Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 187

Recharging: Spending the Day in Your PJs

Yesterday I met a major deadline.  I did a hard-copy edit of all 1300 words and then made the changes in my document.  I am, as they say, toast.  My sense of humor is shot.  I can sit and stare at the wall for 20 minutes but can’t concentrate on anything important for 5. So […]

Writer vs Reader

This isn’t a post about difficult readers but about advance sales.  As a writer, I understand them.  The publisher wants to get word out and get people excited.  They want orders already coming in when the book comes out. I get that. As a writer. As a reader?  Not so much.  This morning, someone tweeted […]

Pitching Your Idea

What is it that makes a pitch work?  Is it theme?  Or maybe you should show how action-packed your idea is?  I might have said either of those things a week ago before I saw this meme. Note: I’ve blurred out the name of the movie.  If you’ve seen this meme and know the movie […]

Can You Hear Me? Writing to Your Reader

As I’m working to bring another nonfiction book together, I’m working with a topic that is not in my comfort zone.  I know more than most of my readers but not as much as I want them to know when all is said and done. This means that I’ve been having to learn the topic […]

Subplots: How Much Is Too Much?

Since I wrote “Plot and Subplots” about two weeks ago, I’ve been paying special attention to subplots and plotlines in the books I read.  One of the things I’ve been wondering about is how many is too many. At the moment, I’m reading Breakout by Kate Messner.  Plots and subplots include: A prison break (that’s the main […]

Recharging: Especially Important When A Job Is Stressful

Every now and again I get an assignment that is a bit more stressful than normal.  Sometimes, like with the Ziki Virus book, I’m wading through science in an area that is less familiar and I’m having to learn some of the basics along with the specialized material.  The topic interests me but it is […]

Book Challenge: 7 Books I Love

On Facebook, a number of my friends have been taking part in a challenge to post the covers of seven books that they love.  No explanation.  No reasons given.  So I’ve been noodling over what books I would choose today.  I say today because when I was 25, the list would have been different.  In […]

Writing Nonfiction: The First Draft, One Hot Mess

I’m drafting a new book this week.  This isn’t a picture book.  I can actually create a picture book first draft that isn’t terrifying. I’m not saying it is great but it doesn’t make you want to hide.  A first draft of a 15,000 word nonfiction for tweens?  Oh, what a mess it is. I […]

Audiobooks: Is Listening to a Book Cheating?

Yesterday, I was poking around Jane Friedman’s blog and read Kristen Tsetsi’s post, “Resolving My Cheater Shame: Listening to Books Instead of Reading Them.” It was a different take for me. I have absolutely never felt like I was cheating, probably because I don’t listen instead of reading.  I listen to some books and I […]

Book Promotion: Where Does Your Book Fit in the Library

I wish I could remember which editor gave us this piece of advice.  She said that when we submit a manuscript, we should be able to tell the editor what special B&N displays would include our book. If we can do that, we know that there is a market/interest in the subject.  I know she […]