Sagas | The Magic of a Storytelling Voice

by Marylee MacDonald in For Beginning Writers, For Readers

Sagas are one of our most enduring story forms. In sagas the voice of a narrator takes us back into a heroic time of grand deeds, power struggles, and families pitted against one another. Sagas are about survival. Something is a stake. That’s why sagas make terrific templates for new writers. Here you sit in […]

Breaking Into Libraries Without Getting Arrested

by Marylee MacDonald in For Writers Who Need Readers

If you present a library program that attracts an audience, you will help librarians achieve their goals, which are to bring information to the public and new patrons to the library. Let’s be clear about one thing, however. A library program  is not a reading. Unless your name is Amy Tan or John Grisham, no […]

Ten Honest Review Sites for New Authors

Books flood into review sites, and the sheer numbers overwhelm book review editors. They must make choices: the big New York publishers or the little guys? Publicists are Tweeting the editors and importuning them with e-mails. “Well, are you going to review my guy or gal or not?” Probably not. There’s just not time. And […]

Library Sales | Getting Books Into Readers’ Hands

You went to the library as a kid. When you were in junior high school, librarians helped you with your homework. Well, guess what? Libraries and librarians are still there, and a library is still a great place to connect with people who are passionate about books. Speaking at a library will help you connect […]