* Jeff Greenwald is a photojournalist, author, and stage performer whose experiences in Asia have framed his style of travel writing. His six books include the best-selling Shopping for Buddhas (recently republished in a 25th anniversary edition), The Size of the World (for which he created the first international travel blog), and Snake Lake, a
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Why 80% is good enough
By Amanda J. Clay I realized something about myself this year. I am a perfectionist. My work never feels “done.” I know, shocking. A writer who never thinks their work is good enough. Of course, we all want our work to be the best it can be. I strive for better with every manuscript. With
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San Francisco Writers Conference FAQs
“I just finished writing my first book. Should I go to your conference to try and find an agent for it?” Every year we have a number of aspiring authors who have just finished the first draft of their first book, and they come to the San Francisco Writers Conference looking to find an agent
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Master Your Media Interviews
By Joey Garcia An author interview on mainstream radio or TV may only last two to three minutes. That might not seem like enough time for an author to establish their expertise, reveal the heart of their book, and convince the audience to purchase it. And yet, many of us make important buying decisions after
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What Do You Need From Your Critique Group?
by B. Lynn Goodwin Renee, the newest member of the critique group, listened carefully. She heard solid, specific ideas for other people’s pieces.When her turn came, she said, “Tell me what you think, okay? I’m open to your feedback.” Two men—one an entrepreneur and one retired– plus three women—a housewife, an attorney, and an IT
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Inspired by Art: Do the Holidays as a Writer
By Mary Rakow I was stunned. Growing up without icons, the Christmas I knew was depicted with Mary and Joseph side by side, looking adoringly at their newborn son resting in a crib of straw, sometimes with gentle animals, shepherds, 3 kings paying homage. But what do we see here? Neither parent is looking at
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Why romance is the genre we need right now
By Amanda McKinney Courage, honor, courtesy, a willingness to help those in need. Does this remind you of someone? Your mother, your father? Husband, perhaps? Did you smile, thinking of that person? Likely so, because those qualities are representative of what we as a society consider to be good. And good things make us happy.
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The Tarot, Creativity, & Kickstarter with Elisabeth Kauffman
* Elisabeth Kauffman is the Marketing Director for the San Francisco Writers Conference, as well as an independent editor, an author, and an artist. She edits fiction and memoir for independent clients as well as for publishing companies, and she coaches writers on finding their voices and connecting to the magic in their creative lives.
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Save Money with Better Self-Editing
I have said it many times, but self-publishing is indeed a business. And like pretty much all businesses, there are a certain amount of start up costs involved in running a professional set up. Unfortunately, one of the most expensive—but absolutely necessary—parts of the self -publishing process is editing. Depending on the condition of your
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Should You Hire a Book Publicist?
By Joey Garcia Every author-to-be is an entrepreneur-in-waiting—whether they’re ready to admit that to themselves, or not. To successfully launch a book into the public marketplace requires smart planning. Writers know they must budget for an editor and proofreader, but too often believe they should DIY book publicity. Where did they get that idea? A
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