Guestbook from The Perfect Pen: How to Get Published

ConnieB Moderated by ConnieB

While I always welcome comments here you can also visit me at my website & blog, which tends to get updated with writing tips and other goodies more often these days. ConnieBriscoe.com

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    science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk Nov 8, 2009 @ 5:05 am
    Very useful advices. I will use them for my novel!
    Excellent lens, 5 stars.
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    TrinaSonnenberg TrinaSonnenberg Sep 16, 2009 @ 8:45 am
    Great lens! I have a finished manuscript that I'm seeking an agent for. I even created a lens around it. http://www.squidoo.com/my-manuscript
    Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge.
    Trina
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    Jason_Wright Jason_Wright Nov 20, 2008 @ 10:31 pm
    Great lens! You share some very helpful tips and resources for new and old writers. It'd be great if you'd visit my lens and say hello when you get the chance to.
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    WifeLA WifeLA Nov 10, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
    Great lens Connie! Thanks for sharing all this useful information.
    All the best,
    LA:)
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    emmalarkins emmalarkins Oct 16, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
    Great info, Connie! You have some unique info here - I didn't know that you should work the hardest on your first 3 chapters! Another thing that can help aspiring authors is joining a writers' association. Thanks for the lens!
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    Kate Hogan Kate Hogan Aug 30, 2008 @ 2:12 am
    I also found Stellar Wind 2012 on Squidoo. It was my summer read. Thanks for the great tip Constance! It really was fun and educational at the same time.
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    Lee_Emory Lee_Emory Aug 25, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
    Very nice lens. You have some helpful information here for aspiring authors. I'd love for you to drop by my lens and say hi when you have a chance.
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    CrypticFragments CrypticFragments Aug 21, 2008 @ 9:49 pm
    I have recently resurrected my writing dreams after a few years "off" pursuing visual arts of various types.
    I am nursing my writing goals along...
    great lens
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    Marth Gibson Marth Gibson Aug 19, 2008 @ 12:30 am
    Catherine! I read Stellar Wind 2012! Congratulations! You've got a best seller here by all means!!!
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    ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Jul 28, 2008 @ 1:19 pm
    I wrote, rewrote, and rewrote again. It paid off! My first novel, My Mother's Shoes, will be released in September. I'm not a full time author yet but I'm heading in that direction.
    5*
    Lizzy
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    qlcoach qlcoach Jul 11, 2008 @ 10:37 am
    This is a wonderful lense. All writers and authors need to know about it. Please feel free to interact with our club:
    http://www.squidoo.com/groups/publishingclub

    Sincerely: Gary Eby, author and therapist
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    jen morgan jen morgan May 31, 2008 @ 1:47 am
    I am so happy to find Catherine Barber on here. She has become an inspiration to me...plus I too am from Annapolis Maryland. I adored your novel Stellar Wind 2012, Catherine. I hope that you back on here to see my comment. Beautiful! So worthy of Oprah and New York Times Best Selling list!
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    StellarWind2012 StellarWind2012 May 7, 2008 @ 2:05 pm
    Your tips are very helpful. Thank you. I´ve got my novel on amazon. Check it out! It's great!
    http://www.amazon.com/Stellar-Wind-2012-Catherine-BARBER/dp/1434835081
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    littlespark littlespark May 2, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
    Hei Connie, You have built a wonderful lens. Awesome 10 steps to the beginning authors to publish their books with ease. Superb work. Thanks for your effort and for sharing the information. Book publishing is a vast field with full of opportunities. I come across a good informative site about book Publishing on Publishing Feel free to visit this site to surf more information about Basic Books Publishing, Book Guild Publishing, Sales Book Publishing and various categories of book Publishing.
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    Apr 25, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
    Very helpful advice for aspiring writers! I've been meaning to write an action-fantasy novel since my elementary days but I never got around to it. I think I lack inspiration. I don't know. I envy you so much! This site also has some helpful information about book publishing and the relatively new print on demand book publishing. Please drop by when you have the chance!
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    whytedove whytedove Apr 19, 2008 @ 9:44 pm
    Great lens. I've heard a lot of horror stories about trying to get published. I read an interesting article on Mary Martin's lens where she likened the publishing industry to a medieval castle complete with moats and a drawbridge. Congrats to you for all your successes. :)
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    charles66 charles66 Mar 30, 2008 @ 5:22 am
    Unlike some online courses, with Writers Online Workshops you don't need any special software or hardware to participate! Best of all, there are no scheduled class times-you participate at your convenience, day or night, no matter what time zone you're in. Find out how easy it is to improve your writing in just 6-14 weeks in any of our workshops online writing courses, whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced writer.
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    charlene charlene Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
    Neat site! I've been saying I'm going to write a book but didn't know how to start! Thanks for your website.

