Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 38

Inspiration

I have a deadline so I have to work. But I want to take a moment to acknowledge one of the most creative women I knew. My earliest memory of Aunt Sue was string painting on her kitchen floor. I don’t know how old I was but we were sitting on her kitchen floor, squeezing … Continue reading Inspiration →

Review of Queering the American Dream by Angela Yarber

When I got the invitation for Queering the American Dream, the cover immediately grabbed my attention. I love the graphic elements and I love the simplicity, but I also love travel memoirs. Still, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I cracked open the book. I knew it was about the author’s travels with her … Continue reading Review of Queering the American Dream by Angela Yarber →

In Pursuit of the Perfect Agent

In the quest to find an agent, we all look for similar things. We want an agent who is the perfect match. Depending on what you write, you might look for someone whose education is similar to yours. You might seek someone out who represents all the types of books that you write. Maybe you … Continue reading In Pursuit of the Perfect Agent →

Revising: Going Beyond Your Editor’s Comments

Opening a manuscript with revision comments is a lot like opening a grab bag. I never know exactly what I’m going to find. Sometimes there will be 6 comments that are resolved with one tiny fix. Other times you have one comment that results in hours of work. “Move everything from X to Y to … Continue reading Revising: Going Beyond Your Editor’s Comments →

Blog Tours and Connecting with Readers

Yesterday I plodded along on the treadmill as I listened to a presentation by a big name author. “Alas and woe, I sought solace in my writing retreat at Martha’s Vineyard.” Given that I had just listened to him talk about receiving tough writing news while at his beach house in the Florida Keys, I’m … Continue reading Blog Tours and Connecting with Readers →

Social Media Black Out

This was me on Wednesday. By Friday, the indicator was buried in the red. I was working my tail off to meet a book deadline, got hit up for a second revision on a project because they changed the series, and was getting pinged by several more people. I had to have my browser open … Continue reading Social Media Black Out →

It Is OK to Say “I Don’t Know”

I have a deadline today. I need to turn in a chapter and an outline. The book format is new to me and the topic . . . well, I thought I had a small clue. Nope. I had a tiny clue. I am buried in research. As I was working on this, I got … Continue reading It Is OK to Say “I Don’t Know” →

A Right Way and a Wrong Way to Use Social Media

I follow a variety of authors on Twitter and Bluesky. I’ve signed up for emails from some of them. Others, I will never let send me something via email. Why is that? Because of what they post on social media. Two of my favorites are Neal Gaiman and Stephen King. I’m not delusional. I’m sure … Continue reading A Right Way and a Wrong Way to Use Social Media →

How I Learned to Write

This cartoon definitely describes how I learned to write. A small part of the learning comes from theory — writing classes, articles, and how-to books. My very first class was with Pat McKissack. It was a continuing education class at the Jewish Community Center. The university would have been much more convenient but I’m so … Continue reading How I Learned to Write →

When You Don’t Know What You’re Writing About

Do you play it safe and write about things you know? Hmm. That sounded rude, but it shouldn’t. A lot of writers focus on whatever they are an expert in — cooking, decorating, publicity, etc. My cousin is working on a self-help book. It covers what he does for a living. Honestly? Capitalizing on what … Continue reading When You Don’t Know What You’re Writing About →