Book Review: “The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel” by Jodie Archer & Matthew L. Jockers, published by St. Martin’s Press, 2016
We’ve all read about studies that made us scratch our heads—research results that told us things we already knew, such as a healthy diet is key to living longer and people who exercise are in better shape than couch potatoes. “The Bestseller Code” is one of those studies. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on January 10, 2018
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2018/01/10/neither-predictive-nor-prescriptive-the-bestseller-code-is-anything-but/
Good writing is hard and getting published is even harder. No one knows this better than best-selling author Lisa Scottoline who compared a struggling writer’s life to a weak candlelight. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on October 25, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/10/25/lisa-scottoline-inspires-at-writers-digest-conference-protect-your-candle/
Want to be a writer? Read, read, and read some more. It’s the first requirement for writing well. Don’t take my word for it, take Stephen King’s. He said: “You have to read widely, constantly refining (and redefining) your own work as you do. If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on October 4, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/10/04/5-reasons-why-reading-is-the-key-to-writing-success/
Pearson’s sales declined by 15 percent, but it remained the world’s biggest publishing company, according to the Livres Hebdo/Publishers Weekly annual ranking. Total revenues for the world’s 50 biggest publishers topped $50 billion in 2016. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on September 27, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/pearson-remains-worlds-biggest-publisher/
Photo Credit: Simon Adriaensen via Visual Hunt / CC BY-ND
There’s a significant increase in the use of swear words in American books, a sign that Americans are more accepting of taboo words, according to a recent study. The research showed that books published between 2005 and 2008 were 28 times more likely to include cussing than books published in the early 1950s. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on September 13, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/09/13/gosh-darn-it-study-shows-more-cussing-in-american-books/
Photo via Visualhunt.
Finland is the most literate country in the world, followed by Norway and Iceland, according to an infographic by Global English Editing. The United States is ranked seventh. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on August 23, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/guess-which-country-is-the-most-literate-hint-its-not-the-u-s/
Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” (1972.)
Whether it’s your kid offering a slice of pizza to his sibling or your friend volunteering to babysit, the person might say, “I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.” Many people know the line though they have never seen Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 movie, “The Godfather.” The dialogue has taken on a life of its own. There are many movies and novels like that; they are famous for zingers and memorable dialogues. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on August 2, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/38-lines-from-novels-and-movies-you-wont-soon-forget/
Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet in BBC’s “Pride and Prejudice” (1995).
William Faulkner’s approach to writing a character explains why some literary characters are so real. “Once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does,” said Faulkner. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on July 12, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/07/12/38-literary-characters-you-wont-forget-for-better-or-for-worse/
Special traits set an artist like Claude Monet apart. (Photo by Cindy Fazzi)
If you’re a writer or artist or scientist and you like working on your own, it could be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, independence is one of 13 traits of highly creative and productive people. On the other hand, employers will say you’re not a team player. (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on July 5, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/why-corporate-america-frowns-on-these-13-traits-of-creative-people/
Photo credit: TinaOable via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA
Summer is here—stretching out as far as the eye could see. It’s a great time to catch up with our reading, not just for fun but also for our health. Multiple research studies have shown the many benefits of reading, from reducing stress to increasing empathy. The greatest benefit of all? Reading will help you live longer! (more…)
Posted by cindyfazzi on June 28, 2017
https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/this-summer-read-more-books-for-fun-and-good-health/
Cindy Fazzi 