Category Archives: Essays

Your Book of Gold

Posted on July 24, 2015 3:34 am GMT+0000 by bidinotto

A message to struggling and discouraged authors: “If you only write one book in your whole life, and only sell 600 copies or less, nonetheless, I assure you, I solemnly assure you, that this book will be someone’s absolutely favorite … Continue reading →

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Authors — Is It the Best of Times, or the Worst of Times?

Posted on January 26, 2015 7:42 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  Among many ongoing debates about the health of and prospects for the book business, few arouse the passions of authors (or divide them) more than perceptions of their prospects for success in today’s marketplace. Most recently we’ve seen moves … Continue reading →

Posted in Author profiles, BAD DEEDS: A Dylan Hunter Thriller, Book business, Essays, Inspirational, Interviews, Marketing Advice, Publishing Advice, Self-Publishing, Traditional publishing, Writing Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Post at The Kill Zone: Presenting Controversial Ideas in Fiction

Posted on October 20, 2014 4:24 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  Jodie Renner — a respected editor, and author of several great how-to books on writing — is a regular contributor to the prestigious group blog “The Kill Zone,” an online hangout for prominent mystery and thriller writers (and readers). … Continue reading →

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One Word You Won’t Find in My Novels

Posted on September 10, 2014 11:56 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  Okay. Call it a symbolic, personal protest thing. Those who know me well know that I’m anything but a prude. They also know that my private language can get salty, from time to time. But when I read fiction, … Continue reading →

Posted in BAD DEEDS: A Dylan Hunter Thriller, Essays, HUNTER: A Thriller, Writing Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

So, What Is a Thriller?

Posted on August 23, 2014 6:40 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  Fiction genres tend to have porous boundaries, mixing and blending into each other. Many books are hybrids that cross genres. For instance, you can’t define a “thriller” solely by its settings, since they can take place almost anywhere, and … Continue reading →

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Must Today’s Successful Author Be a Writing Machine?

Posted on August 6, 2014 3:51 am GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  I follow the blogs of a number of successful authors (see my Blogroll and Favorite Author Links in the sidebar). I do so because I learn a lot from them about writing, publishing, and marketing. Now, they don’t always … Continue reading →

Posted in Book business, Essays, Inspirational, Marketing Advice, Publishing Advice, Self-Publishing, Traditional publishing, Writing Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Authors, What Are Your REAL Priorities?

Posted on August 12, 2013 6:46 am GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  One of my favorite people to read about the writing business is author-and-publisher Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Her series of “Business Rusch” columns are insightful, invaluable resources for anyone seeking to build a rewarding career as an author in today’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Book business, Essays, HUNTER: A Thriller, Inspirational, Marketing Advice, Publishing Advice, Self-Publishing, Traditional publishing, Writing Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Fictional Heroes and Personal Transformation

Posted on June 24, 2013 8:37 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  Here is a new essay by me, published online for the first time at The Atlasphere. It presents the reasons — now backed by empirical psychological studies — why fictional heroes provide us not “mindless escapism,” but are actually … Continue reading →

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Vigilante Author — or Cultist?

Posted on June 1, 2013 4:12 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  I am a cultist. At least, that’s what a guy writing in Salon implies. But no, not for my individualist politics or philosophy. Only because I’m a strong proponent of self-publishing. “Self-Publishing Has Become a Cult,” his article declares. … Continue reading →

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Why Do Liberals Reject Vigilante Fiction?

Posted on May 28, 2013 10:48 pm GMT+0000 by bidinotto

  I had missed this essay by Anthony Paletta when it first appeared in February 2012, but it raises a question that the author answers with some good insights — especially near the end: Why do people on the political … Continue reading →

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