Kimberly Dawn Wells's Blog
Posted by Kimberly Dawn Wells
Since self-publishing has become popular and user-friendly, fewer writers have had the experience of dealing with an agent. As such, the responsibilities of an agent are largely misunderstood. Find out what agents REALLY do, as Jane Dystel explains "an agent's job."
Posted by Kimberly Dawn Wells
Writers on the Rise has a monthly online newsletter that features great snippets of real life information that is helpful for published and beginning authors alike. The October 2006 issue, for example, includes great tips for:
- being productive amidst a hectic household
- eavesdroping for inspiration
- locations to meet great contacts
Sign up for free at http://writersontherise.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/newsletter.html
Posted by Kimberly Dawn Wells
I have found that the easiest way to achieve any writing goal is to work on it a little bit each day. Instead of committing to five hour chunks of time a few days a week, I prefer to spend twenty minutes here and an hour there polishing my work. Doing this, I've never felt obligated to stick with a story that I'm not feeling creative about, and I've never felt forced to write beyond what feel is good writing.
Instead of forcing yourself to take on huge chunks of a plot, try writing a little bit every day. You may find that your daily activities in your "normal" life fuel the realism that your characters face, and add to your story.
Posted by Kimberly Dawn Wells
If you have ever thought about using a pen name, read the article, "Should a writer adopt a pen name?" The pros and cons of this nicely written article will give you something to think about.
Posted by Kimberly Dawn Wells
This week I received an email that reads as follows:
"Kimberley, I just graduated from highs chool and I have some poems I'd like to get published. Your an author, so how do I get started? I'd really like to get a book published thank you."
Aside from the spelling and grammatical errors (and she spelled my name wrong!!), questions like this are a bear to answer. People usually don't like my reply, even though I am giving free advice on my own time, because they don't want to learn the basics or spend time writing queries. They want a quick answer. I think many of them believe I will say, "Oh, I would love to publish your poems. Why don't you just send them to me and you can be famous in no time with no work and no money."
It doesn't happen like that, as any real author knows. Before you shoot off a "help me quick" email to an author, consider these tips:
1) Any advice you are getting is on their own time. Be respectful of that.
2) If you want a realistic answer, ask a realistic question. Entire books have been written on "how to get published." Don't expect someone to send you a magic pill via email.
3) Be short and specific. If you are stuck on a specific point, such as finding an illustrator for a children's book, feel free to ask if they have any resources for finding an illustrator. (Unless of course they write adult non-fiction in which case you are truly wasting both your time and theirs.)
And for goodness sakes - if you're going to ask questions about getting published, at least spellcheck your message. (And spell the author's name right!)
