He got up and sat on the edge of the bedstead with his back to the window. “It’s better not to sleep at all,” he decided. There was a cold damp draught from the window, however; without getting up he drew the blanket over him and wrapped himself in it. He was not thinking of anything and did not want to think. But one image rose after another, incoherent scraps of thought without beginning or end passed through his mind. He sank into drowsiness. Perhaps the cold, or the dampness, or the...| Bookfox
Breaking Bad has invaluable lessons for storytellers, regardless of whether you’re writing fiction, graphic novels, or screenplays. Let’s break down the first episode to understand what makes this masterpiece work. 1. Start with Action It’s a great idea to start fast in the middle of the action. Breaking Bad opens with wild driving of an […] The post One Episode of Breaking Bad Will Change Your Writing Forever appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
I’ve been working as an editor with Jim Roberts for many years now, and it’s so wonderful for him to get the validation and honor of having his debut short story collection published by Belle Point Press. (It’s also a finalist for “Book of the Year” by Foreword Reviews!). He’s truly a wonderful writer, full […] The post Jim Roberts Wrestles with Difficult Fathers (Interview) appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
Ah, the dreaded comp titles. You know you need two similar books to your own when you send a query to a literary agent, but how are you supposed to find them? And how can you figure out which ones to choose? I’ve helped a lot of authors land agents over the years, and I’m […] The post What Your Comp Titles Might be Telling Agents appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
Guest post by E. S. Foster What do you know other than writing? While it’s the norm to specialize in one area and perform one specialized set of skills, understanding the mechanics of fields outside our typical scope can be highly beneficial. You can’t just be a writer. You have to know another field. Being […] The post 10 Non-Writing Topics that Writers Should Study appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
A full solar eclipse will be visible in Mexico, the United States, and Canada on April 8, 2024, and I’m thrilled about it. The last one was in 2017, and I took my five-year-old twins and drove all the way up to Oregon and camped in a field to watch it. It was one of […] The post 7 Solar Eclipses in Literature appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
Every member of my book club has decided to list our top 25 novels of all time, and in the spirit of that disclosure, I decided to make mine public here at Bookfox. A list of the most important books is like a horoscope reading of your soul. Give me someone’s list, and I’ll tell […] The post My Favorite 25 Novels of All Time appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
I did not read as many books as I would have liked this year, but I still read 70. That’s a dip from last year’s total of 100, but in my defense, I did midwife a number of books of other authors through developmental editing and publishing. I also finished editing my own novel, which […] The post Year in Reading (2023) appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
“In my life there are many silences,” wrote the novelist Juan Rulfo, “and in my writing, too.” It’s important to think about how your story uses silence. Most of the craft of writing focuses on all the noise — the dialogue, the cacophony of the senses, the action. But silence is not just an absence, […] The post 4 Ways to use Silence in your Fiction appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
School visits are an important source of income and exposure for most children’s book authors, but if you haven’t been in a classroom in awhile, reaching out can be intimidating. (What if you say something wrong and end up in the principal’s office?) As a veteran teacher of 17 years, I’ve seen my share of […] The post 12 Insider Tips for Authors Booking School Visits appeared first on Bookfox.| Bookfox
So you want to start a children’s book, and you’re faced with a blank page. Where do you begin? Well, the first line of your children’s picture book is the most important line. It sets the tone for the rest of the book, and grabs the reader’s attention. Mess it up, and the reader, either […]| Bookfox
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In the wide world of writing prompts, the options are slim for creative nonfiction writers. Even the relevant prompts are often jumbled together with essay and fictional prompts, making it hard for writers to find what they really want. But not to worry. I present one whole hefty list of prompts just for creative nonfiction […]| Bookfox