Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 34

Were You a Born Storyteller?

Recently a friend asked us if we were storytellers when we were children. Hmm. It all depends on how you define it. I was totally into what is now called imaginative play. When I was a kid, I think it was just called playing. We played with dolls, Barbie’s and Dusty – a more robust … Continue reading Were You a Born Storyteller? →

1-2-3 The Steps I Follow to a Finished Manuscript

I just started my next project. Step one is always the same. I get out the author’s guidelines and make a list of everything I need to remember to include in the order it will appear in the book. Then I took some time and played around with Microsoft Designer. This is me in my … Continue reading 1-2-3 The Steps I Follow to a Finished Manuscript →

Historical Fiction or Alternate History

I am wrapping up the class that I took on writing historical fiction. I was a little put off when I got to one particular part in the reading. The problem? One of the textbook authors has a serious issue with alternate history. She says it isn’t historical fiction. It is tangential. Hmm. It would … Continue reading Historical Fiction or Alternate History →

Paperback Book Day

I almost forgot that today is Paperback Book Day. Recently I read a really interesting article about the Penguin Books coin-operated vending machine. For a few coins, someone could buy a mass market paperback. It was just the right size to slip into a pocket, purse or other bag. The point? To read it on … Continue reading Paperback Book Day →

My Writing Team

Writing is done in isolation. Writing is the loneliest profession. You sit at your desk all alone and then you write, squeezing out each word. On your own. Time and time again, these are the kinds of things I hear other people say. And, while I do work on my own laying down the words, … Continue reading My Writing Team →

The Final Edit

I have a book due today. For some of you, the final edit means that you read through and look for typos. I’ve done that. This is a job for an educational publisher, and it is part of a series. That means that on this final edit I am doing several things. Tighten the Text … Continue reading The Final Edit →

Is My Plan to Combat Rejection Letter Blues Working?

Back in January, I posted about my new plan to combat rejection letter blues. I developed my idea after listening to the podcast Writing Class Radio. The episode I listened to was HERE’S WHY I RESOLVE TO FAIL MORE by Andrea Askowitz. She talked about how failure and rejection are essential parts of development and the … Continue reading Is My Plan to Combat Rejection Letter Blues Working? →

A Picture Book Can Teach Without Preaching

If you adore picture books or adore a young picture book fan, check out Home in a Lunchbox. It is a great example of a topic that could be preachy. But with Cherry Mo’s text and illustrations it tells a powerful and moving story. When Jun moves from Hong Kong to the US, she has … Continue reading A Picture Book Can Teach Without Preaching →

Note to Self

First of all, thank you to Self Time for creating this. You can check out that Instagram account here. When I saw this graphic it seemed like something we all need to hear periodically no matter where we are in our writing journey. As beginners, it is so easy to look at the Big Names … Continue reading Note to Self →

Do You Support an Indie Bookstore?

For those of you unfamiliar with this term, an independent or indie bookstore is a bookstore that is independently owned. It is a small business. I always feels like I’m preaching to the choir when I post about indie bookstores, but then I discover that there are writers and readers who don’t support their local … Continue reading Do You Support an Indie Bookstore? →