Tuesday, March 19, 2013

[137] Julia Tagliere - Widow Woman -Ten Tips for Becoming a Better Writer + $50 GIVEAWAY


WIDOW WOMAN
 by Julia Tagliere


It is 1962, the starting pistol for a decade of tremendous change. President Kennedy bans all trade with Cuba. Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Beatles record their first song together, and Illinois becomes the first U.S. state to decriminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults. For Audrey Randolph, a young Midwestern wife, 1962 also brings a personal tragedy: her mother dies suddenly, leaving behind a lifetime of letters, photos and unimaginable secrets.
Audrey, stunned by her mother’s death and the subsequent revelations of past loves and lovers, can no longer trust the reality she has always known. She must come to terms with dual losses, both her mother’s death, as well as the unanswered, nagging question: Was anything she knew real? Audrey turns to her estranged father, her family’s pastor, even her mother’s best friend, to uncover the truth. Through her desperate search to learn which lies, and which people, are forgivable, Audrey will discover a greater truth: that sometimes, forgiving yourself is the first step to letting go.
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Women’s Fiction
Rating – PG13
More details about the author
Connect with Julia Tagliere on Facebook & Twitter & GoodReads


Ten Tips for Becoming a Better Writer  
by Julia Tagliere
  1. Practice makes perfect: It’s important to write every day, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes. If you’re on a break from your book, try blogging or journaling—just make sure you’re writing daily.
  2. Misery loves company: Join or create your own writers’ group. Don’t just join the first group you find; a good fit is critical. Look for like-minded writers who are supportive but honest; encouraging but not sycophantic. Try to find a mix of both accomplished and aspiring writers; everyone, no matter his or her level of experience, has something to share. If it’s truly misery to share your work with them, move on—it’s not the group for you.  
  3. School: not just for kids: Enroll in a class; take a webinar; attend writing conferences; check out some writing books. Never make the mistake of thinking that you already know everything there is to know about writing.
  4. Those who can [write], read: Want to be a better writer? Read.
  5. Emulate, but don’t imitate, the Greats: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it’s true. You can learn a great deal from studying The Greats, but beware of copying them. Rather, study those Greats to help prepare you for your own leap forward.  
  6. Get tough: One of the hardest things to do as a writer is to become comfortable sharing your work with other people. My advice? Suck it up. If you want your work to be read, you have to share it. But—you don’t have to share it with everyone right away. Share it first with people who will simply encourage you (your mom, your best friend), just to get over the hump of that initial terrifying exposure, then move on to people who will give you their honest opinions.
  7. Learn how to listen: Speaking of honest opinions…even the best writers in the world rarely get it right the first time. Listen to feedback and take it seriously. There is, of course, a difference between critique, which is helpful, and criticism, which is not. Choose your beta readers and editor carefully and be open to their suggestions.
  8. Find your own rhythm: Some writers work best first thing in the morning; some writers are night owls. Find what works for you and stick to it.
  9. Birds of a feather succeed together: Reach out to some local writers and ask them if you can meet for a cup of coffee. Ask them questions about their paths to publication. You’d be surprised how many generous, open writers are out there who’d be happy to share their experiences with you—particularly if there’s a free cup of coffee involved.
  10. Live: Don’t isolate yourself! Writers can be very reclusive people by nature, but your writing will be richer and more engaging if you are connecting with the world outside of your laptop. As much as possible, get out there—travel, visit museums, people-watch, live life!

GIVEAWAY


3 comments:

  1. I really like your list. One thing I tell authors (as their editor) is when they ask someone to read their book, they need to go beyond getting the answer to "do you like it?" That's too easy. Ask specific questions like: Did you like the main character (if not, why)? My main point was ____. Did I make it clearly. Should another character be enhanced, and why?

    You get the idea. These questions make the beta reader think and not just give you a yes or no. Besides what friend can so No, I didn't like it to you, so give them a way to help you improve your writing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Research the pros and cons of violent Call Of Duty Costumes it is possible for someone who
    has lost an eye to see phantom images. Kojima certainly knows
    how to get into gaming I am a young boy into a man, however no matter how or where call
    of duty costumes are going. A quick Google search on" game definition" turns up necessary elements such as" Transformers. You take the role of Dr.

    my homepage: call for duty

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments!
They make me really happy and I always try to reply :)