M.L. Desir's Blog, page 48
July 13, 2018
How to Alienate People By Telling Them You Write Horror
Drew wrote: “We brave few who identify as horror authors have to raise it up again, even if that does mean pitching stories on the dance floor.” Totally agree. Drew also wrote: “Horror is the box wine of literature. Not that classy, but it will get you drunk.” Bwa, ha, ha! Then what is dark fantasy?
I get around, wheeling and dealing in my hip bohemian community. I’m a man about town, getting recognized in my seasonally inappropriate dark t-shirt and jeans.
“The tall guy with the...
The Weak Word Checklist
Not all words are created equal, and as a writer, you can devote many hours to finding the best perfect one.
While playing with word choice and re-writing sentences until you get them just right can help capture what you’re trying to invoke, a weak word can do the opposite.
But how do you know which exact words will pull the strength from your sentences? That’s a skill you’ll learn to develop as you grow as a writer. In the meantime, the following checklist is a good place to star...
The Active Word Checklist
“Keep your prose active.” It’s one of the most well-known pieces of writing advice and one of the most frustrating.
Sometimes when writing, especially when you’re first starting out, you have no idea what words are making your prose non-active. You’re just writing, using the words that sound right.
It’s not until you see the difference creating an active voice makes to your story that you understand why it’s a tried-and-true recommendation. Take the following sentences, for exampl...
July 12, 2018
Peek-a-Boo! My Involvement in The Twisted Towers Book Launch
Recently, one of my fellow authors invited me to help out with an online book launch via Facebook. After I shoved my nervousness aside, I enjoyed every moment of it.
E. Rose Sabin, the author of the newly released, The Twisted Towers, dedicated a lot of pre-planning, planning, time, and energy into the event.
She invited local authors that tag-teamed each other off in order to keep the viewers cozily entertained with games, prizes, and real-time ques...
July 10, 2018
Why you need to stop doing what doesn’t work
Ari Meghlen - Writer | Blogger | Bad card player
Happy Monday everyone. You know what that means, it’s time for another Monday Marketing post.
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8 Basic Tips for Social Media Etiquette
On social media, everything is a part of your brand and is an extension of you. People don’t know you personally so all they have to work with is the vibes you give off. From the way that you send emails, your blog posts, your social media posts and newsletters, everything. What you publish reveals who you are and can tell people one or two things. Either you’re a nasty, disrespectful person or you’re a kind, respectful person. It doesn’t take much to show others respect and ap...
July 9, 2018
Feel the fear and put yourself out there – advice for shy authors
Putting yourself out there . . . in order to get where you need to be is often scary at first, but necessary.
A while ago I was at an author event about book publicity. Finding magazines, blogs and broadcast media that will review our book or interview us. How do we do that? The first thing to do, said my friend Ben Cameron of Cameron PR, is to get the right mindset. Think of it as creative. And fun.
Afterwards, I fell into conversation with Tina, who didn’t see it as fun. Sh...
Self-love and Poetry Contest
I’ve been watching The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. It’s slow, a little boring and I find the portrayal of submission and authority and the use of scripture to verify abuse offensive, filled with all of the stereotypes and misconceptions the world has taught in regard to a woman and man’s divine role. But, there is one perfect example in the series that illustrates why self-love is so important.
The TV show is based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood and is set in Gilead,...
July 2, 2018
2nd Annual #Poetry Contest Reminder: Enter Today!! (No Entry Fee. No Hidden Fees.)
Poetry Contest! Link here: https://thepbsblog.com/2018/06/25/2nd-annual-poetry-contest-reminder-enter-today-no-entry-fee-no-hidden-fees/
Agent of the Month – Linda Camacho – First Page Results
Ooh la la!
LINDA CAMACHO IS JUNE’S AGENT OF THE MONTH
FIRST PAGE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AT BOTTOM OF POST
Before Linda Camacho moved to Gallt & Zacker Literary, she was with Prospect Agency and held various roles on the publishing side. After She graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Communication. She’s held various positions at Penguin Random House, Dorchester, Simon and Schuster, and Writers House literary agency. She’s done everything from foreign rights to editor...
