Be willing to accept bad reviews and constructive criticism on your writing, your marketing, or your overall professional presence. I’m not just talking about crits from people in the know (editors, publicists, and the like–though certainly pay attention to what they say), I’m speaking of your readers and the general public, too. Learning what to do about bad reviews can help your ego and your reputation recover quickly. My book got a bad review! Get a bad review? Put on your big kid panties and learn from it. Harsh advice, but I’m not here to hold your hand and tell you the world is a nice place. It’s also not a really horrible place. You may not believe it right now, but aside from the occasional internet troll, most reviewers mean well. They took the time to write something, now give that feedback the attention it deserves. Take a lesson …
Hire an Editor (Even if You Think You Don’t Need One!)
You’re not doing your book justice by skipping this important step. Editors are worth their weight in gold. They can turn an okay manuscript into a best-seller right before your eyes. Don’t let your book wallow in mediocrity–here’s a quick list of the top reasons why every writer needs to hire an editor! Do I really need to hire an editor? My mom said my book is awesome already! Have your friends, family, and co-workers been gushing over your story? Do you feel like it’s done, polished, and perfect? Don’t send it off to a publisher or an agent just yet, and don’t rush off to self-publish it either. Now’s the time to hire an experienced editor to look over your little gem and make sure it really is as polished and shiny as it can be. Don’t trust your buddies to be your only editors. Their job is to …
How NOT to Entertain Readers: Toothpaste Syndrome – Drone on and on and on
How NOT to Entertain Readers: Toothpaste Syndrome – Drone on and on and on By Charity Becker There is a story-killer running rampant through fiction, and YOU can help stop it. I call it “Toothpaste Syndrome”, and it kills readers by boring them to death. When I was a teen, I read a very popular horror novel. I was enjoying it until I came to the middle of the book where I found a handful of PAGES describing a tube of toothpaste. The author in question spent so much time on this toothpaste that I fully expected it to come back later in the book and kill someone. Was it poisoned? Possessed? Magical toothpaste from an underworld ruled by cavity goblins? Nope. It was just a regular tube of toothpaste. By the end of the book, I realized I’d been duped by this author and I was suddenly angry. I’d …