I used to think that writing a book would be the hard part. That once I had spent interminable hours writing my masterpiece, gotten feedback from my critique groups, done lots of rewriting and polishing, and then proofread my manuscript about a zillion times, that I would be done. But I soon realized that writing the book is only the beginning. Marketing the book, getting it out into the public so that people know about it and will buy it, takes just as much work as writing it in the first place. That’s why I’m a big fan of book clubs. Instead of sitting by myself at a lone table in a library or bookstore, hoping someone will wander by who is interested in buying the book, I can sit in a com
Ever hear of The Book Fairy? You know, like The Tooth Fairy but with books instead of missing teeth. What’s not to love about finding a free book somewhere? Amiright? My favorite book fairy is actress/UN ambassador, Emma Watson who's been leaving little book surprises all around the London Underground. I think Hermione Granger is onto something for us Muggle readers! I decided to take a piece of the book fairy action, but with no current plans to travel to London, I flitted around my own back yard, Richmond, Virginia. Earlier this week, armed with a basket of books to give away—or would that make me the Book Bunny?—I headed to three of RVA’s most notable cultural hot spots to plant my surp
By Mollie Cox Bryan I sometimes hesitate to give writing advice because every writer’s creative process is unique. Often, it’s the result of years of trying different ways that fit. Mine has changed a great deal from when I first started. This is what works for me, now, though it may change when something in my life changes. Try this process. If it doesn’t work for you, try something else. There are no hard and fast rules about the creative process. Finding your own way is part of the struggle, yes, but it’s also part of the joy. For purposes of this blog post, let’s assume that you already have a regular writing practice. Break it down. Novels are huge, but thinking of them as huge doesn’
