Inky Blog

I recently received a question from an author about the editorial process and what would be the most efficient and effective services needed for a publishable manuscript. Which steps could help this new author move forward with confidence? These are good questions! The terminology isn't even consistent in the industry or across different editors/publishers. And, as you might guess, the answer is usually it depends. But that’s never a helpful answer. Instead, I offer both the larger scope of the process and my recommendations for the most necessary steps. Let's start with the fullest picture of the editorial stages: In an ideal world in which every author had unlimited funds and time to follow the full process, an author would plan an idea for a novel and/or series, outline, and draft it — all with a book coach to help this author set out with a strong footing and good, marketable foundations if needed or desired. The author would revise and polish as much as possible on his or her own, possibly checking the story arc against — or follow... read more

Writing with Story Structure The insights from cognitive psychology can help us understand the effects and usefulness of story structures, and this is what I break down in my latest blog post. In this introductory article for my new series on story structure elements, I dive into the effects of story on readers and how these structures play a part in that. I also offer suggestions for what writers can do to have the best of both worlds — both the joy of just writing and creating a tale readers will want to read. The hero’s journey, Save the Cat, Freytag’s pyramid, the three-act structure—if there’s no one way to structure a story, then why bother trying to follow one? My own “structure” is just as valid as the rest! I just want to tell a good story. I don’t want to use some cookie-cutter formula that makes my story sound just like all the rest. Learning these theories is a waste of time. Or is it? I’m pretty sure I’ve said or at least thought all of... read more