Tag: advice for authors

How Long is a Piece of String?

Graeme K. TalboysIn the distant past when typewriters still roamed the earth, people would ask me: “How long should a book be?”

Being the contrary soul that I am, I would answer: “How long is a piece of string?”

Annoying as it was (and it led to people searching out bits of string long enough to strangle me), there was a truth there. A book, any book, needed to be just the right length to complete your intended narrative in the exact amount of detail appropriate.

Observant readers will notice that last paragraph is in the past tense. Personally I would still say a book needs to be just the right length to complete the narrative, but I’m just a writer, so what do I know? Continue reading “How Long is a Piece of String?”

“Pick Six” Writing Tips

robert clay norman
Author Robert Clay Norman

Football season is here, and so I offer these suggestions to assist you in scoring your own “touchdown.” (For you non-pigskinners, “Pick Six” refers to a defensive touchdown from an intercepted pass.) My book is a narrative memoir, but I think these principles would apply to both fiction and non-fiction writing. Some of these tips come from others, and I pass them along certain that the originators would encourage it. A few of the ideas are mine. Perhaps some of these tips will be of help to you.

 

1. Buy the book Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark. It is only about $9, and contains 50 tips that will improve your writing skills. It is a small book and a fun read. One good thing about this book is that you will realize that you are already using some of these tools, and reading this book will reinforce and validate your work thus far. Even better, you can pick and choose which tools to emphasize and adopt. The book can be read in any order you select. The reader doesn’t have to begin at the beginning in order to gain insight into these tips. Besides, can any of us really remember 50 of anything? Clark does a wonderful job of offering dozens of useful tools, and the user can consider and accept those of choice. Kind of like a great Asian lunch buffet. Continue reading ““Pick Six” Writing Tips”

Tuesday Tutorial: Strut Your Stuff on LinkedIn

Unfortunately, LinkedIn has discontinued this Amazon.com reading list feature.

LinkedIn gives you an opportunity to show off your books without ever saying a word. Yes, it’s true. And for those of you who whine “but these people don’t know I write and I don’t want to tell them” – you don’t have to. That’s the beauty of it all.

LinkedIn has an option called “Reading List by Amazon.” Sure, you can add whatever you’re reading to that list – but why do that? Add your own books, and they’ll show up every time someone looks at your profile. Genius, eh?

LinkedIn Profile ScreenSo, go to your profile. Click on “More” on the Nav Bar across the top, then click on “Reading List by Amazon.”

That will take you to a new screen, with books that other people in your networks are reading. There is also a big blank box where you can type in the name of your book. So go ahead and do that, then click “Search Books.” (See next image.) Continue reading “Tuesday Tutorial: Strut Your Stuff on LinkedIn”