February 21, 2012 by darlenequinn | no comments.
In a society where economic climates and longer lifespans have increased the overall age of retirement among the general population, there is still an overwhelming and sometimes biased emphasis on the age. Whether you are male, female, young or old, as it stands, age at its simplest is only a number. How you old you feel on the other hand, is a state of mind.
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January 31, 2012 by darlenequinn | no comments.
Blogs give you more credibility as an author and they make you an expert writer beyond your genre or published portfolio.
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January 6, 2012 by darlenequinn | 7 comments.
If you answered, “I don’t have time to read” or “I am too busy writing to read the works of others” or “my favorite books are those I have written,” then I would say that you may be selling yourself short. Plus, at the same time, your lack of attention to the works of others may be stifling the creativity and depth of your own work.
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December 15, 2011 by darlenequinn | 16 comments.
For some writers, self promotion is a hard pill to swallow. We are authors and artists, not sales people. Self promotion makes some of us feel uncomfortable and cheap. After all, they always say the hardest part about being an artist is selling your own work.
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Still learning. Thanks for the great advice! I’m promoting your post to fellow authors right now!
I almost never read a book that I don’t review when I’m finished. I post a review on Amazon and send the review to the writer. Writing a review is a fun thing to do. I’m looking for information about how to write a review. Any suggestions?
I think Darlene Quinn have me swept off my feet.A very wise woman.
Great stuff, Darlene. I’m always keen to tweet FB G+ and LinkedIn fellow writers. As long as their content is useful to my audience I’ll promote them in the hope that some of the sharing love will return. And if it doesn’t directly,no problem my readers enjoy quality content and they know they can get it from me an the people I interact with
Darlene, this is wonderful information and I agree with what you say.
Thank you
Pat Ritter
I believe this is an awesome idea! Since Ihave joned some groups like this one I have learned so much! I will definitely participate and also let everyone know when my book comes out in January 2012, so you can do the same.
Christy Smith, CAP
Nicely done.
Love this perspective, Darlene! There are so many wonderful books and writers out there to get the word out about.
Great points, Darlene and you’re absolutely right.
-:) Joan
I agree wholeheartedly with all you say. Some people are so self-centred that no sooner have I accepted their friend request and their book links, website links, blog links and anything else they care to mention about themselves are posted on my wall and more than often than not it doesn’t occur to them to return the favour.
Thanks for posting and reminding us of the basic common courtesies of self promotion.
Darlene makes an excellent case for cross promotion. However, I wonder how well it works for authors writing in different genres?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alter-Ego-In-Chanel/180271468719166
I completely agree with you & do my best to help promote others as they do me. Thank you for sharing your advice!
So i am NOT promoting my book. Nut here it is!! call it seld promotion!!
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Great information Darlene!
“United we are promoted, divided we stand alone and ignored.”
That’s a good rule to keep in mind. 2
Darlene,
This is a very good post that helps to bring writers down to earth. It’s true— all too often on FB (or on any social media), people get so caught up about ME, ME, ME that they forget about other people. Your advice is well received by this writer.
December 8, 2011 by darlenequinn | 3 comments.
We all seem to be rushing around doing our holiday shopping, making lists and checking them twice. Naturally, as an author, I would love for you to buy my books — However, there are a lot of people out there in desperate need. Your local food bank could use a donation, for example. Ditto your local animal shelter.
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Darlene, thank you for the opportunity to share this information with your readers. My family did a big re-evaluation concerning how we handle the holiday season last year, and have found that it made a difference in not only *our* quality of life, but that of the world around us. I appreciate you letting others in on my philosophy.
Merry Christmas, Sharon! You are inspiring.
My husband and I encourage people to donate a toy for the Toys for Tots campaign, and are holding an open house at our shop, Wooden Toys and Gifts, tomorrow while “Santa Tours the Town” on a firetruck, accompanied by US Marines collecting toys. They drive down every single street in our town. It’s amazing. For a small town of about 6000 residents, we’ve kept track each year, and since 2000 our townspeople have donated more than 28,400 Toys for Tots! Yay, Georgetown~ and I’ve written that story and others in my book called Georgetown at the Turn of the Millennium. <3
Best wishes and congratulations as you continue your string of successful books!
November 23, 2011 by darlenequinn | no comments.
Some writers can’t seem to create a title until their story is complete. Others often start stories based on a title. Below is an exercise I recommend to help spark the imagination.
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November 18, 2011 by darlenequinn | no comments.
One of the quickest ways to increase your passion for your book is to have some conversations with your ideal readers. Discover their needs and determine how your book can serve them. Reconnect with your passionate heart for helping others and you’ll find you’ve come home to the real reason why you started writing your book in the first place: to serve the world with your unique message.
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November 8, 2011 by darlenequinn | one comments.
I personally feel that writer’s block is often an excuse writer give for not doing what, for that moment does not come easy. Sometimes, it is just a matter of plugging out one word at a time and allowing yourself the ability to write badly until the muse comes to the rescue. At least this way you have the material to build on. After all, have you ever heard of bus driver’s block, school teacher’s block, plumbers block or police officers block?
