Goodreads Giveaway: Some more bits and pieces
This is a micro-post update on my Goodreads Giveaway. Some things I’ve gleaned in the last few days:
Using your Goodreads Giveaway for Maximum Advantage
This past Friday I wrapped up my first Goodreads Giveaway and thought I’d share some of the tips, tricks, and results I learned from doing it.
Featured Today on Scarlett Archer’s “1001 First Lines”
I’m excited to be today’s featured interview on Scarlett Archer’s great blog, 1001 First Lines.
Scarlett’s questions about the importance of first lines–and some of the lemons I’ve both read and written–were a lot of fun to answer. It’s a pleasure to just talk about craft sometimes!
Check it out if you have a few minutes and see if you agree with my views on what some people think are the most precious words in a book.
1001 First Lines: http://1001firstlines.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/first-lines-interview-with-author-matthew-iden/
Book Critique: Robert Parker’s Looking for Rachel Wallace
Earlier this week, I talked about the usefulness of the book critique to help refine my writing. I thought I’d show a critique I did on one of crime fiction writer Robert Parker’s best Spenser novels, Looking for Rachel Wallace, a book that has helped me immensely as I try to make a career in the same field.
If the writing seems abbreviated or sloppy or informal, that’s the way I write these so as to better understand the critique later. It’s essentially a monologue I have with myself on paper; if I wrote any more formally or self-consciously, I feel that I’d lose something in the study. Unlike my guide in the previous post, there’s not much in the Issues section and there’s no Summary…I think I cover everything in the other sections. If I get a positive response, I’ll post a more complete critique on another novel.
I hope you find it helpful, but there are huge SPOILERS, obviously. Don’t read the critique if you haven’t read the book!
How The Agency Model Led To An Antitrust Suit
As usual, David Gaughran has one of the better analyses of the publishing and e-publishing industry. Check out his blog on the recent Department of Justice announcements regarding their case against Apple and Big Publishing. A must-read if you’re an indie or would-be indie author.