Why? Because we should always glean help from all areas of life, right? And honestly, they’ve got to be useful for something, right?
- Accuracy isn’t nearly as important as what sounds plausible
- Cliches are a valuable convention when the details are too complex for the average reader
- There’s no problem with promoting someone’s book without reading it all the way through, as long as the synopsis, blurb and first five pages sound good
- Don’t have to be good, as long as it’s better than the next choice
- Hint at fresh and new twists, but don’t stray too far from the worn path. Stuff that is too different tends to unnerve people.
- Genre labels, like party groups, are a very subjective, abstract division. Sometimes the difference is only in the trappings, yet both sides have their wild cards that defy any classification
- For a safe twist, yesterday’s heroes are splendid candidates as models for today’s villains. Look at Vampires and Zombies for example.
- Loose threads at the end are fine as long as there was the general feel of progress and you gave a good ride
- A good sales pitch is at least as important as the actual manuscript. If you have to choose between the two, just make sure it’s a great pitch
- Critics can always find weaknesses and problems, no matter how good it is or how many revisions. That’s just what they do.
- Most every story can gather fans. The real key is to A) find your true target audience and B) hope there is enough of them with money
- Endorsements from known names is priceless
And finally,
- Always proofread and be tactful. Things on the internet never die.
Please, feel free to add on more. I’m sure I’ve missed plenty of good ones!
Love it!