As a writer, “style” is a thing we’re supposed to find. It will define us, they say; set us apart as a distinct, creative voice in a vast field of creative voices. It’s our brand. It’s the thing—our “signature”—that marks each of our stories or novels as uniquely ours no matter how different in subject matter [...]
Author Archive > Erika Holt
Scene-stealing Antagonists
Merriam Webster defines an antagonist as, “one that contends with or opposes another,” and lists “adversary” and “opponent” as synonyms. Oxford defines the term as, “a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.” Of course in a literary context, an antagonist doesn’t have to be a person. I recall learning in [...]
Query Letters, Synopses, and Samples: Tips From Penguin (Canada) Editor Adrienne Kerr
On August 8 and 9, I had the pleasure of attending a workshop presented by Adrienne Kerr, Commissioning Editor, Commercial Fiction, Penguin (Canada). In advance of the workshop, we each submitted a query letter, a five page synopsis, and a five page excerpt from our novel; in other words, just the sort of package one [...]
What’s in a great first line?
Recently I made a bet with a friend over the outcome of Euro 2012 (why? I don’t know thing about soccer, or football, if you prefer). Shockingly, I lost, and as payment, I’m required to read a book of his choosing. Assignment: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. I’ve never read a graphic novel [...]
Guest Post by Jack Graham: A novel is an engineering project
Back in March, my colleague John Remy posted here about using kanban, a project management technique originally invented by Toyota engineers, to keep track of multiple short fiction projects. John and I have both worked in the Information Technology field – I as a software analyst. His post got me thinking about how I’ve re-purposed [...]
The Deep End: My Plunge Into the SFF Community
Maybe I’m feeling sentimental these days, but I’ve been thinking a lot about how freaking awesome the SFF community is, and how lucky I am to be a part of it. Okay, I know there are times when it’s not, and there’ve been lots of posts and discussion about that, but today I want to [...]
Why do we write?
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about why I write, or why I started writing in the first place, because over time, these two concepts may diverge. An insidious thing can happen: you can lose sight of what you love about the act, and get caught up in the business of writing: wanting to make [...]
Guest Post by Damien Walters Grintalis: Falling Into Dark
Let’s talk about fear for a moment. You hear a strange noise in the middle of the night. You sit up in bed with one hand pressed to your chest and the other clutching the sheets. Your breath catches in your throat. Is it a harmless push of air through the vents? Your cat knocking [...]
To Follow the “Rules” or Not: That is the Question
Rules. Advice. Words of wisdom. We writers are bombarded with information on how to write better, how to make our work more saleable, how to increase our daily word count etc. There are books on the subject. Blogs (including this one, which I hope you all find helpful ~winsome smile~). Whole conventions, with scores of [...]
Guest Post: Managing Your Schedule as a Busy Freelancer
Today successful freelance editor and author Jennifer Brozek provides practical tips and advice for effectively managing your schedule. Thanks so much, Jennifer! When it comes to being a freelance author (or freelance anything, really), managing your schedule comes down to two questions: “How do I keep up with the multiple contracts I’m doing at [...]
