 Misty Massey
read all posts by Misty MasseyI work in a public library, which is where I get to hear all kinds of wacky nonsense from people who think they’re being brilliant or worldly or simply well-read. Most of it makes me giggle but occasionally I become so irritated I have to duck into the back office to regain my composure. After all, calling people names and throwing books at them is never the right choice, no matter how much it might feel like it. Not that you, dear readers, would EVER say anything so nutty. Maybe you know how to talk to librarians-who-are-also-writers, but you have a buddy who just hadn’t gotten the hang of it yet. Either way, I’m here to help.
5) “I never start reading a series until all the books have been written.”
This is guaranteed to make the writer-librarian roll her eyes and want to leave for an early three-drink [...]
Continue reading Five Things You Shouldn’t Say To The Librarian Who Is Also A Writer
 Lucienne Diver
read all posts by Lucienne DiverI’ve already talked here at Magical Words about writing, about the query process and the path to first publication. I think there’s a lot less said about what comes after attaining that first book contract, and consequently, most authors don’t really know what to expect. Certain things can come as a rude shock. It’s not just getting published, but staying published that builds a writing career.
So, I’m going to touch on a few things here. Long-term thinking and career-building start even before you sign that first contract, when terms are being discussed and contract language haggled. It’s extremely important to have an agent who knows publishing contracts backward and forward who can look at things like option language (what you have to show next to your publisher and when they have to respond), competitive works, grant of rights, reversion, royalties and other percentages, etc. Just for example, if you’re [...]
Continue reading The Writer’s Journey
Misty Massey
read all posts by Misty MasseyBefore I introduce today’s special guest, I’d like to announce the winner of our giveaway of Lisa Mantchev’s Eyes Like Stars ARC! There were some good entries, but the winner is….. Heidi2524! Congratulations, Heidi! If you’ll drop me an email with your mailing address, we’ll get your book right out to you.
Today we’re talking with Valerie Griswold-Ford, writer and editor. Val contributed a chapter The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy, co-edited The Fantasy Writer’s Companion and edited The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy Volume 3: The Author’s Grimoire. Her debut novel, Not Your Father’s Horseman, a dark fantasy take on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, came out from Dragon Moon Press in July 2005, and the sequel, Dark Moon Seasons, is available now in stores.
I met Val at RavenCon this spring, when we were both assigned to a mysterious panel on teaching people to blog. We only [...]
Continue reading Special Guest Friday: Valerie Griswold-Ford!
 Faith Hunter
read all posts by Faith Hunter
I am often asked by unpublished writers (referred to by some as wannabees, unpubs, prepubs, etc.) “What is the one thing that takes a writer from the stage of wanting to be published, to the stage of *being* published? What is that magic one thing?” And I think I’ve been seeing a trend here on magicalwords.net that leads me to an answer. Besides and including, BIC, of course. Butt in Chair is the most important part of crossing the “what makes a writer” void. But in addition, there is this one other thing.
Catie has been lamenting it, here and on other blogs. David and Misty and I have commiserated with her on it. We’ve all been there. We’ve all gone through it, and know full well that we will go through it again, on the next book. That one single thing is tenacity. That bulldog, got-my-teeth-in-it-and-won’t-let-go, stubborn, [...]
Continue reading BIC — the Magical Words
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