Quick Peer Review Page Update

Just added: AUTHOR: Michael Moller TITLE:  “God Complex” GENRE:  Comic Fantasy (novel, first chapter) SYNOPSIS: After the creator of the universe becomes trapped inside an eccentric winemaker’s body, a shy winery employee must save the world from destruction by incompetence. ISSUES:  This first chapter is a hook meant to foreshadow the first plot point occurring […]

Deconstruction of a Novel: “Bait and Switch”

“Bait and Switch” was published in 2004 by Signet (a Penguin-Putnam imprint) in 2004.  This is what it looked like:   It didn’t sell all that well, but that assessment is, of course, relative.  In today’s self-publishing market, 60,000 copies would be considered a home run.  But it wasn’t self-published (indeed, it was from a “Big-6” […]

Update: New Fiction Posted on the Peer Review Page

A Call For Community Last week we launched the new “Peer Review Page,” where writers at all levels can post their work, and anybody can read it and offer up their feedback. Feedback is good.  Especially when it comes from other writers.  It is truly a win-win deal.  Because once you know story architecture — […]

Announcing the Launch of the Storyfix Peer Review Page

A place to post your work… get it read… get some feedback… and/or, find something fresh and interesting to read. Or just maybe… get discovered. There are many ways to grow as a writer.  On my journey, one of the most enlightening, empowering and affirming of all the available learning modes has been to read […]

Wanted: Your Thoughts about “The Help”… the Film

It came out this week.  I saw it.  I’m betting you did, too.  Or will soon. You’re invited to share your thoughts here, either in general or in context to our recent deconstruction series on the book.  If you missed it, it’s all available in the July archives.  Dig in and join the discussion! My […]

Guest Post: The Thing About Theme – What Are You Trying to Say?

by Jessica Flory Theme in your writing is as tricky to pin down as it is tough to implement.  And yet, working in a great theme is absolutely essential to your novel. If you want to publish, that is.  And, if self-publishing, if you want your work to have an impact. Dictionary Definition First of […]

A Tip, An Update, Some Stuff and a Little Rant

The Tip Don’t buy stock this week. Another tip, this one about writing. Sometimes the best conventional wisdom gets recycled, all dressed up in  different verbal couture.   This is a good thing.  Sometimes a golden kernel of proven writing wisdom doesn’t resonate (a two dollar word for sink in), and then, when heard differently, it […]

Just Possibly the “Next Big Thing” Novel

Make sure you’re buying the right story. Sometimes publishers and their paid prognosticators (called PR agencies) get it right.  They call the next mega-selling, iconic novel before a single book has been sold. And in doing so they, in effect, ordain it as such.  The chicken and the egg can’t tell each other apart.  Buzz […]

My Ridiculous August FREE eBook Promotion…

… to unabashedly, unashamedly, motivate you to read my newly republished novels… as digital downloads. Here’s the deal. Buy one of my novels, and I’ll send you a FREE writing ebook.  A big, meaty one, with over 100 pages of good stuff about how to get your bad self published.  In fact, that’s the title: […]

Novel to Script to Screen – One Writer’s Journey

An Interview with Chuck Hustmyre, author of “House of the Rising Sun” (A little set-up from Larry here.) Admit it.  You’d love to see your novel adapted and playing on the big screen.  You envision opening night, you in your tux or killer heels (heck, maybe both, I don’t judge), you imagine yourself there in the dark munching popcorn […]