Kate Sylvan (writing)

Absolutely, ALL of that! ESPECIALLY to chapter titles because that costs no extra expense to set up, only a bit more thought/time. AND... Graphics / illustrations Along with chapter titles... Ideally ones that also give hints of the chapter's content/theme. @NathanTheAuthor does this very well in Faith Faraday, and sets the stage for each coming chapter. And Holly Black does this GORGEOUSLY in How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories. The book features color paintings that give even the digital version of the book a lushness that is rare in most books. While the author didn't use unique per-chapter graphics in the prior books from Folk of the Air, each book has its own line-art graphic that is used for chapter headings. Sadly, they're only numbered chapters, not titled. In multi-POV stories, it's also beneficial to at least use some sort of symbol indicating whose POV the chapter will be in. For example, one series alternates between a dagger for the FMC and crossed swords for the MMC. Adding title graphics costs time and effort, plus out-of-pocket if you're purchasing stock imagery or commissioning artwork, but it *dramatically* upgrades the reading experience.

@JR_Lynmead @SintonCrane @ProWritingAid @ElevenLabs Correction... Cursing you now! Elevenlabs may be an excellent step in the editing process... but my story (still very much in draft phase) is now turning into an audiobook.I am way too easily distracted to be trusted to play with new creative tools!

Nice! I just bought ProWritingAid this week and need to get used to writing with it (though I do know you can use it live with Google Docs -- it prompted me to add the extention in my Brave browser). Turning it into speech for another way to edit is a REALLY clever idea, thanks!

Authors, what’s your preferred writing platform? Scrivener here 🖤

@AleksandraLeci2 No... but I would love to have the FairyLoot illustrated editions of the Folk of the Air series by Holly Black. Soooo beautiful.

Special editions! Do you own special editions of books?

@NovelistNotions @CreedWrites Good! I'll make sure to share it again tomorrow. I'm still a brand new account, but every little bit helps. :)

@katesylvanwrite @CreedWrites I just had someone else read "The Silent Partner." Not sure if it was because of this thread or just luck. But at least I know people are reading

A real writer’s lift from a real person, not a bot or a “marketer” trying to sell you something. Just trying to support others! Drop your book here!

@NovelistNotions @CreedWrites Which is why I try to also read a bit from other genres. My faves are (obviously) fantasy & romance, but I do enjoy sci-fi and adventure, too.

@katesylvanwrite @CreedWrites Yeah that's not really my genre, but I am always looking for something new. I'm trying to expand my library. I feel it would make me a better writer

@RobertlewisIR Not judging, but that is a very eclectic list!

Oh, this is an interesting (and difficult) one. Let's see...my top five comfort movies: 1. The Exorcist 2. Misery 3. Lord of the Rings (that still just counts as one) 4. Young Frankenstein 5. The Muppet Christmas Carol This is not exactly the same as my top five favorite movies of all time. They overlap somewhat, but it's a different list. These are definitely comfort films for me, though. 🕯️

@NovelistNotions @CreedWrites I'll definitely be perusing more. And yes, the Ross books are romance, but Wild Reverence especially isn't cheesy or too booktok-ish. Not even sure where I stumbled over it, but it was beautiful prose and a great story.

@katesylvanwrite @CreedWrites That sounds interesting. But yeah those stories you'll read on my site will give you a pretty good idea of how I write. I'm slowly gaining confidence in my prose.

@JamesDmichael Vacuum (I swear it should have 2 Cs like raccoon), tongue (why is the U after the G?), and too many words I've now learned in French and spell incorrectly in two languages.

What words do you always spell incorrectly no made how many times you write them? For me, I cannot spell guarantee to save my life (this spelling was heavily work shopped with autocorrect) I find necessary challenging too lol

@ThebookishC Beautiful reminder that is HISTORY, too, they just stripped the STORY out of it.

Historical fiction made me realize history isn’t just dates and wars. It’s people. Their fears. Their love. Their losses.

@NovelistNotions @CreedWrites And WR inspired one of the series I've been working on except the girl doesn't know she's a fledgling goddess until long after her powers wreak utter havoc.

Mind you this was the first of yours I've read (and it's been like 3 decades since I read anything from Anne Rice). But Wild Reverence is gorgeous... follows a young goddess through her trials of coming into her power, and what she'll do for love. Divine Rivals takes place in the same universe centuries later and has only a little overlap.

@jessica_barberi That's exactly the kind of thing I envisioned when she posted that earlier... She doesn't have to become Captain Marvel, but we do need more strong, nurturing women who save the people they love. Like when Danielle carries Henry away from the Gypsy forest in Ever After.

I saw a post this morning (that I cannot find now) about how we need more stories where the princess saves the prince. Made me a little bristly at first as immediately my mind goes to martial girl boss fighting some monster... Upon reflection however I actually have that story where my FMC does in fact save the MMC! She's a healer and he is brought to her unconscious and dying and it's her care that saves his life and helps him heal. Now I don't know that the original poster had that kind of thing in mind either, but saving someone doesn't have to be fighting off a bad guy with brawn and sword craft, it could be picking a lock to free someone from prison, sneaking information past a guard, providing care for an injury, sitting with someone in their darkest hour. There are many ways to save a life.

@JCChambersIII That poor thing earns a giant "nope" from me... imagine if it were a creepier animal to start with, like a tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog).

Dude, just imagine seeing this thing skulking about at night and having no idea what it is. Frigging headcrabs, man.

@caelanV A little love helps make the stories feel real and meaningful. Doesn't have to be packed full of romance, just enough to make life worth living.

@katesylvanwrite I'll never write a full on romance novel because it isn't my thing. Though a lot of what I write does include a bit of classic romance in there somewhere. It comes from my influences.

Male authors -- especially *married men* -- you should absolutely throw your hat in the romance ring. There's a shortage of GOOD romance by male voices out there. Not explicit/cringe stuff, but the sweet, funny, charming, and occasionally adventurous things that made your wife fall in love with you. Love makes life worth living, so don't think you can't write romance just becuase you haven't yet (or your name isn't Nicholas Sparks).

@NovelistNotions @CreedWrites I really did... reminds me a *little* of Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross -- and not just the typewriter aspect, but the emotion you pack into your words. Though, for the emotional impact, it would be closer to her Wild Reverence, which is in my top reads this year.

@katesylvanwrite @CreedWrites Thanks for the marketing, Kate. I'm so glad you enjoyed it

@MichaelBookCult @Seattle_Author @jeffbrown67 It's phenomenal... agree with your jealousy of it (and initial comment! LOL)

@Seattle_Author @jeffbrown67 may have outdone himself. I've never been so jealous of a cover.

This cover FUCKS

And we would all be VERY happy...

@jflWrites Usually laugh it off, but frequently end up laughing with them... I CAN be a bit ridiculous.

Hi all. How do you react to jokes at your expense? Asking for character research.

@NovelistNotions @CreedWrites This is a MUST read!! Very enjoyable and a bit heartbreaking.

@CreedWrites Here's a link to my latest short story undefinedwriter.com/post/the-silen…

@princessstherap Pretty much every moment from the Princess Bride

what movie scene lives in your head rent free

@PetrikReads @gregkontaxis @jeffbrown67 That is stunning!

COVER REVEAL TIME! I'm thrilled to be revealing the gorgeous cover art of THE SIN OF WAR by @gregkontaxis! This is the fourth book in The Dance of Light, a Greek inspired epic fantasy series. Cover art by @jeffbrown67