August 1st, 2014

Writer Inspiration: Climbing Over The Brick Wall

My favorite quote is from Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture (if you haven’t read that small book, you should - it’s incredibly inspiring).

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.

… Read the post

May 16th, 2014

The No-Stress Way To Create Your Story's Logline

Posted In:
Writing Craft

by Laura Drake @PBRWriter

I love loglines. There’s no better feeling than pulling together words that capture the spirit of your book in a perfect, compelling way. I teach a submissions class for the Lawson Writer's Academy and find that loglines are a major source of stress for my students.… Read the post

December 20th, 2013

Advanced Craft Tips - Writer Strong

Posted In:
Miscellaneous | WriterStrong | Writing Craft

By Laura Drake

As I get better at craft, I’m beginning to catch the nuances of good writing; things beyond the basics of POV, show don’t tell, etc. They’re more subtle and harder to spot, but I believe they can be the difference between a ‘good writer’ and a popular author.… Read the post

July 10th, 2013

Fearless Pitching - Part 1

Posted In:
Writing Craft

By Laura Drake

You all know me (Ms. 413 Rejections) so I’ll spare you the story. Just know that I have pitched a LOT in my life, and I’m here, fresh from teaching a Pitching class, smack in the middle of conference season, to give you some tips for pitching that will make your pitch so shiny the agents will be digging in their purses for sunglasses.… Read the post

May 27th, 2013

WriterStrong – Getting Fresh Emotion on the Page

Posted In:
WriterStrong | Writing Craft

By Laura Drake

Normally I’d be too nervous to claim a WriterStrong post, but today I’m emboldened by my debut release. After fifteen years of work, tomorrow, I become a real live author at last!