Research For Contemporary Fiction IIIA

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 Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin at www,gailgaymermartin.com   Weeks seem to fly by and I’m late sending the third part of Research for Contemporary Fiction. Thought it might seem contemporary fiction is not as complex to research as historical, it is still important and can take much time, depending on the plots of the novel. While historical elements are not significant in most cases when researching contemporary, setting location can still require time-consuming research, as well researching details of the story such as medical information, how to do specific things in the plot, and so much more.

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PUGS Pointers #20

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Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about "PUGS"–Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling…tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Each blog post will have one tip for each of the four categories. (For more PUGS tips, check out my website, or get a copy of my book Polishing the PUGS (available through the website or at the conferences where I teach). If you’re interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me through the contact page…

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Writing for Children Part 2–Preschool Picture Books

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Last time, I posted a blog on Writing for Children (Part 1), and addressed the challenge of writing boardbooks. The next sub-genre in the genre of children’s literature is what I call the preschool picture book. This is not the 32-page picture book with a full plot and story (i.e. beginning, middle, and happy ending). The books in this category are books that consist mainly of word play. What do I mean by "word play"? Glad you asked.

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Research For Historical Fiction – Part II

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        Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailgaymermartin.com.  I'm sorry I missed the blog last month.  I was staying in Sedona, AZ for two months and we'd driven back to Michigan and empty half my office into the living room and boxes of so many things we lug with us, and it took a few days to get organized.     But I'm back again and happy to share more about researching for fiction. In January, I talked about Writing Fiction in general.  Today I will share Part II of the  information on Researching Historical Fiction.

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PUGS Pointers #19

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Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about "PUGS"–Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling…tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Each blog post will have one tip for each of the four categories. (For more PUGS tips, check out my website, www.KathyIde.com, or get a copy of my book Polishing the PUGS (available through the website or at the conferences where I teach). If you’re interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me through the…

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PUGS Pointers #18

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Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about "PUGS"–Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling…tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Each blog post will have one tip for each of the four categories. (For more PUGS tips, check out my website, www.KathyIde.com, or get a copy of my book Polishing the PUGS (available through the website or at the conferences where I teach). If you’re interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me through the…

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Five Keys to Triumph Over Internet Insanity

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  Anybody out there dizzy like I am? Are you being bombarded by offers, suggestions, advice, luring seminars, and workshops—all to expose your writing, enhance marketing efforts, and boost sales? Confessing…I’ve been caught in the gotta-try-that frenzy. Most of us are dashing here and there, hoping to get that platform built. Eager to get our books promoted. Trying to get that door to open, one that will make our work soar to the top. Trying to book that big speaking engagement. Trying, trying till we collapse into bed, our head exploding with endless possibilities—too many to try. And some, too…

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Right There, Right Then: Immediacy

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Peace to you! Maureen Pratt here with my monthly blog about specific aspects of the writing process. Today, I thought I'd highlight some suggestions about immediacy in our writing. Whether we're writing fiction or non-fiction, we want our prose to carry the feel of immediacy, or a sense of time and place that draws the reader in to the exclusion of all other distractions and detractions. Compelling central plots do this to a certain extent, of course, but to carry someone along for the duration of a book requires some hooks-within-the-hooks. Immediacy boosts action to a more lively level, and it helps root scene and character…

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Research For Fiction Writing — Part I

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  Happy New Year from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailgaymermartin.com I hope this new year brings you blessings. No matter what month or year, I always look forward to sharing some of my expertise in writing fiction. This year I’m celebrating my 50th published novel. It will be in stores at the end of month and if you’d like to take a peek or pre-order you can do that from my website link at http://www.gailgaymermartin.com/books/her-valentine-hero/ It’s the first in the Sisters series. If you take a look, leave a comment and you’ll be entered into my free book drawing in March….

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PUGS Pointers #17

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Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about "PUGS"–Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling…tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Each blog post will have one tip for each of the four categories. (For more PUGS tips, check out my website, www.KathyIde.com, or get a copy of my book Polishing the PUGS (available through the website or at the conferences where I teach). If you’re interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me through the…

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