News/Blog

News/Blog

Running a website is like gardening. It begins with a seed of an idea, and then it grows and multiplies. It's an ongoing journey.

In this News/Blog, I share my experiences with workshops, conferences, and other events. Albert Einstein said: “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” Sharing is the way to assimilate lessons.

Thank you for coming by and following The Writing Keys!

News from Vancouver (Photo MCArnott)

Promotion… Promotion

Publishing a book requires a type of work much different than writing. Juggling the promotion of Biography of a Friendship with a family priority was awkward, yet it had to be done. Still, promotion is the bane of a writer…

Before the release date, I sent 152 personalized emails to family,..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

About Publication Day

This is it… My first book, Biography of a Friendship, is about to take flight after safely landing at Tule’s nonfiction imprint, and next to its amazingly imaginative fiction authors. It took ten years to complete, including much time spent in the doldrums for me, and in a drawer for my manuscript. 

When..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

Publication Is In the Works

The publication of my memoir Biography of a Friendship is in the works. I am grateful to the Tule Publishing Group. As a traditional yet independent publisher, they took a chance on me and my work.

The manuscript is undergoing proofreading. I will then say goodbye until it comes back as a book…

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

Publication in Sight

You have heard it: Things happen to those who keep trying. I have known this to be true for one reason: it didn’t happen to those who gave up.

And yet, one can’t help thinking there is luck in it.

After much research and hesitation, I was about to sign a self-publishing contract..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

Lessons from Readings by Writers

A book reading entertains an audience and gives authors a venue to sell their books. So was the case at the Vancouver Public Library on June 27, 2023, where the event Writers Showcase featured four established and emerging authors. Furthermore, attending a reading is also how fellow writers can improve..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

Upholding My Update

Since my last post about my publishing journey, I didn’t get the results I was hoping for, perhaps from my own doing.

My submissions to literary agents seldom yielded even a rejection. Then I connected with two agents via their workshops. One asked for a full (my entire manuscript plus..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

Glossary Gleaning – Images

The word cliché jumped from the upper middle page of my notebook and I noticed the underlined word overused. How to avoid clichés was Antoinette Brim’s Pocketful of Images IWWG webinar, September 18, 2020. A celebrated poet, she knows about “the power of imagery and metaphor to give concreteness..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

Summary of a Summit

There was no need to travel for the 2022 Summit of the Federation of British Columbia Writers on May 14-21. There was also no mingling with fellow writers other than seeking contacts via Zoom. However, the friendly facilitators and engaging presenters of three manageable sessions per day (morning,..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

The Book Proposal Boot Camp

My first step toward publication was to pitch a polished manuscript. Then came the first hurdle: would my first ten pages pass the test of rejection? After they did came another hurdle.

Would my book proposal be up to par? I knew how much effort I had put into it, but I couldn’t be sure…

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog

The Test of the First Ten Pages

Sometimes, the first pages of a book are a bit of a challenge, making me want to stop reading before I get into the story. In other words, the book is taking time to get me hooked.

That’s why agents consider the first ten pages an evaluation tool for what is yet to come. 

Does..

Posted by Marie-Claude Arnott in News/Blog