Sylvia McNicoll's Blog, page 10

Telling Tales–The Literary Festival that Makes Reading Happen

In the attention competition, reading has been slipping of late not I think because of video games, television or music but because of the increased use of social media, Facebook, Twitter, tumblir, instagram, Youtube and Younameit.  I know I can … Continue reading →

You Do Judge a Book By Its Cover

 Recently a google search produced a website where the writer performed a Cover Snark review.  She revealed some 28 covers that someone had submitted and she gently made fun of them. The comment on my upcoming Feb 2015 release: “I … Continue reading →

Research in fiction

 ”I read nonfiction (exclusively) because I want to learn something.” It’s a troubling sentiment I’ve heard often enough.  It goes along with “fiction is a waste of time.” Readers feel everything in a novel is made up and therefor somehow … Continue reading →

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Capturing the Teen Voice

At a CBC morning interview in Saskatoon last September I was asked how I connect to my teen audience, the unspoken end of the sentence may have been “when you’re as old as you are.”  I answered, perhaps too glibly, … Continue reading →

The Thing About Signing a Book…

It used to be a no-brainer, autographing a novel that you wrote made it more valuable. The mere act of signing it in the bookstore created a bit of a hubbub around you, inevitably someone would buy a copy. You … Continue reading →

Props for the Author Visit and Literary Festival

Recently I needed to buy new footwear and I immediately knew where I would shop.  There was a small shoe store in a strip mall that had a huge fly poster.  Kids’ authors get this immediately.  ”Of course, she wrote … Continue reading →

Reflections on Reading vs Writing

As a writer, I love reading; it’s what led me to my career.  However, with deadlines and faster turnarounds to editorial suggestions and copy edits as well as increased responsibility for self/book promotion,  I often find myself sacrificing my reading. … Continue reading →

The Travelling Writer

This is the scene from the Valhalla B & B, near L’anse aux Meadows where Annie Proulx stayed for a year and wrote Shipping News. After a long drive, and a quick visit to the viking ruins at the national … Continue reading →

Grant Me Creative Writing Money Canada Council

The Secret to Getting Grants Recently I attended a session at the Onwords Conference of The Writers’ Union of Canada called “The Desperate People” or “Get that Grant”. The speakers included Marion Vitrac, Program Officer for Canada Council’s Grants to … Continue reading →