The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy, Volume 3: The Author's Grimoire

The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy #3

by Danielle Ackley-McPhail

In this, the third volume of The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy, the wisdom of experienced fantasy writers will take you beyond writing your book, and into the world of publishing, book promotion and beyond.You've got the basics. You've dealt with the specifics. And now, you're ready to take the next step: seeing your work published.Before signing anything, it might be a good idea to know what you're getting into. Straight from the professionals comes everything you need to know about the going's-on behind the curtain. Understand publishing options from Double Dragon's Associate Editor Lazette Gifford.Hear from Dragon Moon's own Tee Morris on the art of self-promotion. From magazine editor and publisher, Michael Pederson, find out what short fiction and magazine markets wants from you, the writer. With an inside look at dealing with book critics, the media, and critique groups, join Valerie Griswold-Ford (author of Not Your Father's Horseman and co-editor of The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Volume 2) and Lai Zhao (author of "Culture Shock," featured in The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Volume 2) as they take you behind-the-scenes in making your first book a successful book... and set you on the road to your second.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published March 15, 2007

About the author

Award-winning author, editor, and publisher Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. In 2014 she joined forces with husband Mike McPhail and friend Greg Schauer to form her own publishing house, eSpec Books (www.especbooks.com).

Her published works include eight novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, Daire’s Devils, The Play of Light, and Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Day Al-Mohamed. She is also the author of the solo collections Eternal Wanderings, A Legacy of Stars, Consigned to the Sea, Flash in the Can, Transcendence, Between Darkness and Light, The Fox’s Fire, The Kindly One, and the non-fiction writers’ guides The Literary Handyman, More Tips from the Handyman, and LH: Build-A-Book Workshop. She is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Gaslight & Grimm, Side of Good/Side of Evil, After Punk, and Footprints in the Stars. Her short stories are included in numerous other anthologies and collections.

In addition to her literary acclaim, she crafts and sells original costume horns under the moniker The Hornie Lady Custom Costume Horns, and homemade flavor-infused candied ginger under the brand of Ginger KICK! at literary conventions, on commission, and wholesale.

Danielle lives in New Jersey with her husband and fellow writer, Mike McPhail and four extremely spoiled cats.

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first two books and enjoyed them even though none of them were ever "complete." Just like those ones, this one added another aspect of the whole publishing and writing world.

Sadly, this book feels a little outdated. Part it was because I took so long to read it. I bought it two years ago. I would have read it sooner had it been on my Kindle.

Speaking of which, they don't really cover that or ebooks. The whole self-publishing thing is brushed upon and what's said is outdated. Maybe because the publishing world's very turbulent right now, but anything pertaining to that, electronic, submitting just seems old.

However, some, if not most of the book is still useful. The publicity and marketing articles are still handy. I just wish it was talked about how cost-effective they are.

There's a lot that's not covered here and if they ever did a revised edition or a 4th book, I'd probably buy it. It'd be nice if I could read it electronically though.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing is hard work. But, getting published, and getting your book read is even harder. The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy, Volume Three: The Author’s Grimoire edited by Valerie Griswold-Ford and Lai Zhang is a comprehensive guide to the networking and self-promotion practices that will help writers, from tyro to experienced, gain maximum exposure. Detailed guidance on approaching publishers and agents is useful for those deciding to go the traditional publishing route, but most helpful in today’s publishing world, are the hints on generating buzz for your work, which is quite useful to independent authors.

I purchased this book from Amazon several years ago, and still refer to it from time to time when I’ve just published a new book, as a reminder of the work that needs to be done to attract readers.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting collection of articles focusing on the business side of being a fantasy writer.

[Michelle Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this series on the promise of world building advice in the first book. Guess I didn't read the descriptions close enough, but books 2 & 3 show their age with their content.

[Brie]

Every fantasy writers go to book