

I know some of those who read my stuff aren't real science fiction fans, so hang in there with me for a second cause I have to go all geek like to make this point.

Losing Weight on The Whole Clove DIet

Monday 29th March

by Mary W. Walters

After six years of trying to find an agent and a publisher for my third novel, I am about to take the self-publishing leap. I intend to prove that in this era of book-publishing uncertainty, for certain novels (my own being a prime example)...

Edit 5 and Quality Crap

Monday 29th March

A little background, I am a part-time freelance writer, meaning I have at one time in my life, been paid to write. Still do, in fact, get paid to write. But for anyone who may have thought that getting paid to write makes one a writer, you ought to read MS edit number 5. This is not bragging by...

How they market Doctor Who in the UK and USA

Sunday 28th March

It's interesting how the BBC (or maybe someone acting on behalf of the BBC) has chosen to give trailers for the new Doctor Who a very different feeling in the UK and the US. Some of my American friends have said they really don't like the look of the new series, and having just watched the...

Respecting the business of publishing

Sunday 28th March

You've written the next best-seller. It's about 250,000 words. It has it all ... drama, romance, comedy, murder, and beached whales. What's not to love? It's sure to be a smash hit, complete with the latest teen heartthrob in the title role of the movie. And just wait till they get a load of the...

The Quality of Romance

Saturday 27th March

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not merely boy-girl chemistry, but the mysterious quality between the doing of a thing and the telling of it, that renders the most terrible or mundane happenings into fascinating stories.

The Art of the Nuanced Title

Friday 26th March

This is another writing topic, for those who are keeping track. But I seem to be on a roll these days.

The strangest downpayment ever.

Friday 26th March

Got a website designing job today. Excellent! There will be meat for tea. I declined cash up front because I'm a rubbish businessman but the client insisted on something to seal the deal so I got a whopping great crab. Dead, boiled, looking quite peevish but not dressed.

Tomorrow I will...

The Homestretch

Friday 26th March

This WIP is kicking my a**. I mean, really. Here I sit at two in the morning, tapping away at Chapter 28 and edging my way ponderously over the 120k-word mark, and wondering what my problem is. Why, oh why can’t I just finish a book?!?