Buzz

ACFW Happenings

Heard It Through Hartline

Publicity

Track Changes

Writing With Humor

Publicity - Everyone Needs It

Reviews Revisited

In July 2011, I wrote an article entitled “Reviews Defined.” In that article, I talked about authors not understanding the real value or reality of a review. I also gave examples of why a writer should value both good and not so good articles. In the past twelve months, with the increase of published books, especially self-published books, I still find that writers even now are not getting it. I continue to receive nasty notes from writers who question a review they have received from one of our reviewers. Because of these constant “tantrums,” I felt the need to revisit the issue of reviews.

ACFW Happenings

2012 Carol Award Finalists

Summer is for relaxing and reading a stack of great fiction. At the International Christian Retail Show, ACFW announced this year’s slate of finalists for the Carol Award, which highlights the best Christian fiction published in fifteen categories. If you’ve run out of books to read, this list is a great place to start! You’re sure to find something that meets your taste, whether it leans toward historical or thriller.

Track Changes - One Editor's POV

Winking in the Dark: The 40 Percent Solution

You’ve sold. You’ve turned in the final edit. Time to relax and wait for the book and all the ensuing praises, right? You’re joking, right? Most of us already know that the times when a publisher put a lot of time and dollars behind marketing new books have slipped away like ice on glass. These days an author will control much of the publicity about her book. But, you protest, I don’t have a lot of money for mailings and websites.

Heard It Thru Hartline

To Post...or Not To Post...That Is The Question?

My client group is discussing the ins and outs of putting the first chapter (or more) of their work in progress online. Work that is put online for a critique group, such as our own “crit room” or any restricted access forum, is not considered published, but any work that is put online and is accessible by the general public is considered published. Some of these sites have a major number of followers, maybe even more than a printed version would sell to.

Writing With Humor

I’ve Got the Joy-Joy-Joy-Joy!

Ah, joy! How we long for it in our lives and to infuse it into our writing. Joy invigorates. It bubbles up from deep inside and brings hope. “What Joy” is a wonderful worship song I love. It touches my heart because I long so desperately to give hope to my readers and to lift their spirits with my writings. But how can we offer joy? Do we drum it up, or does it come naturally? Living on the light side comes easily to some; others have to work hard to be funny. (Sounds funny, doesn’t it . . . working hard to be funny?)