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[…] Darlene Quinn » Blog Archive » Writers Block – Myth or a Real Condition? […]
September 19, 2011 by darlenequinn | one comments.
We’ve been talking about prequels and why a writer would consider writing one. We talked about how a prequel should not be just back- story for the work we have already published. We must remain true to the spirit of who the main character is to become. I have just a few more observations I would like to add about characters in a prequel.
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
As in any good story, characters in a prequel must have flaws and challenges. There must be tension and conflict in their lives and they must grow and learn from this experience. It is up to the writer to make that journey an interesting one by throwing the character into situations that will bring about the desired change. The character must be someone the reader can relate to in some way and develop empathy for; this is no different from any other story we write. The difference comes in considering the fact that the reader may have already met this character The reader may already know that our character will survive and prevail over whatever our antagonist is doing, so the dilemma is – how do we create that oh so important tension?
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Hi Darlene,
Three excellent articles on the flaws and merits of prequels. Well done. This is something I have been considering - not for my last novel, but for the one I’m currently writing.
My intention is to do, as you’ve suggested, and include only some of the characters in Seen & Not Heard, plus others who do not appear in that book at all. The plot will be the story of the new characters, with the existing ones in a supporting role. Thus, I hope not to be dumping my readers with simply a mishmash of back story.
Thanks again for this. Mel
by darlenequinn | no comments.
I received many comments on the last post regarding prequels and back-story. Many authors express the belief that prequels tend to be an author’s saved up back-story. If that is the case, it is unlikely that a compelling prequel will follow. There is a quite a bit to consider as we discuss prequels.
THE BACK-STORY ON BACK-STORY
As the authors, we know what happened before our published work; where our characters came from, what makes them do the things they do, why this one is afraid of the dark or that one has an aversion to apples…we created these personality quirks and the reasons behind them. A prequel does not have to be the “why” of the already published work. Honestly, just because one reader wants to know why John Doe flinches every time the doorbell rings, does not meant that EVERY reader wants to know the story behind that quirk. We need to ask ourselves, is our story idea compelling enough to interest a reader in spending his or her hard earned cash on a book? A prequel should be a standalone story that just happens to be inhabited by one or two (or maybe all) of the characters from our current novel. It’s not there to explain the entire back story; it can, however, support character traits or give deeper insight into certain characters. So what’s all the fuss about prequels?
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"Webs of Fate grabbed my interest from the first line of the prologue and wouldn't let me go."
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg, New York Times bestselling author of The Cheater and My Lost Daughter
“On first opening the pages of Darlene Quinn’s Webs series, readers may well feel that they are in for an engaging ‘all about’ novel—in Quinn’s case all about the glamorous, dangerous, byzantine, and ultimately exciting world of fashion and high-end retail—and those readers would be right. But wait! There’s more! Quinn develops her storylines and plot in a way that keeps the world engaging and the books charging forward. And don’t get complacent—nothing is what it seems and no character is without great secrets that will twist events and surprise the reader in breathtaking ways. There’s a great deal of fun and entertainment to be had in falling into these beguiling webs.”
Frank Gaspar, author of Stealing Fatima, Endowed chair/distinguished professor and writer in residence, University of Massachusetts
With obvious “insider’s” knowledge, Darlene Quinn has created a web of intrigue that draws the reader into the best and worst of the retailer¹s world. I found myself rooting for her smart women, and wishing I could boo the villains. The book came with me on a trip, and once I began reading, I made sure it was always within easy reach. Best of all, I can say proudly, Darlene was once one of my students.
Maralys Wills author of Higher than Eagles, Author of Damn the Rejections, Full Speed Ahead
Darlene Quinn expertly captures the drama, greed, and emotional tumult of personal lives gone awry during the hostile takeover attempt of a high-end retail chain in Webs of Power.
Laura Taylor, award-winning author of Honorbound
January 6th, 2012 at 11:03 am
Love means always saying you’re sorry. nobody will ever be perfect enough to never make mistakes. the is why love cannot possibly be never having to say your sorry unless you only love yourself. If you really love somebody it should mean always saying your sorry yet knowing that you never have to.
January 6th, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Darlene,
I really enjoyed this article and you’ve brought to light many important points. Thank you for sharing your wisdom here.
All Best,
Randy Mitchell
January 6th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
I agree! Not to sound trite, but Reading Is Essential! Artists learn their craft by imitating the masters … writers who read breathe in the fluidity and clarity of the written word, by reading it!
January 6th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
I agree so much with that. When I get writer block, I go and read a book then my own ideas starts coming and I go back to writing. But it also helps my mind to remember better, I have MS so it is healthy in so many ways.
January 6th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
I have learned a lot from other writers but I’ve never had to be pushed into reading the work of a good writer. I get curious. I read Mark Twain out of curiosity and the same can be said for Diane Carey and Terry Pratchett.
January 6th, 2012 at 9:51 pm
I completely agree, Darlene. I also think that the best way to learn to write as a child is to read, read, read. Thanks for the post.
January 9th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Agree 100%. I have learned more about craft, description, character building, good dialogue, plots, setting, etc. from reading than from all the books, courses, articles, posts on writing - though often these also refer to books or writers. Reading is a writer’s biggest teacher and ally.