The Big Bad Book Blog

You can read as many books as you want about grammar, style, the well-crafted sentence, and the well-developed character, but if you want to be a writer, you need to think like a writer. And if you want to think like a writer, you need to live like a writer. A good first step is to understand how other successful writers live and think. You may not write like they write or live like they live, but I bet they have some insights that could help you improve your craft.

So here’s a list of books about writing and being a writer by people who live the writer’s life. continue reading

“Hot pink is the navy blue of India.”
–Diana Vreeland

Color is beautiful, but she is much more than mere decoration. Color communicates. If you treat her right, she can support and add impact to your book’s message. Treat her wrong, and she will undermine your message and confound your audience. Do not make the mistake of choosing a color scheme solely on personal preferences–color can profoundly influence the impression your book makes on potential buyers.

Color Wheels are Useless

Most of us learned a little color theory in school. Wavelength, primary and secondary, cool and warm, saturated or subdued. These terms are specific and informative, sure, but I’d guess they did little good when it came time to choose a wall color for your first home. Don’t let color theory convince you that there are absolutes and rules to which you must adhere. In the field of graphic design, confounding expectation is the best form of innovation. Color doesn’t fit purely in the realm of science or completely in the realm of art: She lives in the mysterious cultural territory between the two. To understand whether a color “works” or not, you must understand the emotion it evokes, its symbolism, and–most importantly–its context. continue reading

After spending years carefully crafting your manuscript, it’s tough to subject it to the judging eyes of others. Typically, the first round of reviews brings mostly positive feedback: Family and friends will read your work and be impressed by your tenacity and hard work. You’ll probably enjoy an ego-stroke or two when they ask for autographed copies, looking forward to having a published author as a friend or relative.

The next round may be a little tougher. Industry people won’t candy-coat their opinions, and you may receive feedback that’s less than rosy. Take the good with the bad when it comes to criticism of your book, remembering to appreciate fresh perspectives that may illuminate problems you couldn’t see before. No matter how it may feel at times, most people don’t enjoy raking you over the coals–they just want to know if this is a book they can sell.

So what matters to these book people as they evaluate your work with an objective critical eye? Here are six factors they’ll always look at: continue reading

Literary agents specialize in many kinds of books. But even when you find an agent who specializes in your book’s area, that agent might not be right for you–or you might not be right for him or her. How can you tell?

First, you have to find an agent with the right specialty. Usually, an agent’s areas of interest are listed in writer’s market guidebooks and on his Web site. Authors also generally thank their agents in the acknowledgment sections, so you may also find names by picking up books with topics that are similar to yours and looking for the acknowledgments. Agents who specialize usually have terrific contacts with editors and publishers in their areas of interest. They are familiar with all of their books, the competition, their current lists, and their wish lists.

But once you’ve found a specialist, have you found an agent who’s right for you? continue reading