Starlog

  • Are you going to send out queries during Christmas break?

    I’ve spoken to a lot of people who are finishing up their novels (some of them from Nano) and are going to query their brains out during their Christmas vacations. Me?  Nope!  No Way! First of all, even though I am done, I want to get one more round of good solid beta reads in. … Read more

  • Lesson Twenty-One from a Manuscript Red Line: Common, and Cliché Themes

    This one made me laugh.  There is a point in the Gold Mine manuscript where a secondary lead character finds out that someone is his father.  His reaction is “You’re . . . my . . . father?” (minor action element for dramatic effect). “My father?” What made me laugh is that the publisher said… Read more

  • Is your novel safe? The Copyright Question.

    As many of you know, I am about to send my novel out for the final polishing round of beta-reads.  A few people have asked me, “Is that safe?” or “Are you going to copyright it first?” The answers to those questions are:  Yes, it is safe, and No, I will not be copyrighting it… Read more

  • Lesson Twenty from a Manuscript Red Line: Don’t make things so easy

    For an intro into where these tips are coming from, please see my post: A Full Manuscript Rejection, or a Gold Mine?  You can also click “Rant Worthy Topics” in my right navigation bar.  Choose “Gold Mine Manuscript” to see all the lessons to date. In the Gold Mine Manuscript, there is a point where… Read more

  • Row80 — I Finished My Novel!!!!!!

    Well, the Header post says it all. I am all grins and giggles galore. Can you guys see me smiling all the way in Argentina?  Canada?  UK?  Well, if you were wondering what that bright light was here in the USA its ME! Here are the final stats for all you who’ve been traveling this… Read more

  • Editing, Editing, and then, well, MORE EDITING-Advice from Publisher Authors

    At a recent NJ Author’s talk on “Getting Published” (Click here to read my post from that night), many authors on the panel spoke about the importance of editing.  No brainer, right?  Well, you might be surprised. There are a lot of people out there who have written a “great story” and sent it right… Read more