Anne R. Allen's Blog, page 14
July 17, 2022
Are You Writing Likeable Characters? Why That “Likeable” Label Depends on Genre
by Anne R. Allen The BBC series Morse, based on the mystery novels by Colin Dexter, won the “Best British Mystery Series of All Time” title in a Radio Times poll. A recent Facebook post about the win made me think about the admonition authors hear that novels must have likeable characters. Inspector Morse is […]
The post Are You Writing Likeable Characters? Why That “Likeable” Label Depends on Genre appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
July 10, 2022
10 Things Beginning Writers Should do Before Trying to Publish a Book
by Anne R. Allen Here’s more about the mistakes I made so you don’t have to. If I had worked harder on these things instead of doggedly piling up wordcount without having a clue what I was doing, I’d have saved myself a lot of time and heartbreak on my road to publication. 1) Come […]
The post 10 Things Beginning Writers Should do Before Trying to Publish a Book appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
July 3, 2022
Internet Trolls, Bullies, and the Chronically Offended — How Should an Author Deal with Them?
by Anne R. Allen Internet trolls and other masters of malice we meet on the Web can ruin a writing day — and even a career. We all know we shouldn’t “feed” the trolls, but that’s easier said than done. Especially if the trolls are telling lies about you or attacking your readers and […]
The post Internet Trolls, Bullies, and the Chronically Offended — How Should an Author Deal with Them? appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
June 26, 2022
Listmania–How Lists Can Make Your Writing Faster and Easier
by Ruth Harris Lists will make writing your book faster and easier — and bail you out when you get stuck. Lists. Grocery lists. Laundry lists. To do lists. Playlists. Witness lists Bucket lists. Wait lists Watch lists Lists run our lives. Lists keep us on track. Lists keep things simple. Lists make things clear. […]
The post Listmania–How Lists Can Make Your Writing Faster and Easier appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
June 19, 2022
Why the Last Page of Your Novel is as Important as the First
by Anne R. Allen Mickey Spillane famously said “They read to get to the end. If it’s a letdown, they won’t buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book.” I can see the creative writing students rolling their eyes. Mickey Spillane wasn’t exactly a great prose stylist. But […]
The post Why the Last Page of Your Novel is as Important as the First appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
June 12, 2022
They’re (NOT) Gonna Put you in the Movies: Beware Book-to-Film Scams
by Anne R. Allen For the past couple of years, streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc. have been gobbling up literary properties to make into films and TV series. So I guess it was inevitable that scammers would find a way to exploit the phenomenon. Here’s a 2019 article from Publishers Weekly about […]
The post They’re (NOT) Gonna Put you in the Movies: Beware Book-to-Film Scams appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
June 5, 2022
7 Essential Tips to Plan Your Novel Like a Pro
You can plan your novel even if you’re a pantser by Beth Barany Even as an experienced novelist, I still need a roadmap to follow when I’m starting a new novel. When I was a beginner, I really needed a roadmap that worked for me. Which is why I created these tools, especially designed for […]
The post 7 Essential Tips to Plan Your Novel Like a Pro appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
May 29, 2022
6 Ways Your Author Bio Can Help You Sell Books
Why you should write that author bio now by Ruth Harris The book you poured your heart into languishes on your hard drive like the wallflower at the dance — slumped shoulders, wilted corsage and all. Your crit group tries to be encouraging, but the message is clear. Go to plumbing school/welding school where you will learn […]
The post 6 Ways Your Author Bio Can Help You Sell Books appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
May 22, 2022
How Bad Marketing Can Destroy Your Author Brand, Lose Friends, and Influence Nobody
by Anne R. Allen Bad marketing is worse than none. And I’ve seen some breathtakingly bad marketing strategies recently. I assume authors are hiring cut-rate online marketers who have more experience selling real estate in Mumbai and knock-off designer sunglasses than books. Do I need to say this is a bad idea? Being annoying may […]
The post How Bad Marketing Can Destroy Your Author Brand, Lose Friends, and Influence Nobody appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
May 15, 2022
Wanna Be a Paperback Writer? The Scoop on Writing Series Books!
by Melodie Campbell This month, I will have the privilege of interviewing both Ian Rankin and Linwood Barclay, at separate conferences and festivals. Both are world-renowned crime writers (and wonderfully witty men besides.) As I read through their latest books in order to prepare for being the hostess with the mostess (naughty thoughts aside – […]
The post Wanna Be a Paperback Writer? The Scoop on Writing Series Books! appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.
