Inspired by film. Is it a close up? Or a wide shot?

By Candy Gourlay

A quick thought for Monday.

Many authors I know swear by screen writing books like Story by Robert McKee. There is so much to learn about narrative structure in cinema.

Judging Young Fiction By Their Covers - Yanks vs Limeys

The online magazine The Millions is judging books by their covers again.

"As readers, we are undoubtedly swayed by the little billboard that is the cover of every book we read," writes former bookseller C. Max Magee. "...I’ve always found it especially interesting that the U.K. and U.S. covers often differ from one another. This would seem to suggest that certain layouts and imagery will better appeal to readers on one side of the Atlantic rather than the other."

Reader's Block: is there a cure?

by Teri Terry

A few days ago I posted this on Facebook: 

I don't get writer's block as such - but I do get reader's block. This is much worse! Every now and then, I don't want to read anything I have (and I have a mountainous TBR) but I'm just craving....I don't know what. I want a book to grab my hands and pull me in, but not leave me feeling battered during or after. Everything I pick up I put down again. 

And I wondered: is this a common writer's complaint? Judging by the number of comments left in quick succession, it is.