March 2009 Blog Posts (182)

A Writer's Prescription: 10,000 Hours

Andrew's comment echoes a speaker I heard at Sleuthfest a few weeks ago: in order to become proficient at anything, a person has to devote about 10,000 hours to it. The woman added her contention that for writers, another 10,000 hours has to be spent reading the work of others. For many of us, the second part is easy. I'd probably logged 10,000 hours of reading before I was twenty.

I'd add that those 10,000 hours of writing have to be focused. A golfer spending days practicing the… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on March 18, 2009 at 9:31pm — No Comments

Writing Prescription: 10,000 hours

Andrew's comment from yesterday echoes a Sleuthfest speaker who mentioned the same thing: that a person has to devote at least 10,000 hours to something to become proficient at it. The woman added her contention that for writing, you also have to read at least 10,000 hours of other people's work. That part, for many of us, does come easy. I'd probably logged 10,000 hours by the time I was twenty, long before I ever thought of publishing a book as something I might want to do.

Like… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on March 18, 2009 at 9:17pm — No Comments

Thick Skin and Rock-hard Confidence: Survival Tips from a Teflon Novelist - by Darden North, M.D.

This article appears in the Author Exchange Blog hosted by Linda M. Faulkner - March 17, 2009

Author Exchange Blog:Reviews with published authors, along with their articles, advice, and writing tips...

Thick Skin and Rock-hard Confidence: Survival Tips from a Teflon Novelist - by Darden North, M.D.

When I first decided to write a novel, my children were… Continue

Added by Darden North, MD on March 18, 2009 at 3:38pm — No Comments

So what's the average number of books sold?

Publishers Marketplace had an interesting article about the average number of books sold by most POD publsihers like AuthorHouse or Iuniverse. The number is around 200 or less--with most of these being books bought by friends, relatives, etc. Okay. I buy that. No arguements here.

But what's the average number of books bought by readers from a standard 'traditional' publisher? I know a lot of traditional paperback houses print roughly 2000 to 2,500 for a first printing run. But do the… Continue

Added by B.R.Stateham on March 18, 2009 at 5:40am — 9 Comments

Thriller writing 101: Creating an atmosphere

Every successful thriller begins with a distinctive atmosphere. Read post

Added by Kathryn Lilley on March 18, 2009 at 12:26am — No Comments

Call for Submissions - 'Another Time, Another Place'

I'm delighted that Mythica Publishing have asked me to compile and edit a short story anthology to be published later this year. 'Another Time, Another Place' will comprise approximately 10 - 12 tales which must all be thrillers and should be based in the future, whether it be one year from now or a thousand years ahead of our time. In short as writers you are able to use your imagination to the full and if necessary create a… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on March 17, 2009 at 11:02pm — 1 Comment

To Misquote Ringo..."It Don't (Be)come Easy"

Practice makes perfect, they say. So the more a person writes, the better he/she should become, and that's true in a sense. But the weird thing is that the more I look at writing and practice writing, the more I see that has to be done to make my work what I consider good writing. It isn't just a matter of coherent paragraphs and chapters that end with a hook. It's a complex stew of skills that grow with every work, or at least they should.

I remember reading early on that writing… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on March 17, 2009 at 9:49pm — 2 Comments

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today we all celebrate the most fun ethnic holiday. What I love most about St. Patrick’s Day is the all-embracing subtext. Consider, the list of Irish saints is past counting, but the most celebrated is St. Patrick, who was an Irishman only by adoption.

And I love the universal feeling of good will”

May your blessings outnumber

the shamrocks that grow,

and may trouble avoid you

wherever you go.

And may you be in heaven an hour before the devil… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on March 17, 2009 at 9:18pm — No Comments

Ground Pie in Chicago

On March 23, 24 and 25 my play

“The Ramifications of Ground Pie”

is being done at Rubicon Theatre Project’s KASSI FEST.

Here are the details:

“The Ramifications of Ground Pie”

By John Weagly

Monday March 23

& Tuesday March 24

& Wednesday March 25

7.30pm

Rubicon Theatre Project’s

2nd Annual Kassi Dallmann Short Play Festival

Stage Left Theatre

3408 N. Sheffield

Chicago,… Continue

Added by John Weagly on March 17, 2009 at 7:30am — No Comments

Book Two!

