The popularity of certain types of fiction waxes and wanes with economic cycles. This is because readers are human, and want to escape their reality. But if romantic fiction is the ultimate escapism, why isn’t it more popular at the moment? As usual, I have a theory about this, and I’m not afraid to use it…
In the third and final instalment of templates for writing book blurbs according to the book’s genre, we look at short story anthologies, self-help books, and literary fiction. And most importantly, I have my fun, and that’s all that matters…
In this 2nd second instalment of ‘how to write a book blurb and how it’s 100% dependent on what genre you’re writing in’, we look at crime, historical fiction and science fiction / fantasy. And I test your memory in more ways than one, but don’t worry. It’s still fun, I promise…
Christmas is coming, and the Biggest Book Publication Day of the year is already over. What does that mean for self-published authors, or authors with small presses who have a big role in their own marketing? Time to write your blurb, that’s what.
What are literary agents really looking for? Well, I’ll give you a clue, and it’s not what they say they’re looking for. It’s the character, stupid….
I’ve been bingeing on historical fiction and drama lately, and you know that can only mean one thing: more clichés to skewer. So what are our favourite historical TV drama characters doing these days? Well, it’s all about the plot in ye olde modern times, so take a deep breath, and get ready for some serious telling…
I’ve decided to go all minimalist with my books, because many of them are not just sparking joy, they’re sparking misery. Welcome to the Life-Changing Magic Of Cheering Yourself Up.
Imagine a world where good and bad book reviews were as random and unpredictable as a lottery, and had little or nothing to do with the book the were supposed to be describing. Terrifying, isn’t it?! Now think again. What’s the difference between that… and this thing we call Now?
Have you ever been half way through your major writing project, only to suddenly suspect…. it’s all been done before? Here’s some handy advice with the benefit of hindsight (and some surprising news on that old cliché – top Amazon genres involving fish).
I watched a TV show which packed more excellent writing and publishing advice into 50 minutes than you’d see in 5 literary festivals. And because it involved little or no thought on my part, I collated it into a blog post. You’re welcome.
Tara Sparling writes 