    Watch me on Oprah some day! That's my "Law of Attraction." Getting whatever I want.
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    Isabel22 Isabel22 Mar 23, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
    Great job.Useful information.I was serching for this kind of information ,finally i found it,full credit goes to you.Here is also similar kind of information on Book Writing publishing,interesting site about
    book writing publishing ,steps to publishing a book,world book publishing,small book publishing.Please visit us
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    Isabel22 Isabel22 Mar 23, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
    Great job.Useful information.I was serching for this kind of information ,finally i found it,full credit goes to you.After the complition of a book the main thing is how to get it published .Here is also a similar kind of useful information on /www.bookpublishingfacts.com/book-writing-publishing.html">Book Writing publishing,an interesting site about
    book writing publishing ,steps to publishing a book,world book publishing,small book publishing.Please visit us
  • Reply
    Isabel22 Isabel22 Mar 23, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
    Great job.Useful information.I was serching for this kind of information ,finally i found it,full credit goes to you.After the complition of a book the main thing is how to get it published .Here is also a similar kind of useful information on /bookpublishingfacts.com">book writing publishing,an interesting site about
    book writing publishing ,steps to publishing a book,world book publishing,small book publishing.Please visit us
  • Reply
    jagiyadav jagiyadav Mar 10, 2008 @ 6:53 am
    very useful lens.. this 10 basic steps will surely help those aspiring authors and can make their job easier%u2026 very informative lens.. thanks for sharing much valuable and useful informations.. here is the similar kind of useful information on Online writing courses , an interesting site about Online writing courses, online computer courses and online real estate courses.please visit us.
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    kimsmith kimsmith Feb 1, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
    I like your lens. Thank you for being interesting. Sometimes it is hard to find those :) probably including mine! I will be better with time I hope! My book is coming out this year. It is a mystery.
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    ConnieB ConnieB Jan 9, 2008 @ 9:53 am
    Thanks again for all the compliments everyone.

    Good Catch SueLea!
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    kijikmultimedia kijikmultimedia Dec 17, 2007 @ 1:33 am
    Great lens! I've been writing for years, mostly poems, short stories and scripts and am just now taking a stab at my dream of writing a novel in my two favorite genres, pulp and sci fi. I have a production comapny, so the images and the TV promo was the easy part. The novel has been the challenge.
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    Monteath Monteath Dec 12, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
    Great advice! My novel is on its second send out to agents, so I'm hoping to know something by early spring, knock on wood!
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    SueLea SueLea Dec 8, 2007 @ 4:16 am
    Very informative. I did notice a typo under the paragraph heading "Now Before You Can Get Published". In the last sentence of the first paragraph: You have to make it's the very best you're capable of. Shouldn't it be: You have to make it the very best you're capable of? Sorry, I can't help myself.
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    tshirtfort tshirtfort Dec 1, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
    Good lens with lots of resources. I'll bookmark this.
    check out my new writers gifts lens
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    Mose Eubanks Mose Eubanks Sep 28, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
    I would like to publish a pictorial and literary account on Black High School football in Mississippi during 1040 1970. This account will include historical account of some of the most significant achievement of some of the most successful programs in high school football and basketball during the period 1940-1970. some of the most prominent programs to be recognized will be the program of "Coleman High School of Greenville, MS, which featured the Mississippi "Hall of Famer", Willie Richardson, and his brothers, Higgin High School, Roy Curry and "Hall of Famer, "John Outlaw", Rowan High School, which featured Hall of Famer 'Harold Jackson", The account will feature Mississippi's first Black Athlete, to be drafted by an NFL football team, "Bob Hill of Charleston, Mississippi, and the first Black football player to play football from Mississippi, "Jack Spinks. The Pictorial and literary account will feature The notorious football program from Picayune Ms, that bolstered a record of not being undefeated in 8 years,
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    Cherylisafraud Cherylisafraud Sep 23, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
    Please note: This person has plaigerized your articles above! http://cherylshuman.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html
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    ViqiFrench ViqiFrench Aug 7, 2007 @ 11:48 am
    You're so generous with the information, Connie, it reflects why you're successful! After a two-year manuscript abandonment, I've finally stood up and put my work online as an ebook. I'll stop by your dot-com to learn more expert advice! http://squidoo.com/daddysgonnabuy
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    liluluna liluluna Aug 6, 2007 @ 5:04 am
    Hi Connie. Great lense, You're bookmarked and voted. See my lense about self-publishers.
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    kellermedia kellermedia Jun 25, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
    Wonderful writing advice for authors and people who want to be authors.

