April Davila - Author
A while back I wrote a post about something I heard an agent say at a conference. She said that our task, as writers, is to make her want to take the book to bed with her. I loved that. Because don't we all read in bed? And isn't falling into a good … [Continue reading] about Not Just Done, But Done Right
The Waiting Place... ...for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or the waiting around for a Yes or No or … [Continue reading] about The Waiting Place
Not long ago I heard a piece of writing advice that went something like this: tell your friends the main idea of your story and ask them how they think it will end. Go there. Write the expected ending. The Ending Everyone Expects She had me up … [Continue reading] about Write The Ending That Everyone Expects
About nine years ago, while I was still working on my masters degree in writing at USC, I took a class called The Business of Writing. On one of the final days of the class an agent came to listen to our elevator pitches and gave us each a bit of … [Continue reading] about Reflections on a Successful Query
I struggle with backstory. I'm never sure how deep to go into my characters. I've heard people say that you need to know everything about them, and there's a certain logic to that, but EVERYTHING? Do I really need to know what kind of ice cream my … [Continue reading] about Ask Why 5 Times
I'm working on the first draft of my second novel right now. It's an idea I've toyed with for years, making random notes and tucking research away for safe keeping. Then, in November of 2016, while my first novel was resting in a drawer for a little … [Continue reading] about Research for Fiction: Where to Start and How Much To Do
I am all about resolutions. The beginning of a new year seems like the perfect time to take stock and set goals for the coming months. I like big goals that can be broken down into lots of little steps (and I couldn't pass up this infographic, which … [Continue reading] about My 2018 Resolution: Find an Agent