Tips for Aspiring Writers

First a caveat — I can only speak from my own experience, and what I know best is mystery and children’s fiction. If you’re writing another type of fiction, or nonfiction, some of what I have to say may still apply. Some may not.

I’ve done my best to summarize what I’ve learned about writing and publishing over the last ten years. Please note that I’m not able to read and critique individual writing samples, so please don’t send me your work and ask for feedback. Nevertheless, I hope you find some useful information in this section of the website.

Questions about my own experience:

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

What was your experience getting published?

Any advice for young people who might want to be writers?

Questions on writing:

How do you know good writing when you see it?

How do you develop characters?

Character Profile — a worksheet to use, if you find it helpful

How do you tackle dialogue?

How do you plot an entire mystery novel?

Questions on publishing:

Are the odds of getting published really that bad?

How can I increase my chances?

I’ve finished my manuscript. What do I do now?

Do I really need an agent?

If I sent you a few chapters of my work, could you read and critique them?