I'm very pleased to announce there will be a follow up book to my debut environmental thriller FREEZING POINT. Here's the Publishers Marketplace announcement:

March 15, 2009

Fiction: Thriller -

Author of Freezing Point, Karen Dionne's BOILING POINT, her second environmental thriller, in which an erupting volcano, a missing researcher, and a scheme to bring a permanent end to global warming collide, again to Natalee Rosenstein at Berkley, by Jeff Kleinman at… Continue

Added by Karen Dionne on March 17, 2009 at 4:00am — No Comments

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ON ROGUE MALES

Rogue Males: Conversations & Confrontations About the Writing Life by Craig McDonald. Bleak House Books $24.95 (320p) ISBN 978-1-60648-036-6; paper $14.95 ISBN 978-1-932557-45-9

A fascinating follow-up to the 2006 Art in the Blood dialogue with leading crime writers, this collection by journalist and fiction writer McDonald (Head Games) underlines the “rogue male” theme by putting some of the most influential crime fiction wizards under the spotlight. Among… Continue

Added by Craig McDonald on March 16, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Another Great Book

In this blog I like to point you to worthy additions to your personal library. One of the folks who wrote a blurb for Russian Roulette also writes the most fun mystery series I know of. Robert Randisi writes what might loosely be called an historical series featuring Frank, Dean, Sammy and the rest of the Rat Pack. Las Vegas in the 1960s was a dangerous place and Randisi has a great feel for the era and location. The book titles play on the titles of Rat Pack member songs, like the latest book,… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on March 16, 2009 at 9:26pm — 2 Comments

Redundant Reporters

Is it just me or are news reporters using more and more redundancies these days? I groan but accept the fact that local news reporters speak of "a poor family with no money" or "abused animals that have been mistreated by their owners." They're local, and the ones who speak that way will likely stay local. But the other night a woman on the national news actually said, “an underground tunnel runs under this road.” I guess that's opposed to an overground tunnel.

Then there are “armed… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on March 16, 2009 at 9:25pm — No Comments

European Book Market Booming

I stumbled on this interesting article from the New York Times. Book sales in Europe, despite terrible economic conditions, are actually on the rise. It's a bit of good news in an otherwise murky era. Click here to read "Book Sales in Europe Are Gaining in Tough… Continue

Added by Benjamin Sobieck on March 16, 2009 at 12:30pm — 1 Comment

Author Update

This week wasn't much for book signing, but I taught a writing class at Anne Arundel Community College and spent a lot of time preparing for the release of Russian Roulette in June. I have new bookmarks, and have ordered both a mailing list of mystery readers and the post cards I'll be sending. Coasters and a print ad are in the design phase. I've received blurbs for the book from some great friends. And I've mailed out about 50 pre-release review copies

Very soon I'll be inviting… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on March 16, 2009 at 11:39am — 2 Comments

Weekly Blog - Monday 16th March

There's no blog at present as I'm currently on vacation. Please check back in early April for the next edition.

Cheers,
Steve

Added by Steven Hague on March 16, 2009 at 7:30am — No Comments

Get Your Tractor Off My Land!

New blog post at: http://mitziszereto.com/blog

Added by Mitzi Szereto on March 16, 2009 at 12:26am — No Comments

Talks, E Books and Radio Interview

I had a great night on Wednesday night at Hayling Island's Women's Institute meeting where I gave a talk on my marine mystery crime novels. About forty ladies were present and made me very welcome indeed. They also allowed my husband, Bob, into the meeting as my official photographer and bouncer. Not that I needed a bouncer on this occasion. All were very friendly and bought lots of books, for which I thank them. I already had some readers in the… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on March 15, 2009 at 10:58pm — No Comments

A Study in Red available with Free delivery in USA

My award-winning novel 'A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper' is now being stocked by Blackwell's, the specialists in university books, textbooks and specialist books. I'm thrilled that the book has found its way into the lists of such a prestigious retailer and it is now available with Free Delivery within the USA at… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on March 15, 2009 at 10:06pm — 1 Comment

Is Blogging a Waste of Time?

Is Blogging a Waste of Time?

I’ve been asked that question three times in the last week.

Individuals have to make up their own minds. But until now I haven't blogged.

Overnight, Blogs initiate discussion, interviews or even reviews and Google Alert do pick up blog references. But if you already have an author/illustrator website as your shop-front window for publicising your books and talks, is blogging a waste of time for a writer? Or are you… Continue

Added by Hazel Edwards on March 15, 2009 at 7:54am — 8 Comments