by Jim
“Hi Jim, My book is done. I’m super excited about getting it published. My question to you is about the cover. What do you think I should go with, a simple cover with maybe a single item as the focal point or a big cover depicting a scene and characters? My artist is really pushing the idea that less is more in the cover. … Read More Minimalist vs. Ornate?
by Jim
So in the questions I’ve had asked, a few of the same came up: “I have the desire to become a writer, a published writer. I just have no idea where to to start.” –plasticfacesofdorothy ——————————————————- Hey Jim, I’ve come to the point where I’m revising a draft of a novel for mainly grammar and wording, no more major changes to the plot. My … Read More Getting Published… the basics…
by Jim
“When did the need for series and/or sequels start, anyway? I’ve been reading Diana Wynne Jones’ REFLECTIONS ON WRITING, and she isn’t shy about sharing her thoughts on series arcs (that is, she didn’t like them). If memory serves, out of the gazillion books she wrote, only three, maybe four had sequels. Even in the Chrestomanci series, Chrestomanci himself is not always a primary … Read More Are Sequels Really Necessary?
+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, Non Fiction, Philosophy, Reading, Romance, Writing
by Jim
What is it about stories that don’t have a happy ending that we love so much? Bad enough is the shock of a story that has an unexpected sad ending, but what of the ones that we already know aren’t going to end well? We know it’s going to be upsetting and even heartbreaking, so why do we bother to go see those movies … Read More The Tragic Romance
by Jim
If you’re good at something, don’t do it for free! Okay, let me start off by saying that I’m aware a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this, and I am aware that there are exceptions to this rule. If you want to donate copies of your book to a local shelter, library, or even just throw a few sample … Read More Author’s Advice Pt. 16
by Jim
“I would be very interested to know how you personally plan a book. I’m writing my first one and started in a very haphazard way. I’m normally quite good at holding information in my head but since I’ve started writing my book discovered I’m not as good as I thought I was. To begin with a wrote a few notes and launched straight in … Read More Planning Your Book
by Jim
Learning Separation So you’ve created the perfect character or characters. They’re everything you wanted them to be. Their personalities are perfect, they’re well-liked by your audience, and everything is going well. Then as you get deeper and deeper into your writing, you begin to feel like you’re living through their experiences with them. Suddenly, you’re protective of that character and your writing becomes far more … Read More Author’s Advice Pt. 15
+ advice, Author, literature, Publishing, Writing
by Jim
“Marketing is a big one! I’d love to know more about that. My book will be free for all, so I’m trying to figure out how best to handle that. But that’s a very specific situation.” -Thesarahdoughty Excellent question. So you mentioned that your book is going to be free… personally I always say that if you’re good at something, don’t do it for free, but … Read More Marketing Your Book
by Jim
Don’t let writing consume your life. So you’re writing, you have a great idea and you want to get the whole thing down while it’s fresh in your mind. It’s perfect and if you don’t write it down right now, you’ll lose it. I get it, I’ve been there. There is certainly nothing wrong with taking that moment to get that info down, but … Read More Author’s Advice Pt. 13
by Jim
So is it possible to ethically write characters or circumstances that go against your personal beliefs, code of honor, and/or standards? It’s not an easy thing to do, for sure, but to a point, I’d say yes. Allow me to provide an example: In college, I took classes dealing with European Socialism and Fascism. In one of the classes, we were asked to recreate … Read More Going Against Your Beliefs.
by Jim
So… one thing I’ve always struggled with is how long each chapter should be. A few paragraphs, a few pages, what? The definition from Webster: Full Definition of CHAPTER 1 a : a main division of a book b : something resembling a chapter in being a significant specified unit <a new chapter in my life> 2 a : a regular meeting of the … Read More Author Advice Pt. 12
+ advice, Artist, Author, awful, bad, Belief, Book, Characters, chase, demon, Divinity, Fairy Tale, fantasy
by Jim
Don’t be afraid to mix and merge. So you have a fairly successful series going, but now you’re experiencing writers block. You have fragments of two or three sequels written, but don’t know where to take them. You’ve even considered starting on a third, but haven’t gotten anywhere with it. You really like the first two and would love to continue one of them, … Read More Author’s Advice Pt. 11
James Harringtons Creative Work 