by Justin Sloan | Mar 19, 2014 | Travel, Writers Advice, Writers Events
This year I had a wonderful time at the San Francisco Writers Conference and am committed to returning next year. It was a weekend full of great dinners, wonderful people, and amazing discussions on the power of prose. A very valuable aspect of attending these events is that you learn about other upcoming events, and one of those that I would like to share with you today is the “Women Writing in the Redwoods” writing retreat, presented by the San Francisco Writers Conference.
You can click on the following link for the beautiful flyer, but as you wait to click, let me tell you why the retreat looks great. (more…)
by Justin Sloan | Mar 17, 2014 | Interviews, Writers Advice
Many veterans find they need to write, and it makes sense. Men and women of the armed forces go through several intense years. Whether it was serving time overseas or just working their butts off on the home turf, they go through a lot to keep America safe. It is no surprise that they want to express themselves and find some way to share their stories. Lucky for them, there are many great programs for current military and veterans.
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by Laura Hedgecock | Mar 12, 2014 | Writers Advice
The choices can be overwhelming
For the new or aspiring author, publishing options can be boggling. The debate isn’t limited to self-publishing versus traditional publishing. If you choose to go the traditional publishing route, you have to decide whether or not you need (or want) an agent and which publishers to target.
I’m far from an expert about the publishing world. However, I found a niche that is (so far) working for me: a small publishing house. Hopefully, my experience will give you some clarity on your own decisions as you face your own labyrinth of options. (more…)
by John Kingston | Mar 3, 2014 | Musings, Writers Advice
Six years…and that’s not counting the revisions. Entire residential subdivisions have sprung up around you in less time. New sections of interstate have been constructed. National monuments refaced. Six years ago, you helped elect a new President and have since come to regret it. Six years ago you had no children. Now, you have two. In six years, the few wily strands of gray hair you once had have spread across your head like tundra. Dictators have been deposed. Big-name celebrities have died. And all along, you’ve sat right there at that chair, staring out past the blinking cursor of your computer screen through a window as the seasons have paraded past. (more…)
by Justin Sloan | Feb 24, 2014 | Interviews, Writers Advice
While studying the craft of writing at the Johns Hopkins University, I had the pleasure of meeting many soon to be published authors. They were hungry for the craft, ready to show the world what they can create with mere words on the page. One of my classmates, an especially ambitious young writer named Kelly Ann Jacobson, recently published her first novel and agreed to share her thoughts on writing. You can find more information on Kelly and her novel at her website, www.kellyannjacobson.com. (more…)
by Justin Sloan | Feb 3, 2014 | Writers Advice
To the fiction author, the answer is of course that books on writing are extremely helpful. There are some great books out there, and many of you may be asking why I think this is even a question. I raise it because in the screenwriting world there are many professional screenwriters who advise to never read the books on how to write a screenplay, or at best to read them once to see what they are all about and then toss them and forget what they said. I am still undecided in the world of screenwriting books, but in the world of fiction I have to say books on writing can be of tremendous help, and some are incredibly interesting. (more…)
