Author Archives: martinrowe
Conjunctive-itis
Much as I might wish otherwise, I am not perfect. (Say it ain’t so, I hear you cry.) As a publisher, I’ve brought into print titles that contained typos and errors of fact, that could have used more editing or … Continue reading
Tell Me a Story (Part 2)
When I think about it, writing a book is a lot like being like Coleridge‘s Ancient Mariner. The reader is the wedding guest, a guy who’s got his mind on much more fun things than to listen to your story, … Continue reading
Tell Me a Story (Part 1)
Having accentuated the negative in a previous post about submitting a manuscript to Lantern, I thought it might be advisable to give some idea to would-be authors of what a successful manuscript might look like in my particular eyes. First … Continue reading
How (Not) to Submit a Manuscript
We’re sent a lot of manuscripts at my publishing house, Lantern Books; it’s one of the hazards of the profession. Well, that’s not fair: We depend on them to keep in business, so we welcome them all. However, much of the … Continue reading
Don’t Leave Your Characters Alone
I’ve found the linked advice from Chuck Palahniuk (author of Fight Club) very insightful when making decisions about internal thought processes. I’ll let him tell you more.
Reading Your Work Aloud
I have just completed recording an audio version of my book The Elephants in the Room. It was an eye-opening experience. I’m astonished at the stamina of those who record books for publishers. Stephen Fry (UK) and Jim Dale (US) did … Continue reading
The Importance of Story
I recently attended a talk about intensive animal agriculture at a conference on veganism at Princeton University, New Jersey. I’ve been involved in animal advocacy for twenty years professionally as a writer, editor, and publisher, and personally as an activist, … Continue reading
Let Freedom Ring!
It’s easy enough to get distracted when you’re writing—especially if you use a computer with access to the Internet. You are in the throes of composition and decide to check on a fact. Before you know it, half an hour … Continue reading
Reasons to Write a Book #2: The Big Business Card
My publishing company, Lantern Books, doesn’t give advances. Quite simply, we can’t afford to lay out cash to pay an author before spending more money on producing the book, in the hopes that we’ll recoup the money from the sales. … Continue reading
Reasons to Write a Book #1: Because You Must
Over the years, I’ve had occasion to tell would-be authors why they shouldn’t try to write a book. Some want fame and fortune. Unless you happen to land an agent (unlikely), who gets you a substantial advance with a large … Continue reading
Martin Rowe 