R. Michael Phillips's Blog, page 5

David vs. the Publishing Goliath

In this past year leading up to the BEA I've read a flurry of articles how the rise of the eBook is heralding the demise of the publishing industry. On the surface they resonate as depicting anyone venturing down the road of self-publishing as latter-day David's, banding together and swinging their keyboards in an attempt to topple the publishing world of Goliath. As I read through them a second time it occurred to me they were more a critique on the writing process itself, and how much that ...

A word about Rejection.

I was reading a nice little blog post on Rants & Ramblings about a literary agents thoughts on rejection letters. It was very insightful and I wanted to add a footnote to the thought.

Rejection is part of the writing process and should not be looked at as a personal affront. Time is a very valuable commodity to agents and to authors. I had my place in line and if my work is not what that particular agent was looking for then I'll thank them and move on. A form letter is fine and I appreciate i...

One Man's Review Is Another Man's Treasure?

This is certainly one for the books.Scathing Amazon Reviewer Revealed as Author Orlando Figes' Wife - AOL News Call me naive, but I was genuinely shocked by this. I'm sure many authors secretly harbor a bit of jealousy towards more successful contemporaries, but it surprises me to read what lengths someone close to them would go attempting to discredit a rival. A rival? They are fellow authors, writers who also devoted their time and energy to a subject they felt strongly enough to write abou...

Every Character Has A Story To Tell

Characters Part III- Every Character Has A Story To Tell

It's always good to remember your characters have a past. What that past consists of is for the writer to decide. That past is important. It's what helps develop not only the character, but also the story line. Look at a character's past as the weft to the plot's warp. Together they create the fabric of the book.

I mentioned in an earlier post that all characters need to be dimensional, but I should also mention they need to be...

Barnes & Noble And The Coattails Of Technology

I was very excited to read an article about B&N's efforts in becoming an E-Commerce Retailer. It really gets to the heart of the battle about giving readers what they want, in the form they want it in, and at different price options. With all this doom and gloom forecasting about what technology is doing to the publishing industry it's encouraging to see B&N has taken up the challenge and is charging forward, instead of whimpering in the corner. As an author, I applaud every effort that gets ...

What I Learned Sitting On A Train Platform

Characters- Part II

This is the second of three short observations about Characters.

No matter what traits a fiction writer can dream up for the characters that populate their stories, nothing compares to the quirks and traits of those you meet in real life. Allow me to expound a bit. Well, there I was, sitting on a train platform in Worcester waiting for my return train to London. It was a bright morning with just the slightest chill, but enough to warrant holding my coffee with two...

Even Vampires Need Dating Sites

Characters- Part I

This is the first of three short observations about Characters.

When we thought the world was flat no one found it very interesting. You sailed west, arrived at the edge, and fell off. But once it was determined it was round they lined up at the docks, signing on to explore the new and different lands that were promised just over the horizon. The same can be said of the characters that populate your stories. Your characters should never be flat. They should have depth...

The Reason They Make Chocolate And Vanilla

Making the jump from writer to author is an incredible journey that should not be taken lightly. It is not for the faint of heart. You need to shift the passion that drove you to the written word to getting those words in the hands of a publisher. In the beginning, it is filled with as much disappointment as it is enjoyment. It is the acceptance of this that will eventually fuel your success. The only thing that can derail you is if you allow the disappointment to commandeer your career....

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to wr...

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it." - J.M. Barrie, from his novel The Little Minister (1891)

When I think of growing up, the characters and imaginary places in the works of James M. Barrie are never far from my thoughts. I've stood in front of his house looking across at Kensington Gardens, not at all surprised at this being a source of his joy...

A Tip Of The Hat From Sherlock Holmes

Some of my earliest memories of reading center on the excitement I found in the pages of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I was just a lad, so I was forever looking up those huge words Sir Athur Conan Doyle used in his narratives with Holmes and Watson. I couldn't pronounce most of them, and I was quite sure they would never come up in conversations with my school mates, but I was determined to understand every aspect of the stories. Doyle made quite an impression on me, and that excitement has s...