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A Community of Writers Who Use The Marshall Plan®

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Evan Marshall Selling Your Novel Without an Agent

I may be putting myself out of business, but you don't need an agent to get your novel published. I've posted a list of publishers that accept unagented submissions. www.WriteANovelFast.com. Continue

Added by Evan Marshall on November 12, 2009 at 8:30am — No Comments

Evan Marshall Report on Self-Publishing Book Expo

Check out my blog post reporting on the first-ever Self-Publishing Book Expo in New York City on November 7: www.WriteANovelFast.com Continue

Added by Evan Marshall on November 11, 2009 at 1:51pm — No Comments

Evan Marshall Of Cats and Cozies

Getting ready for my panel next week at the New York Public Library, "Mysteries: Amateur Sleuths and Feline Detectives." If any of you plan on attending, let me know. I'd love to see you! My fellow mystery writer panelists are the fabulous Jane Cleland, Joani Ascher, Cynthia Blair, with Daryl Wood Gerber moderating. I'm writing a flash story in honor of the event, a 500-word mini-mystery featuring Winky, the star of my previous series. Will give the story to attendees and later post it on a new… Continue

Added by Evan Marshall on November 10, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Mathew Allen The Best Books I've Ever Read..

In the spirit of my last post, here's a post about really good books. Some of my favorite books all seem to have some things in common: 1. They make me laugh out loud (most of the time - the rest of the time they make me go "wow." Or they scare the bejesus outta me). 2. Each chapter ends in a cliffhanger. 3. I learn something super cool. 4. The action is so good, I just can't put it down. 5. I feel like I'm actually the viewpoint character (Stephen King is the master of this, IMHO). 6.… Continue

Added by Mathew Allen on October 29, 2009 at 6:20pm — No Comments

Mathew Allen The Worst Book I've Ever Read

What is the worst book you've ever read? For me, it's "Patriots" by James Wesley, Rawles. Yes, the comma is supposed to be there (wtf?). It is so bad that it actually makes me ball my fists and gnash my teeth and punch the air. Even as I speak. Why, you ask, do I find this piece of work so objectionable? Here is the best way I can describe the experience of reading this book: It's like watching a movie where eight people sit around a table in a room lit only with a single bare bulb on the cei… Continue

Added by Mathew Allen on October 28, 2009 at 1:30am — No Comments

Tonya R. Topete Vacation

I'll be out of the U.S.A. for the rest of October. I'll respond to messages when I return. Continue

Added by Tonya R. Topete on October 8, 2009 at 12:08am — No Comments

Gil Miller Expanding on the Plan

This may sound like s dumb entry, but keep in mind that I am still familiarizing myself with The Marshall Plan. In going through the Plan, I like that it's not strictly one of those old outlines we all had to learn how to do in school (and quickly forgot, if you're like me). I like that it lets me summarize scenes and narrow everything down until all (!) I have to do is write the novel. But in studying the plan, if I use the Novelmaster to decide on my book length, I notice one thing: it is int… Continue

Added by Gil Miller on September 30, 2009 at 12:39am — 2 Comments

Anita Hackley-Lambert Anyone used The Marshall Plan Software to write nonfiction?

Just checking to locate anyone who has used this software to write in nonfiction. What have you discovered? It is my desire to give it a trial run, especially since my writing time has been slowed down by my call to preach and teach. I have so much writing to do I could use a little support. Mr. Marshall, I have previously purchased the Marshall Plan book and workbook. Love your concept to writing. I have no problem with motivation but I do hope your software will enhance my writing and help m… Continue

Added by Anita Hackley-Lambert on September 1, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments

Stephen C. Phillips How fast can you write?

