Storyboard Your Novel | A Road Map To The Climax

by Marylee MacDonald in For Beginning Writers

In Hollywood a storyboard helps directors plan their projects. Storyboards provide a quick and easy way to visualize the ups and downs of the plot. Writers working on scripts use storyboards to make sure the “beats” (key story developments) fall where they should. Fiction writers can use a storyboard to imagine where a story needs […]

Web Tools | A New Author’s Guide To 3 Simple Book-Launch Apps

Web tools are a huge help to new authors, especially those who are late-life writers. We seniors didn’t grow up with the internet and social media, and frankly, it can all be a bit daunting. You say you’d rather be writing than dealing with marketing issues? Well, me, too! But, you can’t expect readers to […]

Book Reviews And How To Get Them

by Marylee MacDonald in For Writers Who Need Readers

How can new authors get book reviews? It doesn’t happen by magic. Before you can effectively market your book, you need 30 to 50 book reviews in online bookstores.   Why? Because book reviews provide social proof. Let’s say you’re a reader whose favorite genre is Cozy Mysteries. (Most readers have a pretty narrow bandwidth.) […]

Literary Prize Long List | Man Booker Finalists

by Marylee MacDonald in For Readers

If there were one literary prize I would be honored to win, it’s the Man Booker Prize. What’s wonderful about the long-list is that it showcases the diversity and vitality of literary fiction. I was happy to discover some names I recognize among the many I don’t. Britain’s The Guardian published this list of finalists to […]