Biscuit Break

Back on the Front Porch

November 13, 2011

Who wants to sit on the front porch when it’s 100 degrees outside? My two office assistants do. Unfortunately, my assistants wear coats year round, and they are unable to shed them (though they do shed a lot). Still, it was hard convincing my persistent assistants that their time outside should be limited to taking […]

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Don’t Bark Up the Wrong Tree! The Importance of Doing Your Research Before You Submit Your Manuscript

October 11, 2010

Would you wear a prom dress to a picnic? Hopefully not! Then why would you send a manuscript for a non-fiction picture book to a publisher that only publishes young adult novels?  Seriously, now, if you want to sell your manuscript, you have to research the market. And with all the resources available today – […]

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“Sit, Stay,Write!”: Writing the Ruff — um, the Rough — Draft

September 15, 2010

That first draft of a story can be rough going – maybe that’s why they call it a “rough” draft.  The sheer act of facing a blank page can be daunting enough. Sometimes it’s tough to write that first sentence. And once you do, how should you proceed? Should you, as Randi Rivers, Jeanie’s editor at […]

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Lessons from the Front Porch

August 27, 2010

School’s in session, and we’ve planned a series of lessons designed to teach writers of all ages and abilities how to be more productive and successful. The name for our “course” is “Sit, Stay, Write!,” and we hope you’ll join us for class each week. We plan to meet right here every Friday, so teachers […]

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Mail Tails

June 11, 2010

Everyone loves to get mail! But it seems that these days, most writers query and submit via email. This makes the process easier, saves paper, and saves time. In fact, most magazines and book publishers prefer electronic submissions, although some still prefer (and only accept) submissions by regular mail. Either way, it’s important to research […]

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