Setting That Works How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More Flash Flood In my first novel — Bones in the Wash: Politics is Tough. Family is Tougher. — my protagonist, Tomas Zamara, the mayor of … [Read more...]
What is really involved when you self-publish your book?
Over the years, there have been numerous requests at BAIPA events for a description of what is involved in self-publishing a book. So, here it is. Note that this list is based on using KDP and IngramSpark, which are the only two print-on-demand/ … [Read more...]
A couple of fun cartoons from BAIPA member Chris Santilli Johnson
Enjoy! … [Read more...]
Can I, Should I Change My Book Title?
Last fall, after a fellow author interviewed for a podcast, she said to me that she found it interesting that someone as articulate and accomplished as I was chose such a poor book title. Ouch! She was referring to my most recent novel, which … [Read more...]
How Beta Readers Made My Book Better — Getting What I Needed Helped More Than Getting What I Wanted
A year ago, as I was finishing the first beginning-to-end draft of my third novel, When I Killed My Father: An Assisted Suicide Family Thriller, I recruited a dozen beta readers to help me make it better. I asked for honest feedback, which I … [Read more...]
Great article on words that have at least two meanings
Thanks to BAIPA member, Chris Santilli Johnson, for this fascinating article that might prove useful in our writing efforts. … [Read more...]
Who Makes the Rules for the English Language?
A blog post by Arlene Miller, The Grammar Diva — As a copyeditor and grammarian, I sometimes find myself having to defend my position on a point of grammar or punctuation. For example, someone will ask me why I took out the comma … [Read more...]
Copy Editing Gripes
One of the more charming interviews on KQED Forum was January 10 with Benjamin Dreyer, Random House's longtime copy chief. His forthcoming book is "Dreyer's English." (Random House Copy Chief Advises on Writing Rules in 'Dreyer's English') I … [Read more...]
Writer’s World Consultations — From Finished Manuscript to Finished Book, Editing and Writing, Killer Book Blurbs
In addition to eleven workshops, a keynote by Lee Wind, the Q & A (a BAIPA favorite), and a variety of vendors, Writer’s World will feature three consulting opportunities, where you can sit down one-on-one and discuss your project — with book … [Read more...]
Footnote Format
If you're seeking guidance on footnote format, I found Citation Machine very helpful for books and websites. Put a book title or ISBN in, and it will pull author, publisher, etc. Put in a URL and it will pull information about it—title, author, … [Read more...]