For the last two months, I’ve been one of the lucky mentees in the #PitchWars contest. This is the third book I’ve submitted hoping to get in, and the first that made it. It’s been an amazing experience that’s allowed me to find a wonderful new friend in my mentor and a great community of writers in my fellow mentees.
I am so grateful to my mentor, Erin Foster Hartley, who believed in my book and had a vision for how to make it better. She gave me so much of her time and energy, and she continues to support me as I query. Two months after being picked, I still get a little shiver at times realizing that I’m actually a PitchWars Mentee. Thank you, Erin!
In honor of Erin, I’m giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. You can enter by supporting Erin through the rafflecopter below. I also wanted to thank a couple of the many people who help make this contest happen. So I’m giving away a $15 Amazon gift card in honor of Yamile Saied Mendez, who was our mentee liaison, and a $15 card in honor of the amazing Brenda Drake who started this contest and continues to grow it, maintaining and building its stellar reputation, with all the challenges that involves.
So, enter and win!!
Erin’s Rafflecopter ($25 Amazon gift certificate):
Yamile’s Rafflecopter ($15 Amazon gift certificate):
Brenda’s Rafflecopter ($15 Amazon gift certificate):
Want more chances to win? See the full gratitude giveaway list!
7X7X7X7 Writing Challenge
I was given a writing challenge by @alannalp on her Magdalena Tarot blog (and via Twitter). According to the rules, I had to go to the 7th page of your manuscript, count down 7 lines and post the next 7 lines. So, here they are.
Making the villain’s backstory rich: Writing tips from TV
Creating a three-dimensional villain in your novel is easier if you know the villain’s backstory, and if it’s three-dimensional, too. Compare the backstories for Daredevil and Agents of Shield’s villains.
Making your villain sympathetic: Writing tips from TV
Learn from the screenwriters of Daredevil how to introduce a sympathetic villain. Your story will be a lot more interesting and appealing to readers if your antagonist is a real person–and maybe even an appealing person.
Fiction writing articles this week: 8-15-15
Top fiction writing articles from the blogosphere from the week ending 8-15-15. Including reading on the phone and writing better dialogue.
Fiction writing articles this week: 8-8-15
Top fiction writing articles from the blogosphere from the week ending 8-8-15. Including your look-inside preview, adding tension to your book, word selection, improving dialogue, and the truth about revise and resubmits.