Category: First Chapters
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First Chapters: A Contract with the Reader
As a writer, I’ve long been aware of the importance of the first page and chapter of a book. In fact, I discussed the approach one editor takes to first pages in the entry called Chapter One: More or Less Done. But I think that it’s only been the last few years that I’ve though of…
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Chapter One: More or Less Done
I used to buy into the assertion that picture book writers have to be much more selective in their word choices than novelists. In fact, I still believe that in general. But if I went back to see how much time I spent working on the the new chapter one, I’m sure the number would horrify me. But…
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Back-to-School Writing
Buy one! Get the second one half off! That’s what a good percentage of the signs seemed to read at the mall today. I didn’t study them very carefully though. My college-age daughters were doing their back-to-school shopping. I came along to bankroll the expedition. But instead of watching them try on things, I was back to…