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Book Broker—an interview with Joanna MacKenzie
October 18, 2022
I tend to think that when too much telling is happening, the manuscript simply isn’t ready to be submitted.
- Agent interviews
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Setup Is Not Stasis: How to Write a Gripping First Chapter
October 12, 2022
Context plays an important role in fiction and narrative nonfiction. It adds depth to the characters, the setting, and the conflict. Context is also your best tool for creating in readers a sense of participation. The trick lies in subtlety.
- On querying
- On the craft
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The First Page Challenge 2022—1st place
October 05, 2022
That summer they learnt that Dolly Aunty had a love marriage and their world tilted. Barbie dolls fell flat on their faces.
- Contest updates
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The First Page Challenge 2022—2nd place
October 05, 2022
If living means buying random vintage turquoise and La Mer face cream, I’ve nailed it. If it means showering every day and leaving the house more than once a week, I may have some progress to make.
- Contest updates
- Read more
- 1 comment
The First Page Challenge 2022—3rd place
October 05, 2022
The principality had scarcely evolved in her two-year absence. Its capital Megrina still lay coiled at the foot of the cliff, a weatherworn crone whose twisted limbs no longer functioned.
- Contest updates
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FPC 2022: The Shortlist
October 04, 2022
One element always shines bright in those that make the shortlist: voice.
- Contest updates
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The First Page Challenge is now closed
October 01, 2022
Thanks to everyone who submitted! Winners will be announced mid-October.
- Contest updates
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Congrats to M.A. Alsadah!
September 30, 2022
A big congrats to Darling Axe client M.A. Alsadah on the release of CAFÉ DE SOPHIA.
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Five Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Dialogue
September 28, 2022
A sign of well-written dialogue is when you’re reading it without making any active effort to understand who’s speaking or what their mood is like.
- On the craft
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- 1 comment
Should you find a literary agent or self publish your novel? (Pssst—there’s a third option)
September 15, 2022
Should you get a literary agent? How long should you query before you quit? Is it really better to self-publish these days? What’s your best path forward to publication and book sales?
- On querying
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You’ve Got This Covered: Four Tips (and One Important Truth) to Great Book Cover Design
August 19, 2022
Competition for eyeballs and clicks gets harder every day: don’t risk lost sales with a poorly designed book cover.
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Book Broker—an interview with Jared Johnson
August 17, 2022
If a manuscript isn’t ready for representation, it generally does not indicate a lack of skill. It indicates a lack of time and feedback.
- Agent interviews
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