    Wendy
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    Roger Anderson Roger Anderson May 2, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
    Thanks for the pointers Connie. What about Non-fiction. I had an exec editor a [big name] tell me everything was great, the title rings well (Maps for Modern Magellans), I have a great promo plan, and I have 30 titles (#2 is written, needs edits) the rest are outlines - BUT I AM UNKNOWN , so no deal
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    lovingfit lovingfit Apr 22, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
    Love the variety of information and resources here. It's a "Favorite" for sure!
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    orange9 orange9 Apr 6, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
    Congrats on your five novels, and hitting those best seller lists!
    http://www.squidoo.com/publish-a-book/
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    Waterwalker_Publishing Waterwalker_Publishing Apr 6, 2007 @ 11:36 am
    Great lens :-)
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    ebourne ebourne Mar 31, 2007 @ 9:47 am
    Just fabulous! I did Nanowrimo in November, so I am sitting on an unedited novel, which you have inspired me to dig out and work on.

    Great lens!
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    WAHMama WAHMama Mar 23, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
    Connie, it's nice to see someone who really wants to help. When I've searched on the net for info on how to get published I usually only find people who want to be paid for their advice. The information was fabulous!
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    Alex Alex Mar 15, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
    This is a great resource - thanks. If you're having trouble getting started, try StorySquared.com, where you can write stories with friends and family. It just might help get the creative juices flowing!
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    DeafMom DeafMom Feb 26, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
    Hi Connie,
    I stumbled on your website while doing a search for deaf and hard of hearing authors. You've got some great information here!

    http://www.putzworld.blogspot.com
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    Jen Jen Feb 23, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
    I have one book of poetry published by starting my own publishing business, Abstract Illusion. At this time, I appreciate your support of other authors and writers. I look forward to read more from your website.
    Thank you again. Peace~ Je
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    wayfarer wayfarer Feb 11, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
    Very informative! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
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    Michael D Michael D Dec 13, 2006 @ 9:01 pm
    I write essays. Would like to eventually get a newspaper gig. Got any helpful hints for how to go about this? I invite you to visit my squidoo, The_ABB. Or drop by my blog, http://www.iwantmyabb.blogspot.com . Thanks for anything you can share with me. Oh, I'm open to constructive criticism.
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    Nikki Nikki Dec 5, 2006 @ 7:03 pm
    Thanks for posting such great advice and great links as well.
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    YourSmilingChef YourSmilingChef Nov 12, 2006 @ 7:47 am
    Excellent resources within a great lens...thank you!
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    KimberlyDawnWells KimberlyDawnWells Nov 9, 2006 @ 2:20 pm
    Hello, you're invited to add this lens to the Write Kind of Life Group!
    http://www.squidoo.com/group/pick_lens/writers
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    Katherine Gyles Katherine Gyles Nov 8, 2006 @ 12:57 pm
    Connie - Thanks for sharing generously your experience! I'd love to hear from you about memoir writing - I'm writing a Momoir and using a blog to create my audience. Do you have any tips for using a blog this way?
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    cre8ivegrl cre8ivegrl Oct 15, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
    Thank you for all of the great information. I have one chapter written and it makes me want to get started on at least the next two. Great lens!!
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    Karen615 Karen615 Sep 6, 2006 @ 11:26 pm
    Thanks for some great information. I ordered a couple of the books you suggested.
    You're going on my lensroll!
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    MrLewisSmile MrLewisSmile Sep 6, 2006 @ 1:11 pm
    Impressive lens!
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    ConnieB ConnieB Sep 1, 2006 @ 10:03 pm
    Andrew, and anyone else, you don't have to be a best-selling author to earn a living at writing. In fact, my NY Times bestseller sold far few copies than my biggest selling novel, which sold well over a longer period of time and at a lot of independents.
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    Wellwrittenwords Wellwrittenwords Aug 30, 2006 @ 6:12 am
    Really great advice Connie. This should be a required-read for all beginner writers!

