Sticky Notes Blog

A blog of writing news, tips, and inspiration from Fat Plum

Kelly Boyer Sagert explains how to write a book

Kelly Boyer Sagert, a great writer and editor and a close friend of us at Fat Plum, has just started an online column about how to write a book.

I Want to Write a Book!

If this has been your New Year’s Resolution in the past, I hope that, in 2007, WOM can help you make it a reality. Our goal is to provide you with writing and researching tips, including valuable and pertinent web resources, marketing advice and publishing options.

One important key to writing a quality book – and publishing it – is commitment and persistence. It’s common to get the middle chapter blues, after the initial enthusiasm fades and doubt starts to set in. Sometimes, all you can do is slog through to get to the other side.

Most of what I’ve written and published is nonfiction, so naturally my tips will focus on that genre. But, many of the suggestions can be applied to your fiction, poetry and so forth. Since research is vital to nonfiction and often to fiction, as well, I’ll start by posting an article of mine that shares research techniques used when writing a biography. Again, remember that many of these tips apply to other forms of writing.

Kelly will be creating new entries each week. If you've wanted to write but had trouble getting started, or if you've gotten stuck in the middle of your manuscript, check out her columns at Word of Mouth.

Posted by Cindy on December 09, 2006
This entry was posted in the following categories: Writing tips
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Glimmer Train Winter Fiction Open

Glimmer Train is now accepting submissions for its winter Fiction Open competition:

First-place winner receives $2,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of the issue in which it is published. Second- and third-place winners receive $1,000/$600, respectively, and acknowledgement in that issue.

Here's a shortcut to the website: www.glimmertrain.org. Click on the guidelines tab for details or just hit the submissions tab. Please make your entry by January 15th. Results will be posted at the site on April 10th.


Posted by Cindy on December 04, 2006
This entry was posted in the following categories: Calls for submissions
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