Will you read what I’ve written? As soon as I think I’ve finished writing a new piece, there’s that irresistible urge to get feedback from a reader. What do you think, eh? It’s more than yearning for instant ego gratification. That’s pretty nice, too. But it won’t help me take my writing to the next level. The sense of accomplishment from getting it down on paper and nailing? It isn’t enough. My inner editor kicks in and creates self-doubt. That’s a good thing and keeps me humble. No, really. Tell me what you think. Always be open to revision. Or don’t ask. After a half century of putting pencil to paper this much I know to be true. Took me a couple decades for it to sink in. I might not always be right and I don’t know everything. What didn’t work? You need to find those readers who are like your true friends who will tell you there is the spinach between your front teeth or your fly is open. Every writer needs editorial feedback. Editors are a writer’s best friend. Wait, wait! Last week Brooke Warner wrote a spot-on essay published in the Huffington Post on the 5 things she wished every author knew. Brilliant content. Wished I’d written it myself. Filled with typos. Ouch. Her excuse, when she shared it on social media, involved her technical inability to edit within the HuffPo platform. Double ouch. She’s a great editor. I’ve been there. As a writer who writes…

Ithaca, New York is more than just “Gorges.” Luminosity recently released a study deeming Ithaca the smartest city in America based on cognitive training exercises. A thriving, progressive college town, Ithaca is certainly a center for learning and growth. But what else makes it such a hotspot for brain power? Ithaca boasts a community of writers, readers, and researchers; one that makes our small city a valuable destination for book lovers. Encouraging news for fledgling Ithaca writers: you are in good company. Ithaca’s literati includes Diane Ackerman, Rebecca Barry, Leslie Daniels, Shawn Goodman, Alex Haley, J. Robert Lennon, David Lehman, Alison Lurie, Vladimir Nabokov, Anne Mazer, Robert Mrazek, Tea Obreht, Carl Sagan, Rod Serling, David Foster Wallace, and E. B. White to name just a few. Ithaca is home to a great variety of libraries and research facilities. The public has access to rare and alternative materials at the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections (RMC) through Cornell University and at Durland Alternatives Library. The Tompkins County Public Library hosts the Friends of the Library Book Sale every fall and spring. The book sale is one of the largest in the U.S. with over one quarter of a million items. For those seeking out the latest best-selling novel, a classic first edition, or a local author’s debut, there are many local book retailers worthy of support. Autumn Leaves Used Books has a wide selection of used books, also boasting an extensive record album collection and a pirate-themed café above the…

Who are your readers? They are not your family and friends. And don’t expect them to buy the book when it comes out. Unless they are in it. And that might not always be a good thing. Who are the people who don’t know you and will be pulled to your book enough to take money out of their pocket to buy it so they can read it? Do you know who those people are? They are book-buying customers. If not, it’s time to get to know them. The whole point of getting published is to be read. It IS about the readers. What will they think of it? How will they respond? As an author you can’t pretend you aren’t writing to a reader. Imagine who that is. Who are you talking to as the narrator of your book? What do you want them to think, feel, and do as a result of reading your book? When I coach radio journalists, I encourage them to identify their listeners. To whom exactly are they telling the story? If they can’t picture the specific person they are speaking to in a conversational manner, then they sound like the sing-songy news readers we all hate and tune out. Your writing will be stronger when you write to a specific audience. Let’s face it. Most of us don’t have time to read many books anymore. Buying a book is a luxury, not a necessity in most cases. If readers buy a book, they…