Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 85

Should Writers Read?

Yet again, I saw someone ask this question on social media. “Do you think a writer needs to read?” Yes, I do. But I’ll admit that I know a small handful of brilliant writers who read very little. They are moving. They are caring for elderly parents. They have a day job. They are building … Continue reading Should Writers Read? →

3 Ways to Fit Writing into Your Life

I’ll admit it. I’m a full time writer. This may make you wonder what I know about fitting writing into my day. The reality is that full time writers still have families and kids that get sick. They have friends and acquaintances who know they are home during the day. Some of us also have … Continue reading 3 Ways to Fit Writing into Your Life →

Packager vs Publisher

Yesterday I commented on the fact that I write for a book packager. Then I realized that perhaps not all of you are familiar with that term. Let me explain. I write for Red Line Editorial. When a publisher has an idea for a series, they can contact Red Line or another packager. Red Line … Continue reading Packager vs Publisher →

Just Say No

I know that I spend a lot of time on here encouraging you to say yes to new possibilities and to try new things. But the reality is that you don’t have to say yes to every job that comes along. Why would you say no? There are any number of reasons. Bad Fit I … Continue reading Just Say No →

Border Crossings by Emma Fick

I don’t read only the types of books that I write. I read most fiction genre, some nonfiction, and so much more. If an industry newsletter or something involved in writing, illustrating, publishing, or libraries recommends a book and it looks interesting, I head to my library’s online catalogue to see if I can request … Continue reading Border Crossings by Emma Fick →

Watch for These Mistakes in Your Close 3rd Person POV

I tend to think of 3rd person point of view as the easy one to write. As much as I love reading first person, I don’t love writing it unless I’m writing memoir or autofiction. Otherwise I’m not the character which means that I sometimes forget to write in first person. If I’m going to … Continue reading Watch for These Mistakes in Your Close 3rd Person POV →

Killing Your Darlings

Recently I had the opportunity to have the first three chapters of my middle grade novel critiqued. Yes! Madeline Dyer is a published novelist and top notch writing instructor so I quickly polished my chapters and sent them on their way. When I got her comments back, I skimmed through them quietly doing a happy … Continue reading Killing Your Darlings →

Using Secrets in Your Stories

Yesterday I read a blog post by David Corbett on character secrets. It started me thinking about how I use secrets in my own work-in-progress. My story is a middle grade science fiction novel. There is political intrigue and global calamity and not surprisingly the adults have a lot of secrets. They don’t think that … Continue reading Using Secrets in Your Stories →

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you won’t be surprised when I tell you that I picked up THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo after I heard about an attempt to ban it. One of my writing friends told me that parents at a charter school had attempted to ban the … Continue reading The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo →

Hooking the Reader with Narrative Nonfiction

When I write a nonfiction book for tweens and teens, chapter one opens with a narrative nonfiction scene that will hook the reader. A book about an ancient culture might start with a daily scene from that culture. A historic battle would focus on a moment in that altercation. In a book about evolution, I … Continue reading Hooking the Reader with Narrative Nonfiction →