Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 70

Picture Book Scenes

When you draft a picture book, it is tempting to write out your manuscript like any other story. You double space the text. You have one-inch margins. And you write. Sure, you probably keep an eye on the wordcount. After all, picture books texts tend to be short. Only when you are done do you … Continue reading Picture Book Scenes →

The Shadow Behind the Story

Earlier this week, I read a post on Melissa Ostrom’s blog about the secret story behind the story. She explained that she read this in a review by novelist Gustavo Martin Garzo. Garzo wrote that in literature “there should always be a secret story behind the more obvious one, and that as you read, the … Continue reading The Shadow Behind the Story →

When You Query, Be Specific

Writing a query letter is one of those tasks that leaves many writers frustrated and uncertain. It is good enough? Will it grab their attention? One of the most important things you can do when penning your query is to make it specific in these areas. Why This Agent? Although I haven’t counted, I feel … Continue reading When You Query, Be Specific →

Cozy Mystery Tropes

I am still in the prewriting stage of reimagining my cozy. This is the tough part for me because I want to get to the writing. But I really want this to work better than my last attempt. And that means I need to have some plans in place. One of the things that I’m … Continue reading Cozy Mystery Tropes →

How Many Projects Do You Work on At Once?

Different writers give different answers to this question. At the moment, I am working on three books as well as teaching two classes and blogging. It sounds like a lot but the three books are in very different stages. Mountain Lions I am taking my book about mountain lions to final. This means that I’ve … Continue reading How Many Projects Do You Work on At Once? →

How to Defeat Imposter Syndrome

It isn’t just our characters who have dark moments.  Each and every writer I know, including those who are also editors and those who are published, sometimes feels like just giving up.  Maybe you haven’t managed to make a sale. You can’t even get agents and editors to respond. Or you got the okay to … Continue reading How to Defeat Imposter Syndrome →

Why Revising Is a Writer’s Most Valuable Skill

It isn’t just me. I know this because my friend Nicole just blogged about the importance of taking a piece to final vs writing one new piece after another. This GIF shows how so many writers feel about their work. Lilo on the left represents our initial enthusiasm.  “This project is amazing!  Woo hoo!  This … Continue reading Why Revising Is a Writer’s Most Valuable Skill →

Why I Added a Freebies Page

Adding a “Freebies” page to my website last week wasn’t part of a long term plan. But then I saw a reading chart that neglected nonfiction and I decided to create a better one. Once I had the chart, I had to think about how to distribute it. Two ideas came to mind. First, I … Continue reading Why I Added a Freebies Page →

Writers and Therapists: A Guest Post from Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler

Welcome and Happy Monday! Today we have a special treat. Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler, the author of Whispering Through Water, is here with a guest post. I’ll step aside and let her get started. What my counseling program taught me about writing fiction by Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler In graduate school, my Group Counseling professor said so … Continue reading Writers and Therapists: A Guest Post from Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler →

Site Updates and a Free Reading Chart

This past week, I spent some time updating my site. “What’s New” now opens with the covers for Australia and Russia as well as a schedule for the classes I teach. Aren’t these covers gorgeous? I feel like I can be all gushy and glowy, because I had nothing whatsoever to do with their creation. … Continue reading Site Updates and a Free Reading Chart →