Terry Odell's Blog, page 69

In Praise of Critique Partners

In Praise of Critique Partners

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

I belong to a very small online critique group. Three of us have been together for over a decade. Ive met two of them face-to-faceone last fall when the Hubster and I visited London. The fourth is relatively new to the group, but shes a valued addition.

Things to consider when looking for partners.

Skill Level Genre Willingness to accept feedback.

Ideally, youd want to find a group with members who are above your skill level,...

Thanks to People Who Fix Things

Thanks to People Who Fix Things

Living where I do, Ive always done a lot remotely. Sometimes, it means spending longer than usual hold times because of unusually high call volumes. (Which seems to have been the standard long before the pandemicand is there any company whose phone menu hasnt changed?)

At any rate, I got to thinking about customer service lately. Ive been pleased with most of the end results, although how long it takes has left a lot to be desired.

First up: My audiobook...

Are You Laying or Lying Around?

Years ago, when I was tutoring for the Adult Literacy League in Orlando, one of my students was a native Korean speaker. Shed been in the US for almost two decades, but she needed a lot of help with grammar. I relied on a book my kids had used in elementary school, Scholastics A+ Guide to Grammar by Vicki Tyler. I dont think you can find it anymore, and Im glad I kept the book. The pages are yellowing, but its a great quick reference, explained in easy to understand terms.

One problem my...

Staying on Track

Staying on Track

First: Thanks to everyone who showed up for my podcast on Friday. I had fun doing it. I hope you enjoyed it. If you missed it, you can watch the replay on YouTube or Facebook.
And now, on with todays topic: Tracking your manuscript.

Authors are often asked whether theyre Plotters or Pantsers. Do they plan ahead or write by the seat of their pants.

I prefer to think of myself as a Planster. I might not know where Im going when I start, but as the story moves along, my roadmap...

Get Ready to Ask Me Anything

Todays my day at The Kill Zone Blog again. Im talking about ways to keep your focus on the writing. I used these methods after vacations or other times away from the work in progress, but Ive found they help overcome some of the distractions and stresses of the lifestyle changes the pandemic has introduced.

But theres more. How would you like to ask me questions? Live.

Im about to be doing something new for me. A live podcast. With video as well as audio! Yikes. Ill be on Draft2Digitals...

Still Staying At Home

Still Staying At Home

Confession. There is one day a week where I feel the effects of our stay at home order, and thats the day my housekeeper would be here. Hubster and I have taken over the tasks she normally performs, and between the two of us, it takes about twice as long as when she does it.

Will I venture out as restrictions are lifted?  Nope. Im going to wait and see. Plus, Im in a demographic that continues to mandate staying at home. Have I undertaken any new projects? Frankly, no....

I Need Your Help

I Need Your Help

 

In June, Ill be teaching an online classThe 12 Steps to Intimacyfor Savvy Authors. Ive taught for them in the past, but this time theyre asking for testimonials to be used in their promotion. Since theyd werent asking participants to write reviews back then, I dont have any quotes I can pull.

This is where you come in. If you enjoy my writing craft posts, if youve found them helpful, Id REALLY appreciate it if youd take time to drop me a few words attesting to that. You...

Don’t Give Your Readers the Hiccups

Dont give your readers the hiccups.

Image by Jan Helebrant from Pixabay

A case of the hiccups is rarely fatal, but it can be annoying. When youre reading, little things can give you that short tug out of the story. Authors dont like anything that pulls a reader away.

 

Ive posted about misused words before, but a current read brought them to mind. In a current read, the character is ex-army and was seriously injured while trying to diffuse a bomb. The error was repeated throughout the book,...

A Misadventure in Advertising

A Misadventure in Advertising

Do what youre good at, do what you love, and hire out the rest.

Excellent advice, although sometimes the outcomes arent what youve hoped for.

I was trying to work out a marketing strategy for Deadly Fun, the newest release in my Mapleton series.

One thing I am not good at, nor do I love by the farthest stretch of the imagination is advertising where you target whos going to see your ad. I have no skills in coming up with comparable authors or hundreds of keywords...

What Does Best-Seller Really Mean?

What does Best-Seller Really Mean?

Whats a best-selling book? Author?

A while back, attended a conference workshop on becoming a best-selling author, thinking I might pick up a few tips. Nothing she said was anything different than advice Id already heard dozens of times. When I walked out was when the presenter said that if you could be in the top 100 on an Amazon genre list, you could promote yourself as a best-selling author. Note: she said Genre List, not overall sales. Another route was...