Ask Keith

QUESTION: How do you write a hook strong enough to make an agent fall in love with your characters and/or plot in the first five pages?   ANSWER: Literary agents receive an overwhelming amount of manuscript submissions on a weekly basis and lack...

QUESTION: Like many writers, I hate to grapple with the synopsis. I can write an interesting novel, I can almost manage an intriguing query, but the synopsis is torture…Are there any tricks to getting a synopsis as short and meaningful as poss...

QUESTION: Is it wise to use some tools from writing fiction while writing non-fiction?   ANSWER: There is a definitely a place for fiction writing elements and techniques in certain types of nonfiction. Creative nonfiction (CNF), also called nar...

QUESTION: I am writing a book for 6-8 year olds. I would appreciate any tips for a terrific book cover design. And, also any advice on book title choice.   ANSWER: Books that target children ages 6 to 8 typically fall into the “early reade...

Bi-weekly, ALC President Keith candidly weighs in on questions asked by you, the ALC community. He's tackling it all — pen names, character development, editing tips, publishing options, marketing considerations...and more! Got a question ...

Question: How do I oversee a work that has essays from contributing authors?   Answer: Personal essay, poetry, and story collections can be great avenues for publishing short form writing. Whether you’re pulling together a collection of ju...

Disclaimer: This article provides an overview of the basic principles of copyright in the United States. The material contained in this article is NOT legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client or other confidential relationship between the...

Question: I just published my first little poetry book. I am not sure how I have to promote my book to people so they can buy it.   Answer: When it comes to book marketing and selling, poetry books are no different from fiction novels or nonfict...

Question: How can I get a review of a couple chapters of my book so that I know I am on the right track?   Answer: Getting feedback on your manuscript is a critical part of the writing and editing process. While it can be intimidating to have ot...

Question: What are the basic steps to be successful at the beginning of writing your first book and autobiography?  Answer: I often say to writers, “Having an idea for a book is easy, but writing a good book to the finish and marketing it ...

Question: I have received several calls about converting my book to a movie, people claiming to have reviewed it and with connections to producers can advance it to film – for a fee of several thousand dollars.  Are all of these a scam?&nb...

Question: I have nearly finished draft 1 of my novel. I often hear people do multiple drafts. Is there a particular approach that seems to work best in editing each draft?  Answer: The book editing process can differ greatly for every auth...

Question: I seem to have trouble with character description at times. I would like to know how to build strong characters in my novels.  Answer: All great stories include several essential elements including a well-structured plot, an opening h...

Question: Are writing contests a realistic way to get published? How can you tell which ones are legit?  Answer: It’s always nice to have someone acknowledge your hard work, and it’s especially encouraging to be recognized with an a...

Question: Pros and cons of using a pen name. How would you actually do that?  Answer: A pen name is a fictitious author name that is used in place of a writer’s real name. Many writers consider using a pen name (also known as a “pse...

Question: As an author, what are some things you should pay close attention to as you revise your manuscript?  Answer: The manuscript revision process can be long, daunting, and frustrating, but is so important to the overall quality and succes...

Question: If you self-publish a manuscript, can that manuscript later be sold to a publisher and be re-published?  Answer: This question comes up in almost every traditional publishing-related webinar or workshop that I present. It’s...

Question: What are the three most typical mistakes authors make in the publishing process?   Answer: Mistake #1: Not understanding your publishing options There are more choices and opportunities than ever before to get a book into the hands of ...