Do you want to create a top notch graphic novel? Perhaps you have the talent but lack the necessary know-how?

During a recent telephone conversation, I mentioned having sent off the last revisions for my twentieth novel, “Great Sky Woman.” There was a silence on the other side of the phone, followed by the question “How in the world do you do that? Twenty novels!” The truth is that I know many writers who have written far more than twenty novels. It is not that unusual. In fact, if you are a working writer, the “perfect” output is very close to a book a year. Less often than this,...

Writing a letter to your newspaper's editor is a privilege that Americans have exercised since the early days of journalism. You need not be an expert about the topic at hand, but by adding your voice to the discussion you can help shape people's opinions positively and constructively. Here are some tips to help you get your letter published.

Would you like to compose personal love letters and poems for your sweetheart but don't know where to begin? While it's true that a personalized love letter is usually preferred over a greeting card, unfortunately most folks don't put forth the extra effort to compose one. Although this may be due to lack of time, often people are too timid or lack the confidence to write their own. Many feel they don't have the necessary writing skills or flair. Fortunately, writing of this ...

You’ve just finished interviewing for your dream job. There’s nothing more you can do than wait for the phone to ring, right? Wrong. To really increase your chances of getting a job offer, you need to follow up with an effective interview thank you letter. If written correctly, an effective interview thank you letter can be used to separate you from your competition. Remember, the main point of sending a thank you letter after an interview is help you to stand out in the e...

What you need to know when requesting recommendations in the college admissions process.

Ever wonder why so many lawyers write novels? And very successful ones at that? Just think of John Grisham and Scott Turow, both of whom have written exciting, entertaining stories that grab hold of us until the very last page. Both men have had active legal careers in the criminal courts. Every day, they have dealt [literally] with life and death issues. Every day, they have witnessed the brutal effects of crime upon victims, families and upon the lives of the perpetrato...

If you’ve always wanted to write a novel, but found the traditional structured process too frightening or overwhelming, maybe your imagination works in a more organic fashion like mine. In that case, start with your main character and the idea the character gives you for the plot. Then close your eyes, grab your notebook or computer, and watch the main character. Sooner or later she or he will begin talking and moving around. When that happens, start writing! I guarantee what...

Those who venture into fiction writing often fall prey to certain avoidable, yet highly normal faux pau's with their first book. Many of these novels are grand experiments. Often chapters unfold without advance direction or character notebook, sometimes there is a multitude of point of view shifts and there is often a desire to try to pack as much into the story as possible. One of the key difficulties for new novelists is to track down inconsistencies in their work. Fo...