Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 63
May 22, 2023
Manuscript Format: More than Margins and Double Spacing
Back in March I posted about how to format your manuscript correctly. I also shared a handout on manuscript format (scroll down my Freebies page to find it). After all, some things are just easier to understand when you can see them. When you format your manuscript in Word, it is often more than just … Continue reading Manuscript Format: More than Margins and Double Spacing →
May 21, 2023
Sometimes, All I Need Is Me: When a “Quiet” Picture Book Works
Every once in a while, you read a picture book that just clicks. That’s how I felt when I paged through Sometimes, All I Need Is Me by Juliana Perdomo. My first thought was that in many ways, it is a quiet book. What do I mean by quiet? It isn’t rowdy. There are no … Continue reading Sometimes, All I Need Is Me: When a “Quiet” Picture Book Works →
May 18, 2023
Why Your Story Matters and Your Book Idea Really Is a Good Idea: Guest Post by Naomi Nakashima
Happy Friday, everyone! I have a special treat for all of you today – a guest post by Naomi Nakashima, author of Write Out Loud. You can read my review of her book here. Without further ado . . . Naomi, take it away! Why Your Story Matters and Your Book Idea Really Is a … Continue reading Why Your Story Matters and Your Book Idea Really Is a Good Idea: Guest Post by Naomi Nakashima →
May 17, 2023
What to Post on Social Media?
Today I attended a webinar about social media. There were definitely two camps. There were people who post regularly and those who do not. The thing that surprised me most was that even some people who post regularly are often stymied about what to post. Instead of creating any kind of original content, they repost … Continue reading What to Post on Social Media? →
May 16, 2023
Sprints: A Kick in the Pants for Either Writing or Revising
Recently some of my writing friends were talking about sprints. If you aren’t familiar with the term is a sprint is a timed period of writing that gets you to put down words. It can be five minutes. It can be 40. You decided. But the goal is to sit and work for the entirety … Continue reading Sprints: A Kick in the Pants for Either Writing or Revising →
May 15, 2023
Review of Write Out Loud by Naomi D. Nakashima
Books on plotting. Books on mystery writing or character development. So many of the writing books in print are super specific. In a sense, Write Our Loud is much the same but its specificity isn’t in teaching a specific part of the craft of writing. Instead, Nakashima’s goal is to get the writer going with … Continue reading Review of Write Out Loud by Naomi D. Nakashima →
May 14, 2023
Writing a Picture Book about a Tough Topic
It isn’t that picture books about tough topics are few and far between. Bug in a Vacuum by Melanie Watts is about the five stages of grief. Mouseboat by Larissa Thuele is about the death of a parent. Night on the Sand by Monica Mayper is about being a refugee. The trick to writing about … Continue reading Writing a Picture Book about a Tough Topic →
May 11, 2023
Small Problems Build like a Dripping Faucet
When I write fiction, I’m always conscious that I need to elevate the stakes throughout the story. By the middle of the book, I always feel like I’m pushing it. “This is a story about a 12-year-old! What more can I do!” Then I read a post by Janice Hardy about small problems. The sense … Continue reading Small Problems Build like a Dripping Faucet →
May 10, 2023
Cozy Fantasy?
I know what a cozy mystery is but I have to admit that I had never heard the term cozy fantasy until I spotted this article on Tor.com. Author R. Nassor places the roots in 1960s sit coms that combined family life and magic. Not sure what I mean? Think The Addams Family, The Munsters, … Continue reading Cozy Fantasy? →
May 9, 2023
Find Your People
Yesterday I read an article by author Sean Williams called “10 1/2 Commandments of Writing.” You can (and should) check it out here. The one that really caught my attention was commandment 10.5. In short, find Your People. Every now and again the importance of this is driven home to me. Next week, I’m taking … Continue reading Find Your People →
