Author Archives: Robin Henry

Is backstory the sludge in your novel?

If you hang out on Psychology podcasts or read psychology, you may have heard of a term called sludge.  It is related to the concept of “nudging,” which is the idea that entities (governments, businesses, schools…) can help people make better choices by making choosing the better option easier.  Or, just make choices easier byContinue reading “Is backstory the sludge in your novel?”

Do these jeans make my butt look big, or who to ask for feedback on your writing…

Do you remember that commercial a few years ago where the woman asked her significant other, “Do these jeans make my butt look big?”   What was he supposed to say?  I mean if he thinks they do, and he says so, his life will be miserable for the foreseeable future.  If he thinks they lookContinue reading “Do these jeans make my butt look big, or who to ask for feedback on your writing…”

How questions help you write!

If you’ve ever written a research paper, you will be familiar with research questions, or guiding questions.  As a high school librarian, I have helped hundreds (maybe even thousands) of students write them.  When you are writing a research paper, it helps to define as precisely as possible what your paper is about—what you willContinue reading “How questions help you write!”

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Janice Hallett uses complex structure in her novels to great effect and the Alperton Angels is no exception.  Hallett’s mysteries are like matryoshka dolls, every layer reveals something, but it isn’t until the last one that the full picture emerges. In the Alperton Angels, she takes a fictional cold case and has the reader followContinue reading “The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett”

Are You Painting with the Switch Plate Covers on?

My husband and I enjoy the character of older homes.  Unfortunately, with that character comes a previous succession of owners who may or may not be completing improvement projects with excellence in mind.  I was recently cleaning a room in our newly acquired 1900 Craftsman, when I noticed that whoever painted last had done soContinue reading “Are You Painting with the Switch Plate Covers on?”

The North Woods by Daniel Mason

This literary stroll through history is a great book if you are wondering what makes a book literary.  In it, the author uses  the frame of a piece of property to tell several stories that seem at first to be unrelated, but by the end, everything is connected! It is literary because it defies genreContinue reading “The North Woods by Daniel Mason”

Let me tell you what happened to me at the pool yesterday OR why you don’t open a novel with backstory

In a recent interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan, best selling author, I heard her give a GREAT answer to why you don’t start a novel with backstory. Let’s say you are going to tell a friend a story about what happened to you at the pool today.   How do you start?   When I was seven,Continue reading “Let me tell you what happened to me at the pool yesterday OR why you don’t open a novel with backstory”

What if you flipped the script?

All kinds of information online for writers focuses on getting a deal, how to query, and hooking an agent.  When I work with clients, I no longer offer services related to pitching without some history of working with them on their novel.  Here’s why:  pitching a novel that isn’t ready is an exercise in futility.  Continue reading “What if you flipped the script?”

Book Review: The Fury by Alex Michaelides

I cannot lie, I like a dark and twisty tale.  Having read The Maidens, a previous novel by this author, I was willing to give this one a go.  So glad I did!  This one is much more well developed than The Maidens, which I found a little predictable.  The Fury is like Agatha ChristieContinue reading “Book Review: The Fury by Alex Michaelides”