Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 97

5 Tips for Creating Your Book Title

Titles are tricky things. Because I write nonfiction for the school library market, my book titles tend to be straightforward. Ancient Maya. The Dakota Access Pipeline. It really isn’t a mystery what these books are about. It also helps that my titles come on my contracts. This removes any temptation I might have to wax … Continue reading 5 Tips for Creating Your Book Title →

Five Minues a Day: Recharging

Deadline dead ahead! When I’ve got multiple projects on my desk, it can be hard to justify taking a break. But even five minutes can help you recharge. One of my favorite ways to recharge is to knit or crochet but that’s hard to do for just five minutes. If I want to keep it … Continue reading Five Minues a Day: Recharging →

3 Things to Help You Fast Draft

Yesterday I discussed how I write for Red Line and how I frequently have to write 15,000 words in 4 to 6 weeks. A big part of this is being able to fast draft or write a really solid draft FAST. If you need to draft your nonfiction project post haste, follow these 3 steps. … Continue reading 3 Things to Help You Fast Draft →

Do You Have What It Takes to Write for the Educational Market?

If you are fairly new to my blog, you may not know that the majority of my writing income comes from my work for Red Line Editorial. Through them, I write books for the school library market. I suppose I might be assigned a book for another market but I’m 30+ books in and they … Continue reading Do You Have What It Takes to Write for the Educational Market? →

Mystery Writing: How to Plant Clues

Yesterday I was watching a Brandon Sanderson lecture while I was on the treadmill. The discussion was on point-of-view and the benefits and limitations of both first person and third person. Love Sanderson’s in-depth lectures, but he clearly is not a mystery fan. One of his students asked how to plant clues and reveal information. … Continue reading Mystery Writing: How to Plant Clues →

Does It Count as Reading…

Recently I got a message from a friend wanting me to help pick out books for her son. He’s reading to grade level and has almost polished off the series I started him on at Christmas. But he keeps wanting to read graphic novels. She would rather he read something more . . . worthwhile. … Continue reading Does It Count as Reading… →

You Need to Take a Break When…

I have a deadline today and progress on this book has been slow. Think “Everything You Need to Know in 15,000 Words.” I’m covering a lot of ground in a tight word count. But every day, even as as the deadline drew near, I took frequent breaks. Why? Because it is what I needed to … Continue reading You Need to Take a Break When… →

Magic as Science: Writing Fantasy

Recently I’ve seen and heard people discussing how, if you are writing fantasy, your magic needs to be science. What are they talking about? Is this something new? If you write for young readers, you may have already heard conversations about this. We just tend to frame it a little differently. When you write fantasy, … Continue reading Magic as Science: Writing Fantasy →

Celebrate National Reading Month

I just found out that March is National Reading Month. How cool is that? What are you reading? At a minimum, I always have a book, an audiobook and a magazine going. Sometimes I’m also working on an e-book. Today, I’m reading Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart and History Smashers: The Mayflower by Kate … Continue reading Celebrate National Reading Month →

Science Fiction and Fantasy Can Be Any Type of Story

If I tell you that I’m writing science fiction or fantasy, I haven’t told you what type of story I’m writing. Think about it. I’ve described the general category. The same goes for historic fiction or contemporary. You still don’t know what type of story I’m talking about. A mystery can involve time travel. That … Continue reading Science Fiction and Fantasy Can Be Any Type of Story →