LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON

Tag: aspiring writers

  • Become a Pro Writer — One Hour at a Time!

    The more you write, the better you get.  That should go without saying, but discouragement can dim our perceptions, so I’m coming right out and saying it: Every hour you spend writing makes you a better writer.  I talk a lot about the learning curve of your first novel.  If you’re like most people, as…

  • Help Fight Diabetes and Win a Critique!

    That’s right, folks.  You already know you can write a novel — and now’s your chance to prove it.  Thanks to the heroic efforts of Brenda Novak and her elite team of auction experts, you have a chance to help a great cause AND win a personal manuscript critique from Yours Truly.  And of course,…

  • Win Literary Prizes and Help Fight Diabetes

    Just a quick reminder that bidding starts Sunday for the Brenda Novak Diabetes Fundraiser.  This year, aspiring writers get a chance to win some incredible prizes.  Seriously, some mind-blowing stuff!  Like lunch with agents, editors and other Very Important People.  Or a chance to get your polished manuscript into the hot little hands of people…

  • Aspiring Writers, Take Notes!

    You can write a novel that seems absolutely perfect to you: the dialogue is tight, the characters are richly layered and the plot crackles with energy.  But you’ll still get notes, I guarantee it.  And that’s a good thing. Notes, by the way, are the comments you get from decision-makers (mostly literary agents and editors)…

  • Behind the Bestseller: Robert Buettner (Part 3)

    Meet bestselling author Robert Buettner, a man who’s not afraid to do his research firsthand — even when it involves a real-life main battle tank!  In this segment on You Can Write A Novel, Buettner talks about how ebooks have changed the publishing business, how it feels to read your own reviews and the secret…

  • Bestselling Authors, Millions of Dollars, and You

    Ebooks have always been a hot-button topic in the publishing business.  And that was before bestselling author Barry Eisler walked away from a half-million-dollar deal in favor of self-publishing his own ebooks. And yes, you read that right: a half a million dollars.  Which, as you’ll see in a moment, might just be chump change…

  • Behind the Bestseller: Robert Buettner (Part 2)

    Bestselling author and all-around nice guy Robert Buettner is back on You Can Write A Novel to give us a glimpse of what it’s like to be the author of a “big” book — and he tells us how he tackled writing something entirely new on the heels of the critically acclaimed Jason Wander series. …

  • Meet a Literary Agent AND Help Kids Read — No Foolin’!

    Listen up, true believers.  Think you can write a novel good enough to get published?  Find out this Sunday! Literary agent and celebrated book genius Sara Megibow (of the incomparable Nelson Literary Agency) will lead a two-hour writing workshop open to any fiction writer.  (That means you!)  Aspiring writers from all over have benefited from…

  • Literary Agents, Editors and You, at the Brenda Novak Diabetes Fundraiser

    This is a great charity event!  I’ve been wanting to donate to this for years.  (True story: back when I worked at a book distributor, there were two pallets of Nora Roberts and Iris Johansen paperbacks I was almost able to donate, but then there was an unfortunate incident involving a blizzard, an aging forklift…

  • What Kind of Writer Are You? Find Out!

    Writers generally fall into three camps: hobbyists, aspiring professionals and working pros. The difference is not so much about your writing skills or experience as it is about your goals. A hobby writer just wants to have fun with writing. You know what I mean: get together with friends, talk about inspiration, maybe write a…