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Query Quest: the journey toward literary representation
April 19, 2020
No one is going to take a chance on your writing—you must prove that you deserve it.
- On querying
- On the craft
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Slushpile Standouts: episode one
April 06, 2020
In our debut YouTube video, two Darling Axe editors read the first pages of several manuscripts and pose the question: would you turn the page?
- On the craft
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- 2 comments
Who's on mic? A primer on voice
April 04, 2020
Some may tell you that writers either have a strong voice or they don't. Perhaps it's true that some people have a natural grasp on poetics, but every aspect of the craft—voice included—can be studied, and in studying we all stand to sharpen our art.
- On the craft
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Probably not your mother: on beta readers and critique partners
March 31, 2020
As a fledgling writer, it’s easy to hide in your room and convince yourself your work is brilliant. But if you want to sell it, you must come out of hiding and seek the opinion of others. It’s hard; it might hurt a little at first; but ultimately it’s worth it.
- On the craft
- Resource review
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The importance of first sentences
March 30, 2020
Your opening sentence doesn’t need to go down in history for its wit and charm, but it should still welcome readers to your liminal landscape so they may engage with your characters.
- On the craft
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- 2 comments
Literary agents on "voice"
March 28, 2020
Voice is certainly difficult to define. It's subjective, too, certainly, but literary agents are fairly unanimous on its importance.
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Query letter quandaries: pro tips from the pros
March 01, 2020
"A useful sentence to keep in mind is: When A (inciting incident) happens, B (character) must do C (action) otherwise/before D (catastrophe). You might need to play with that to make it fit your book but that covers the basics of what I need to know… who am I rooting for, what’s their problem, and what’s at stake if they fail?"
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- 2 comments
Word Count Wars: How Long Should Your Novel Really Be?
February 15, 2020
"The two biggies are word counts wildly out of line with your genre and choosing only iconic, hugely successful books as your comps." Sharon Pelletier
- On querying
- On the craft
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- 1 comment
Best-laid plans: the first in our series of self-paced writing courses
January 27, 2020
This course will lead you through the steps of drafting a solid outline, broken into either chapters or major scenes. Work at your own pace in our user-friendly Moodle site.
- On the craft
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Story skeleton: a plot primer
January 27, 2020
As Orson Welles said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” In this way, structure is an integral part of the art of storytelling. It is much more than a formula or cookie-cutter guide.
- On the craft
- Story Skeleton
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Respect the twist
January 10, 2020
If you respect the twist, it can do great things for you, but when a twist is included as a matter of course, or at least without enough attention, it can sink your tale right at the most crucial moment.
- On the craft
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- 3 comments
Write What You Love: uncovering your passion in fiction
January 06, 2020
We don’t usually choose our obsessions. They’re built-in, ready-made. You don’t need to justify a love for dragons or aliens or cowboys. You just need to own it.
- On the craft
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- 1 comment