Or should I ask: How fast do you write? Reading about the various processes people use to finish their novel, I find that getting through that first draft is a universal struggle. Some people have problems turning off their inner editor. Others second-, third-, and fourth-guess their scenes, characters, or just the entire story itself. And there are those who have a blank-page anxiety -- they never feel like they're prepared enough to sit down and write another scene -- and they waste ho… Continue

Added by Stephen C. Phillips on August 22, 2009 at 7:22pm — 3 Comments

Lilly In their shoes

I've been trying an experiment by myself to help me gain insight into some of my characters. I've been trying to live in their world(1940's) if only for half an hour or so. Wearing the clothes that they would worn-the local thrift shop has tons of stuff, watching the movies, listening to the music, trying the liquor that they would of drank, wearing some of the perfumes that were popular at the time-a lot of it smells like old ladies-no offense please! and plucking your eye brows thin like Greta… Continue

Added by Lilly on August 4, 2009 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Evan Marshall New Blog on the Writing Life

I've just posted a piece on my blog site that I thought you would all enjoy called "Building a Successful Writer's Life." Please check it out at http://www.writeanovelfast.com. Please DIGG this article if you feel you want to, to help get out the word! : ) Thanks and enjoy. All the best, Evan Continue

Added by Evan Marshall on August 3, 2009 at 10:19am — 10 Comments

Lilly Glenn Miller

What do you do to get yourself in the mood...for writing that is....since I've been tinkering with a 1940's style detective short story, I've been listening to the music from that era, i.e. Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, etc.when I'm writing and watching some of the movies that were made in that era to sort of get myself psyched about it. It's fun really and I do mean the writing. Continue

Added by Lilly on August 1, 2009 at 8:00am — 3 Comments

Curt The voices are at it again....

I think I mentioned recently that I'd made a different character lead in order to sort out a few 'holes' that somehow came up...things looked to be coming together quite nicely until one of my characters reminded me I'd only solved "part of the problem" The other part was the ability (or lack thereof) to solve problems, so I decided to give my lead less 'ability' and more 'lack' and things are starting to get interesting again. Continue

Added by Curt on July 31, 2009 at 8:50pm — 2 Comments

Lilly Mental Illness...

Does this happen to you... you're doing fine, going along having a dandy day until.........you sit down to write....then WHAM!!I don't know what happens but every mental illness that exists all of sudden appears!! All of sudden I have the urge to wash my hands a hundred times or have the most urgent need to clean out that front closet or suddenly I get really thirsty or have a need to go out for a pound cake...all of sudden the living room light is to bright...too dim...my hair is botheri… Continue

Added by Lilly on July 31, 2009 at 4:01pm — 1 Comment

Lilly cusing characters

I have a character in my novel that likes to curse.. since I only know the ones found in The Godfather or The Sopranos, I had to go and "re-educate" myself for this particular writing challenge. Luckily there is a whole websites dedicated to this stuff. Here is the link.... Continue

Added by Lilly on July 30, 2009 at 9:30am — 2 Comments

Lilly The Maltese Falcon

This has nothing to do with writing but I have to complain about certain "classic books." I've been glancing at my copy of the Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammet. I have to admit, I don't get what the big deal is. The book wasn't that good and the movie was no big deal. Yet e… Continue

Added by Lilly on July 29, 2009 at 8:34am — 2 Comments

Lilly A little inspiration

Here is a link to an article in this weekend's Parade Magazine by novelist Lee Child. I thought it was very encouraging....he says he doesn't want to encourage us to write because he doesn't need the competition.... Continue

Added by Lilly on July 28, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

Lilly genre that I fear?

Does anyone have a genre that they want to write but they fear it because...well they're afraid they might suck? I do. I'd love to write horror like Stephen King but I'm really afraid that my ideas are stupid or scenarios are too cheesy. Boy, if I had King's talent, I'd go crazy. I come up with horror ideas everyday. Like today, I was doing a drive in car wash. They tell you to put your car on neutral and sit and wait for the conveyor belts to move you through the assembly line. I had this image… Continue

Added by Lilly on July 26, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Lilly World Building

I've been world building now for about three months for my fantasy novel. It's been a lot of fun to my suprise. Sometimes I have to stop myself because I get overly detailed. I drew a little atlas and have been having fun naming the countries and creating wars between the nations-hope this isn't how God does it...At first when I started on the novel a year ago, I didn't think or wanted to do this because well I was too lazy...but then as I got to writing more and more I realized that I was build… Continue

Added by Lilly on July 25, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Lilly adverbs

I have a complaint about writing. Why are adverbs such a pain the in behind? I try not to use them but still they creep up like some boogie man always on my tail...Stephen King says the road to hell is paved in adverbs.... Continue

Added by Lilly on July 24, 2009 at 6:30pm — 2 Comments

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