Beginning on December 15 and ending on January 15, writers have the opportunity to submit their first chapter instead of a query to the Firebrand Literary Agency.
They say on their blog.
“The ability to write an amazing first chapter is a much more important skill, as a novelist, than the ability to write a good query [...]

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Story Structure: Getting Started by Tyora Moody
It’s a new year around the corner. Maybe last year’s New Year’s resolution or goal was to write a novel. Don’t despair. You’re still here, despite any bumps and bruises from this past year. If God has instilled a deep desire in you to write, [...]

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“I want to write a book.” How many times have you heard someone make that statement? Maybe it’s one of your deepest desires in life. For me, I had a mid-thirties moment. It wasn’t anything major like a mid-life crisis where one loses their senses. This was more of a clarifying moment in my life [...]

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Okay, I didn’t care too much for getting my essays or other papers back with red marks, but I don’t have anything against the red pen or pencil. I actually keep several around when I’m revising my chapters.  I discovered that the revision part of the writing process is actually the best part. The [...]

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Randy Ingermansom, of Advanced Fiction Writing Blog, began a multi-day series last week based on his lecture notes from the ACFW conference. His presentation included 35 slides. Some of the slides cover:

Slide 4: “Show, Don’t Tell”
Slide 5: Your Primary Goal As A Novelist
Slide 6: When To Show, When To Tell
Slide 7: Dialogue and Action
[...]

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Okay, I have not been blogging over here in awhile, but I have been working on some new projects.  Very different projects for me, but I’m looking forward to launching them end of this month. I can tell you I had a wonderful online buddy coach me through the process. Her advice has been phenomenal [...]

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Recently, literary agent Terry Whalin talked about the danger of a single focus.
… in this entry on The Writing Life, I want to point out the danger of a single focus for your writing. I’ve met many writers who have only focused on their lengthy fiction project and never considered writing anything smaller like a [...]

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I’m getting a little better at pacing.  What is pacing? Pacing is the act or process of regulating or changing the timing or intensity.
In the first few chapters of a novel, whether you write suspense or not, you should try to build a sense of foreboding, something to pique the reader’s curiosity. Essentially, you [...]

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