IntenseDebate - Ann Best

13 years ago @ Writerland - How to Write Kick-Ass ... · 1 reply · +2 points

Reminds me of the screenwriting adage: character is action. And character is also dialogue. Keep the physical descriptions to a minimum (Orson Scott Card also advocates this, and puts it beautifully into practice). And when we do use such description, we should, as you say, be creative, as Matt Bondurant clearly has been. Well said, Megan. I'm in total agreement. I'm going to link to this post, if that's okay with you, in the next post I'll be writing either today or tomorrow.

14 years ago @ Writerland - 5 Easy Ways to Improve... · 1 reply · +1 points

Great list, Meghan. I've done it all. I changed my blog name way back to my own name. But I think I'll go into Twitter and see if I can get rid of the number after my name. I think this happened because Ann Best is too common. I should have done Ann Carbine Best. I see your comment above. I've got a massive stack of books I've bought too; a lot of them Bloggers' books, some of which I've dipped into and they're mostly very good. I'm a slow reader too. There just isn't enough time in a day ... and the older you get, as you'll discover, the faster the time goes!

14 years ago @ Writerland - Don't Be An iPhoney · 3 replies · +1 points

I remember those kinds of weeks with small children! This too shall pass...
Like Kristan, I try to support more than one bookstore, especially the brick and mortar ones.

14 years ago @ Writerland - 2011 Books in Review · 1 reply · +1 points

I'm trying again to see if this will go through with my picture and link....

14 years ago @ Writerland - New York Times Bestsel... · 1 reply · +1 points

I was 38 when this happened, and two years away from divorcing my first husband when the Jonestown disaster occurred. I was caught in my own turmoil then, as I was during the entire decade: the ugliest decade, as some historians have called it. And the Sixties was the precursor: Berlin Wall Crisis--I just got married, and was separated from my husband. Then, John Kennedy's assassination; my oldest daughter was 8 months old. More assassinations: another Kennedy, Martin Luther King. The Vietnam War that spanned both decades. Watergate, and another personal trauma, etc. etc. Back then I filtered history through what was personally happening to me at the time; but now through such incredible writers as Julia Scheeres I can read about such atrocities as Jonestown that I only vaguely remember discussing, horrified, with my first husband.

Thank you, Meghan, for commenting today on my recent post, and telling me about this interview. I am EAGER to read this book. I'm just thinking: I'll tell my oldest daughter who drew my name for Christmas to BUY it for me. I like to honor the hard work of such excellent writers!

This was a great interview, as all of your interviews are!

14 years ago @ Writerland - 10 Steps to Becoming a... · 1 reply · +1 points

Hi, Meghan. Great post. It and Anne Allen's comments really speak to me today.

I wrote two responses that I deleted, that you may or may not be able to read. I was nervous about something I'd said in reply to Anne, so whatever happened to the comments doesn't matter.

#3 is what I'm going on!!! But everything you list is very important. I'm printing out this post for future reference. Thanks!!!

14 years ago @ Writerland - 10 Steps to Becoming a... · 1 reply · +1 points

I'm going with your #3 Meghan. Memoirs and literary novels, my favorite "genres." I know now at my age that memoir is my thing. It's really all I can do. My life is what I know. Write about what you know. I started doing this much younger, closer to your age, but never got something together for publication until now. It's been fun--but it's all a lot of work, especially the marketing part.

14 years ago @ Writerland - 10 Steps to Becoming a... · 1 reply · +1 points

I think the keyword here, Anne, is "innovative" smaller publishers.

The key, of course, to a second *self-published* (in my case) book is that if the first was well done (it was, and my editors were excellent) and if the second is well written/polished, it could be a go, and be helpful with continued marketing of the first one. A LOT of work that will be, as everyone says. But it's a lot of work for authors anyway, no matter how they're published. I've decided to try the self-published route with my second memoir, IF when I finish it I feel it's good enough to be published!

And I'm going with Meghan's #3: "memoirists and literary novelists may be the e-books stars of the future."

I'm always eager to read your posts/comments, Anne. You are amazing!

14 years ago @ Writerland - 10 Steps to Becoming a... · 1 reply · +1 points

Hi, Meghan. Excellent post, as always. And one that speaks to me RIGHT NOW, as I'm thinking about self-publishing my second memoir (when it's done, if it's good enough, as I said above in reply to Anne Allen.)

As I said to Anne, I'm going with your #3!! I know I'm a memoirist. At my age, I've realized I just can't do anything else (though I'd like to try a middle-grade idea, but how much time do I have in a day/left in my life!). Memoir is my thing. I think they very well MIGHT be the "future" stars because each individual's story is unique. And written well, *I* absolutely love them, and know other readers who love them too. I also love the literary novel, which in some cases is a disguised memoir. I'm thinking here of the late great Wallace Stegner. A used copy of his Recapiulation "novel" just arrived; it's an autobiographical novel--and "literary." (Stegner won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Angle of Repose. It's awesome, if you ever get time to read it; it's long.)

14 years ago @ Writerland - 10 Steps to Becoming a... · 1 reply · +1 points

I think the keyword here, Anne, is "innovative" smaller publishers. My experience with a small press publisher has been that *I* have had to do almost all of the promotion. The key, of course, to a second *self-published* (in my case) book is that if the first was well done (which mine was, and I do credit the publisher with good editing suggestions) and if the second is well written/polished, it could be a go, and be helpful with continued marketing of the first one. A LOT of work that will be, as everyone says. But it's a LOT of work for authors anyway like me who've been published *traditionally.* I've decided to try the self-published route with my second memoir, IF when I finish it I feel it's good enough to be published!

And I'm going with Meghan's #3: "memoirists and literary novelists may be the e-books stars of the future."

I'm always eager to read your posts/comments, Anne. You are amazing!

IntenseDebate Comment System

Connect with Ann Best

People I'm following

Ann Best