Books About Writing and Revision
38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript From First Draft to Finished Novel Guide to Literary Agents How NOT to Write a Novel – 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – A Misstep-by-Misstep Guide Manuscript Makeover – Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore Novel Shortcuts – Ten Techniques Than Ensure a Great First Draft Revision & Self-Editing Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – How to Edit Yourself Into Print Shimmering Images Thanks, But This Isn't For Us – A (Sort Of) Compassionate Guide To Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected The Complete Guide to Editing Your Fiction The Forest for the Trees The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters Writing for Children and Young Adults Writing Great Books for Young Adults - Everything You Need to Know From Crafting the Idea to Landing a Publishing Deal Writing the Memoir Literary Publicist Stephanie Barko
Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist wasnominated by her peers as Book Publicist of the Year in 2011. She markets nonfiction and historical fiction for independently published authors, small presses and traditional publishers. Stephanie especially enjoys guiding projects for debut authors. From acquiring a book review to hosting a custom virtual tour, Stephanie Barko’s book PR is known for tangible results. View a list of Stephanie’s professional services with detailed descriptions, read her client endorsements, and subscribe to herbook blog for DIY book promotion tips. A Simon & Shuster Editor Tells - "What I Expect When You Submit Your Manuscript"
Anica Mrose Rissi, Executive Editor for Simon Pulse, has created a checklist of things to do to help keep your manuscript from being rejected. Revise, revise, revise! I don't want to read your first draft, ever. (Tip: Your novel isn't ready to send me until you can describe it in one sentence.) Start with conflict and tension to raise questions, arouse curiosity, and (like musical dissonance) create the need for resolution. Start with the story you're telling, not with the backstory. Throw people directly into a conflict and let her get to know your characters through their actions. (Yes, this is another way of saying, "Show, don't tell.") Give people something to wonder about and a sense of where the story is going—of what's at stake. Avoid explaining too much too soon. Don't be obvious. Trust people. Trust your characters. Trust your writing. If you find that long chunks of your story need to include long explanations, go back in and write those chunks better, until the story explains itself. Make sure your story has both a plot arc and an emotional arc. Cross internal conflict with external conflict. Give your characters moral dilemma, and force them to deal with the consequences of their choices. Read your dialogue aloud. When revising, ask yourself, "What is the point of this dialogue?" Make every scene and every sentence count. You should also be asking, "What is the point of this sentence?" What is the point of this scene?" Use adjectives, adverbs and dialogue tags only sparingly. Make sure your details matter. A list of Writer Resources Online
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