    Best Wishes to you, Patricia.
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    Pacwerdna Pacwerdna Aug 26, 2006 @ 3:59 pm
    I am a 13, almost 14 year-old writer, who very-much-so hopes that they can get a best-seller. I know I am like so, so many people in the world, but I just thought that you would be someone I could tell you. I'm working on my novel now. If you've anything to say to me, I'd love to hear from you! :)
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    ConnieB ConnieB Aug 25, 2006 @ 4:38 pm
    Lensroll...heh. Learn something new here everyday! I now have a lensroll and added a few of your writing/publishing lenses to it. I'll be out looking out for more.
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    TunedIn TunedIn Aug 24, 2006 @ 4:08 pm
    Love the lens! I am working to finish my first book and the tips are terrific! Just out my lens, http://www.squidoo.com/tunedin/ and give me some feedback. Thanks
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    KimberlyDawnWells KimberlyDawnWells Aug 24, 2006 @ 3:53 pm
    Fabulous job and great advice! I've lensrolled you for several lenses. Thank you for taking the time to create such an informative lens.
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    anndouglas anndouglas Aug 24, 2006 @ 2:20 pm
    Great stuff! I'm going to add you to a couple of my lenses. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
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    Marti Marti Aug 24, 2006 @ 10:38 am
    What a great lens! I just self-published a book of humor essays, and am on final edit of a mystery novel. This information is very helpful - thank you! Best wishes to you!
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    Ladymaggic Ladymaggic Aug 24, 2006 @ 2:14 am
    I have a squidoo where I am writing a book online, so the advice here is great and I say Thanks..

    http://www.squidoo.com/viewfromthetop

    I have also put it on a website http://M-carstairs.com/viewfromthetop

    Maybe I will get lucky and someone will find me from here..I have many more books
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    Mark_McGuinness Mark_McGuinness Aug 24, 2006 @ 1:24 am
    Thanks for a very useful lens Connie, I'll bookmark this and recommend it to some of my writer clients.
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    ConnieB ConnieB Aug 24, 2006 @ 12:16 am
    Thanks for the compliments everyone. And keep writing and dreaming!
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    ConnieB ConnieB Aug 24, 2006 @ 12:10 am
    I don't know much about self-publishing, Dave, but I do that it's very popular now. I know a couple of authors who started that way because they couldn't get publishers. They went on to sell so many books, the publishers later came calling. One now has her own imprint at a major publishing house.
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    ConnieB ConnieB Aug 24, 2006 @ 12:05 am
    Interesting questions, Mary. I do remember feelings of anxiety when I sent off my first query letter. I STILL experience anxiety when I first send a manuscript to an editor. So if I can offer words of encouragement it would be that it's normal to have anxiety about someone reviewing your writing.
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    sajshirazi sajshirazi Aug 23, 2006 @ 11:06 pm
    Nice. I got this through promotion bulk email.

    I invite you to do a guest post about your books on my blog (sajshirazi.blogspot.com)

    What you think?
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    LargoLobo LargoLobo Aug 23, 2006 @ 9:29 pm
    Excellent presentation, information, and well written. Somewhere in there is a plot, I know it. Thanks for sharing. I've self-published to leave a record for my grandchidren before I'm dust. I started writing at age 60 and don't have time for the world to notice me, years later.
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    jmsnyder jmsnyder Aug 23, 2006 @ 8:58 pm
    What an informative lens! I'm a self-published author but your advice and suggestions work for all authors. Thanks, and keep writing!
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    boredofeducation boredofeducation Aug 23, 2006 @ 8:01 pm
    I'm sorry the link should be:

    http://www.squidoo.com/groups/books
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    boredofeducation boredofeducation Aug 23, 2006 @ 7:52 pm
    We are starting another SquidooGroup for books. Right now it is underconstruction but you're welcome to join at:

    http://www.squidoo.com/groups/books

    Damon
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    trainerguy trainerguy Aug 23, 2006 @ 7:22 pm
    Very comprehensive lens. Perhaps in the future you can include some information for those who, like me, chose to go the self-published, print-on-demand route. This option allows anyone to be published and using your guidelines, one would still put out a first rate, professional book.
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    Musikman212 Musikman212 Aug 23, 2006 @ 6:47 pm
    Wow! I really like your lens. This is the kind of information aspiring writers need. It doesn't matter how much you write, you'll never get published, if you don't know what to do with your work.
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    KatieOfSiena KatieOfSiena Aug 23, 2006 @ 6:07 pm
    Great lens! Could you say something about the courage it takes to write and submit writing? Was it easy for you to send off you first query letter? Do you have any suggestions for overcoming publishing fears? Thanks!
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    Lamar_Morgan Lamar_Morgan Aug 23, 2006 @ 5:13 pm
    Would you visit my Squidoo lens and respond to my poll at www.squidoo.com/cdmm? Are you a Skype/Unyte user? If not, I encourage you to give it a try. See my lens for details.

    Lamar Morgan
See more at...

The Perfect Pen: How to Get Published

My real name is Constance but everyone calls me Connie. I've been a full-time published author for more than 10 years, with five novels published to date, by HarperCollins, Doubleday and Ballentine, and one novella by Harlequ... (more)

Contents at a Glance

  1. 10 Steps For Getting Your First Novel Published
  2. Support For New & Aspiring Authors
  3. Are You An Aspiring Author?
  4. Guestbook