Peggy Bechko

Reading and writing is what it's all about. Peggy Bechko, author of traditionally published romances, westerns, optioned screenplays and a number of Ebook editions of former hard copy books invites you along on her writer's and reader's journey. Check out historic romance Cloud Dancer at amzn.to/LMkCUT Find insights for readers into the writing life, helps for writers, my writing updates, occasional reviews, helpful web links for writers and fun links for readers that I uncover along the way.

Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Writers Websites Wednesday - Stephie Smith's Writers' Resources

Stephie Smith's Writers' Resources is just that - quite the bubbling over resource. No articles or tips or anything like that. Just links, lots of links to resources on all things writing - categorized. Visit, check it out.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Very Basic Tips for Writers

And I do mean exceedingly basic. Too many times writers are flailing all over the place to figure out what to do next or what they SHOULD be doing or maybe what they WANT to be doing. So here are a few down and dirty really, really basic tips to try to stay on track.

1. Apply seat of pants to chair and write (wow, this one really IS very basic)

2. If you're fortunate enough to be in the zone where you have an editor, don't fight with said editor. Think about suggestions (other than punctuation and/or spelling), sift through them, find the gems, be appreciative for the input. Here's the thing, editors aren't monsters put on earth to harass you and make life miserable - at least most of them aren't, and well the few that are, the heck with them. But try not to think of it as a contest or a war - think of it more as collaboration. Cooperate, but remember, the editors, though mostly decent folk tying to do a good job, aren't always right.

3. Brush up on your English, presuming you're writing English. For Pete's sake, how do you think you can write if you don't even know what rules you can break?

4. Be on the look out for a mentor.

5. Become a mentor as your writing improves.

6. Write, edit, rewrite, repeat.

7. Follow me on twitter for some great writer-friendly and helpful sites.

8. When you're not writing - read - a lot!

9. People watch (don't be too obvious about this) to get ideas for characters.

10. Nature watch for ideas (you can be as obvious about this as you want).

11. Never, never, never let someone tell you you can't do it.

No doubt I'll come up with more basics, but that's it for today.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Helpful Writer's Articles

It suddenly dawned on me that I have quite a list of archived articles aimed at helping writers. Since the slight went on I thought I'd post the links here. Click on over if something looks like it might be of help in your writing day. You'll also find some new articles over at www.ehow.com under P A Bechko.

Here's the archive of articles published with IN magazine:

The Darn Good Query Letter October, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/publish/article_760.shtml

More Agent Angling June, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=739

How To Angle An Agent May, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=688

Contests For Money April, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=646

Mind Over Murder March, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=612

No Banking On No Back-Ups February, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=569

Publishing Paralysis January, 2006
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=22&num=536

Gift Horse For Writers December, 2005
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=20&num=496

Shelf Life November, 2005
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=20&num=468

How I Spent My Summer... October, 2005
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=20&num=447

Gimme My Space! September, 2005
http://www.fwointl.com/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=20&num=410