Author Heather McCorkle

Many writers sit on the fence and wonder if their work is polished enough while others toss it out there too soon. But how many really know if their book is actually ready to submit? I sure didn't my first time out. It took a lot of trial and error for me to figure it out. Its all about whether or not your work is polished enough and is right for a particular agent. First there is the work itself. Is it going to grab the readers and therefore, an agent? Is it edited to the point where it looks professional and clean? Is the story strong enough or original enough that the agent will be able to not only enjoy it, but foresee selling it? These are very important questions that you must ask yourself. Second is platform. Who is your audience and have you conveyed the book well enough that they will want to read it? Is it good enough that they'll recommend it to others? People buy and support books that grip them and make them feel something. Make sure you've tapped into tha...

I'm always on the lookout for new marketing ideas for one's writing. Don't get me wrong, I'm a believer in traditional publishing and will fight until I'm blue in the face to achieve that goal. However, even if an editor buys your work that doesn't mean the house will do all your marketing for you. They'll have a plan of course, but if you don't snag a huge advance your marketing plan is likely to be minimal. In which case, it's time for you to step in and take the reins. And of course for those who self-publish it's completely up to them. One of my Twittering friends came up with a brilliant idea. He Twittered about offering a short story of his for free. When I asked him about it he said it was a way to bring more readers to his work than if he had just placed it on his website, and he's right. And you thought Twitter couldn't do anything for you! If he has say fifty followers and only half of them check out his site, that's still 2...

Those of you who have read my earlier posts have heard me rave about Sarah Rees Brennan's new book, The Demon's Lexicon . Am I just shamelessly promoting a friend? You bet I am. However, here is the perfect example of why she's so amazing. Sarah has commited to writing a short story every week if her book climbs to a certain number in the sales ranking. So, don't wait for paperback folks, rush out and buy this because I must have more of her short stories!!! Once you start reading her work you will be hungry for every little bit extra you can get your hands on too! This week she did a story on the history of one of the characters in The Demon's Lexicon. It's fantastic, and a great backstory we wouldn't have otherwise received. It's marketing genius, you've got to love that! Not only can she write, this Irish girl's got brains and beauty too. Watch out America! So first jump on here and read the first few pages of the Demon's Lexicon (warning,...