The one emotion that your novel must inspire in readers

Posted on 01/26/2021 at 03:56 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

In a recent Facebook post, we asked readers what feature of a book they absolutely could not live without. Their...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Jane Friedman, Writing advice

Ready to return to that unfinished book? Here's how!

Posted on 01/21/2021 at 11:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Author, editor, and writing coach Allison K. Williams must be spying on us. Within the first lines of her column...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Jane Friedman, Motivational

What to ask for and expect from an editor

Posted on 01/12/2021 at 10:41 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Writer Unboxed and Jane Friedman both featured posts recently on the editing experience. At the former, longtime editor Jim Dempsey...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Editing, Jane Friedman, Writer Unboxed

Editor: Try starting your story at the end

Posted on 12/31/2020 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

It’s New Year’s Eve, a day of looking back at the year that was before celebrating the beginning of a...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: First lines and first chapters, Jane Friedman, Plot / narrative

How (and why) to capture emotional truth in your writing

Posted on 12/23/2020 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

It’s a sentimental time of year — how can you stir the same level of feeling in your readers year-round?...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Jane Friedman, Writing advice

Best practices for using multiple first-person narrators

Posted on 12/14/2020 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The more the merrier? Sure, with a caveat when it comes to first-person narrators. Author Ken Brosky recently read a...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Jane Friedman, Plot / narrative

A lawyer's advice on bringing your audiobook to market

Posted on 12/08/2020 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Once you’ve decided to offer an audio version of your book, you have a few tasks ahead of you. No,...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Audiobook, Jane Friedman, Licenses, copyrights, and other legalese

Do you have a story, or simply a situation?

Posted on 12/03/2020 at 11:28 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Revising and editing doesn’t have to be deadly dull, serious work. Editor and writing coach Allison K. Williams shares a...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Editing, Jane Friedman, Writing advice

Editor: Short and simple words aren't always better

Posted on 11/18/2020 at 10:18 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Several notable authors have expressed their disdain for flowery language. Mathina Calliope — an author, editor, and writing coach who...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Jane Friedman, Language

Editor: These four weaknesses can kill your novel's momentum

Posted on 11/10/2020 at 10:15 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Congratulations — you’ve drawn your reader in with a stellar cover, an intriguing blurb, and a strong opener. Now don’t...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Jane Friedman, Plot / narrative