A Must Read Draw

Writing Tip of the Day, August 9, 2008

Pour thoughtful work and energy into a "must-read"

title which draws readers (and editors).

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I love this tip!

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There's a little titty I want to update to Quill of the Heart, but I haven't worked out a better title than: The Power of that Little Button Labeled "Mute." Oooo! How about: The Power of Mute? Yes! I LIKE it. Look for the reasoning behind that revelation soon.

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In the meantime, though I equate this tip largely to Journalism and today's bloggers, I am likely to pass up what might be a good, or even great, informative read if the heading doesn't grab my attention. But, the right title can stir one's imagination and have the power to draw us into any given Chapter One or The Best Short Story You're Ever Likely to Read.

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There's an almost unexplainable satisfaction when those few select words come to the forefront and are ready to be delivered upon the masses. Is anyone curious enough to find out why I've recently considered the Mute button so important? Or, for that matter, the reason behind what drove me to write about it in the first place? Well, that's another post for another blog.

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The Power of The Hook

Writing Tip of the Day: April 1, 2008

Hook your editor with a strong opening sentence

to bring attention to your writing.

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Couldn't let this one pass by without being addressed.

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Hooks, pitches, and the dreaded first dark and stormy line. What do they all have in common? Mostly that I have a difficult time with achieving them.

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Recently I had cause to readdress my earlier efforts at writing a hook for both my overall Forbidden World Chronicles storyline and Book One of the series, Caged Heart ~ The Last Heartbound.

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The question was posed [see QOTW Going Up!]: "What is your one sentence summary of your book?"

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Since my first attempt failed, I'll not post it here. While the concept of a pitch (or hook) is not entirely lost on me, I concede to the fact that whittling it down to an in-a-nutshell, single--albeit complicated--sentence is.

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Plus, as I learned from version one, I spilled a few too many of those ever-precious, proverbial beans. But, I set about to rework it after reading the subsequent, follow-up lesson. [see Elevator Pitch in More Detail.]

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Here is the pitch for Book One of The Forbidden World Chronicles:

Caged Heart ~ The Last Heartbound

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A young divorcee and author, hooks up with a world-renown rock band that uses their tour to search for the last surviving member of a team caught entering this world in order to find and rescue its most secret prisoner.

I'll let you know if I get a passing grade.

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