writing

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The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves, the Words Behind World-Building by David J. Peterson.

I know the author, so I can’t review this. That said, if you write fantasy or science fiction, please do all your readers a favor and get a copy before you name your main characters X’in’ia and John.

When I get an email from someone who’s eager to create their own language and wants to know where to begin, I have a tough time explaining what it is they should do.

… >> Read more

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Supercharge Your Kindle Sales: Simple Strategies to Boost Organic Traffic on Amazon, Sell More Books, and Blow Up Your Author Mailing List by Nick Stephenson.

How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon – Power Pack!: Sell Books by the Truckload & Get Reviews by the Truckload by Penny C. Sansevieri.

How To Get Honest Reviews: 7 Proven Ways to Connect With Readers and Reviewers by Heather Hart and Shelley Hitz.… >> Read more

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Thumbs up for Write Like the Masters: Emulating the Best of Hemingway, Faulkner, Salinger, and Others by William Cane. Nonfiction/writing.

This book made me want to read Balzac. And that’s an impressive enough accomplishment that I could stop there. But, no, I won’t, because in truth I think this is one of the most useful books on style for fiction writers that I’ve ever read.… >> Read more

Oddly, I don’t know very many other writers, but I was honored to recently become friends with the fabulous YA author Ann Hunter (though I know her under her real name, which I shall never ever reveal, unless you give me a gluten-free cookie).

Anyway. Ann recently participated in a author blog chain hop and tagged me as one of the next in line.… >> Read more

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Thumbs up for How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon’s Kindle: An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook by Martin Crosbie. Nonfiction/Business.

Well, if you doubted it, here is a demonstration of the fact that I really will blog about every single book I read: even random marketing ebooks picked up on promo for 99 cents. Such things strike me as vaguely trashy, somehow.… >> Read more

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Thumbs up for Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st-Century Writer by Jeff VanderMeer. Nonfiction/writing.

Books on how to write are so common you could pave a freeway with them. This one’s different. It’s about being a writer – not writing, but actually functioning in the world as a professional or semi-professional fiction author. As such it covers everything from goal-setting, self-assessment, social media, blogging, dealing with fans/peers/editors/publishers, and PR – and that’s just the first 80 pages.… >> Read more

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Thumbs up for for Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter by Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook. Nonfiction/writing.

A warning. Two things are necessary for you to read this book. You must be a) a serious Doctor Who fan (by which I mean your ringtone was composed by Murray Gold, and you know who that is); and also you must be b) deeply interested in writing and/or TV production.… >> Read more

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

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Neutral rating for Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Writing. RE-READ.

I read this when I was fourteen or so, after reading some brilliant quotes from it which Jon Winokur included in his magnificent collection Advice for Writers. I had high expectations: but I was disappointed. This time I began with low expectations, and was delighted when I found myself laughing out loud in the introduction.… >> Read more