Writer Unboxed

Neurosurgeon and successful entrepreneur Allen Wyler had always been a long-time fan of thrillers.  In 2005, he decided to follow his yen and try his hand at fiction.  The rest, as they say, is history.  His debut thriller DEADLY ERRORS garnered raves in a crowded genre.  Laced with authentic ER detail and the ability to distill medical jargon into readable prose, Wyler’s medical […]

I’m due to deliver my novel Heart’s Blood to the publishers (one Australian, one English, one American) at the end of November. Over my next three monthly posts to WU, I’ll be sharing the countdown to that deadline.
Ideally, by now I’d have finished the manuscript. I’d be setting it aside for a few weeks before […]

WU interviewed fellow blogger, former editor, and thriller novelist Jason Pinter back in March. Since then, his Henry Parker novels have consistently hit the bestseller lists. He’s also a prolific writer, kicking out two books a year, a pace as blistering as his novels. We caught up with Jason and asked him […]

If you missed part one of my interview with independent editor Lisa Rector, when we talked about using an independent editor for your work and what it means to reach the “third draft stage,” click HERE, then come back. Lisa specializes in late-draft writing, working with experienced writers in genres like fantasy, mystery and suspense […]

(UPDATED WITH LINKS FOR MAC USERS; SEE QUESTION ABOUT HER WEBSITE.)
Lisa Rector is an independent editor who specializes in late-draft writing, helping advanced and published writers of mainstream and literary fiction massage their text until it’s ready for the critical eyes of New York publishers. Lisa, owner of Third Draft in New York City […]

Some of you may already know about this approach, but this can be a valuable tip for those who don’t, so I’ll risk boring the savvy ones with this info.
First, keep your entire book manuscript in one electronic file—it’s a huge time-saver. I know writers who use a separate file on their computer for each […]

This was the first time ever that Spinner had trusted me with the keys to Mister Twisty’s, but at any rate I was feeling very tired myself, and for some reason, a little sad also. From the basement I could hear the hum of the giant cooling machines as I sprayed a little Windex on […]

Towards the end of my Enid Blyton phase, in late primary school, I bossily founded a writing club, which I called the Bluebell Club. Why Bluebell, you might ask. Well, I lived in a country—Australia– where scratchy native plants gripped your ankles whenever you were taken by your parents into the bush. My parents came […]

Last week, Therese blogged about the joy of having a great story idea pop into her head when she least expected it.
I had something similar happen to me earlier this winter. I was loading dishes into the dishwasher when a story idea so compelling came to me, I stopped in mid-load and started scribbling […]

Talk about unboxed.  I’ve read a lot of wonderfully weird books in my service to WU, and Jim Krusoe’s literary novel Girl Factory, was about the weirdest, most wonderful read I’d had in years.  Maybe it was that at the time I’d been in the middle of one of my own increasingly bizarre adventures in California, but […]

First off, I want to thank you all for your congrats. This has been a wild few weeks, for sure. And, since Therese Fowler removed her supergirl mask in comments, I’d like to say a public thanks to her, too–my willing pre-publication blurber. Thanks, Therese! You’re the best of the best!
Okay, on to today’s post…
A […]

Last weekend, my DH and I had a rare night to ourselves and we decided to see a movie. In a sign of my old age, nothing seemed appealing. Demographically, I’m in the target audience for Mama Mia but I really didn’t want to expose myself to Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan capering […]