On Publishing – Page 2 – Ascribe Writers

The Tortoise and the Hare for Writers

October 10, 2022November 16, 2022 Diane Ferguson 3 Comments

As a novel writer, I move at a tortoise’s pace, working over my words with a fine tooth comb, re-reading to make sure everything flows as it should, reviewing beginnings and endings…you get the point, it’s never ending. As a first-time novel writer, I have the luxury of time.

But the newspaper and magazine world are all about timeliness. I’ve had a taste of this as I used to write-in to the local newspaper fairly frequently, responding to the current issues of the day. When you need speed, you lose some perfectionism, or at least you have to let some of it go. It feels antithetical to novel writing.

Do You Know Where Your Novel Fits?

May 16, 2022May 16, 2022 Donna Judy Curtin 1 Comment

The pandemic of recent years has wrecked havoc on the veterinary industry. In plain terms, there are less of us providing care, more pets than ever and the results is most veterinary practices can’t keep up. This is where capacity and prioritizing come in.

You can only do so much.

To keep my writing near to the top of the list, I have had to set goals and be uncompromisable when it comes to finding and protecting my writing time.

To further this goal, I signed up for a writing intensive with Chicken House Press, for 12 heavenly hours of uninterrupted time to write and reflect. Forefront on my writing time agenda was to address recent comments from an editor on the first 50 pages of the novel I am about to query.

Finding Your Family – Comparable Titles

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022 Donna Judy Curtin Leave a comment

The dreaded ‘comp’ or comparative title is every querying novelist’s nemesis. You spend years writing and perfecting your novel—a book only you could have written, a story unlike any other—and then you’re asked to list the similar books.

What? Are they crazy? Of course, there is nothing exactly like your novel—that’s why you wrote it.

The trouble is—this is the business of books. If you want an agent to promote your work, if you dream of the day a publisher will commit to printing your pages and you can’t wait to see your glossy hard cover baby mingling on the shelves of your favourite bookstore, then you need to help everyone to position your book. Read more

The Lies Some Writers Tell

January 17, 2022January 17, 2022 Kelly Babcock Leave a comment

Fiction is not lying. That’s not what I’m talking about when I talk about the lies some writers tell. And writers aren’t liars for writing fiction. Far from it. They’re telling a sort of truth that is purer than any fact one might produce from experimentation and research.

How so? They’ve told you in advance that this is fiction. Therefore what you are reading is what is understood to be their thoughts, their creation. What could be purer or truer than that? Read more

Letting Go

August 23, 2021August 16, 2021 Tracey Richardson 2 Comments

“The most exquisite paradox: as soon as you give it all up, you can have it all. As long as you want power, you can’t have it. The minute you don’t want power, you’ll have more than you ever dreamed possible.” ~Ram Dass

As writers, sometimes we want so badly to be published, that we will do just about anything to make that success happen. What ultimately happens is that we get stuck on a gerbil that’s spinning so fast, we can’t get off.

Accountability Partners: Are They Beneficial?

August 16, 2021August 16, 2021 Lori Twining 2 Comments

Accountability Partners: Colleen Winter & Lori Twining

I have a simple goal: I want a writing career.

Unfortunately, it is not as simple as quitting my day job and writing the damn novel. Other things factor into a writing career, besides having money to pay the bills. In 2021, as a writer, it is essential to have a social media presence, network with others, be searchable on Google, be knowledgeable and experienced with the craft of writing, have an agent, have a publisher, and the list goes on and on. It is endless.

Is a writing career something I can do alone?

On Narrowing Down Your Pursuit

March 15, 2021March 16, 2021 Kelly Babcock Leave a comment

Or, Why Writing Is Hard!

If someone is trying to solve a murder mystery, or even write one, they need to provide the suspect with three things. The suspect has to have means, motive, and opportunity.

When you’re writing, your work has to have a story to tell (means), it has to be told in a palatable way (motive), and it has to be made available to people to be read (opportunity).

And sadly, all three of these tasks fall, to a certain extent, under the heading of Read more

One of the Secrets For Writing a Best Seller

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 Lori Twining 5 Comments

This summer, I have been learning “how to edit” my first thriller novel (Commercial Fiction) with the help of a professional editor. So far, it has been an enlightening experience. I had no idea there were so many different levels and layers to the editing process. If I did, I might have quit writing years ago. *Joking! I love the torture.*

Last week, I tackled the “Passive Voice” found within my novel. I am currently sitting between 2-3% Passive Voice. A score of less than 5% in your manuscript is acceptable. While educating myself on how to remove it, I stumbled upon something else. Before I tell you, I want to ask a question:

Do you know why some novels only sell a handful of copies and other novels sell millions?

Category: On Publishing