Author Archive

How to Write Your Best Book Now

This is part one in a 6-part, totally free master class on everything you need to know to write "your best book now," with apologies to Joel Osteen and Thomas Nelson. Part 1: The manuscript You have 6 jobs before your manuscript is ready for professional editing, and then submission to an editor.  Job #1: Start by reading (preferably memorizing) The Elements of Style
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Why the world needs you.

Why does the world need you? I had a thought recently that seemed out of nowhere. It's not the kind of thing I normally come up with. But it was sitting there when I went to write at my usual time, and it sounded like something I've heard for a long time but just never picked it up to look
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How to be a TRUE writer

I recently tried to explain to a writer the work of writing true. It's an important distinction. So much writing is not. Writing true is about more than writing what's factually true. Being faithful to the facts is fine and good, but true writers must have a higher truth as their priority. True writing is something greater, something more real
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New Interview with Mick

If you haven't already, and you're heading to a writers conference any time soon (especially the OC Christian Writers Conference), stop by speculative/sci-fi author Merrie Destefano's blog for an interview she was kind enough to do with me: http://www.merriedestefano.com/?p=415 Also, as a bonus, friend of Your Writers Group, Jim Rubart has his debut novel ROOMS releasing this week and it's a must read
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A Writer’s Sacrifice

A writer was just starting her story. But it wasn't working. I told her so. She had a good start, but there wasn’t enough interest. She realized she needed to give readers a better sense of the big problem that started her out on her journey. But she didn't know if she could do it. I said we’ve got to
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