Adventures in Self-Publishing Part 5: The Virtue of Patience, And Also Money

Column by Rob Hart December 27, 2012 5 comments
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Adventures in Self-Publishing Part 5: The Virtue of Patience, And Also Money

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I got my first check from Amazon!

It was for less than a hundred dollars. After taxes, it's not enough for a hard night of drinking. I do not care. I got paid cash money for a thing I made up in my head. That's tough to beat.

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LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2012

Column by Joshua Chaplinsky December 26, 2012 4 comments
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LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2012

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Another year has passed and we're still here, reading and writing our little hearts out. On the micro level, it could be that the figurative representation of our pumping fists of muscle grew two sizes over the holidays, giving us the strength to persevere. On the macro level, it's probably because the Mayans were big-time practical jokesters. Either way, it would take more than the end of the world to stop us from contributing to the glut of year-end lists. Take that, Doomsdayers!

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13 Resolutions To Make You A Better, More Productive Writer In 2013

Column by Kimberly Turner December 26, 2012 7 comments
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13 Resolutions To Make You A Better, More Productive Writer In 2013

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We’ve all been burned by New Year’s resolutions. Otherwise, we’d have statuesque physiques, shelves lined with our best sellers, and pools full of cash instead of hangovers, unfinished manuscripts, and maxed-out credit cards. Most of us have failed so many times that even the words “New Year’s resolution” elicit shame and fury. (Or maybe that’s just me, but I sure hope not. Schadenfreude is the best.)

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Ask the Agent: More On Writer/Agent Etiquette, How to Approach Agents With Multiple Genres & More

Column by Bree Ogden December 26, 2012
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Ask the Agent: More On Writer/Agent Etiquette, How to Approach Agents With Multiple Genres & More

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Navigating the rough terrain of today’s publishing industry shouldn’t be a solo event. This week in Ask the Agent, I’ll explore and dissect three of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder.

Question from Amanda

My question: If a writer receives [an offer of] representation from one agent while she's working on a Revise and Resubmit for another agent, should she notify the R&R agent that she received an offer?

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Dramatic Situation Vs. Dramatic Scene: Win the Fight Against Poor Form

Column by Chris Rosales December 21, 2012 1 comment
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Dramatic Situation Vs. Dramatic Scene: Win the Fight Against Poor Form

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I. Hemingway’s Thoughts on Interior Decoration

Ernest Hemingway said that “prose is architecture, not interior decoration.” Some of us might not like to think of fiction as something so architectural, something so concrete as, well, concrete.  But we’d do better to interpret Hemingway's statement as encouragement to see fiction not as blue-print or mathematical formula, but as form. The difference between the two is the difference between an erector-set and a wheel-thrown vase.

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The Blagger's Guide to J. R. R. Tolkien

Column by Cath Murphy December 21, 2012 4 comments
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The Blagger's Guide to J. R. R. Tolkien

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To blag (v): to sound like you know what you’re talking about when you don’t

The Blagger’s Guide to Literature (n): an invaluable resource for those who wish to blag about books without actually reading them.

Ha! I don’t need a Blagger’s Guide to Tolkien – I can go and see the films!

And what about when your date asks you about the books afterwards? What then huh? Huh??

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Book Brawl: A Christmas Carol vs. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Column by Meredith Borders December 21, 2012 8 comments
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Book Brawl: A Christmas Carol vs. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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We haven’t had a good ol’ Book Brawl round these parts in quite some time, but I think the holiday spirit demands a little merry pugilist action. In the ring today, we have the two most classic tales of Yuletide: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Who shall prevail in a display of brute strength and glad tidings? Let’s find out!

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