Tipsy Tuesday

I'm going to try something new here on Tuesdays--no, I won't be blogging about getting drunk. I'm glad to say I've never been drunk and now that I'm old(er) and have to keep an eye on my blood pressure, I don't ever plan to be drunk. (I can be stoooopid on my own without any help from booze, thank you very much.) No, what I'd like to do is share a tip about something--whether it's about writing, something to do with the work-life, or just life in general.

I'm going to start with something to do with writing.

Back in September of last year, Mary-Theresa Hussey, Sr. Editor with Harlequin Silhouette NY, came to Tucson and spoke to my local RWA chapter. She referenced writer Mickey Spillane (of Mike Hammer fame).

Mickey said that he writes the first line of a book to sell that book, and the last line of the book to sell the next one. Great advice. Mary-Theresa went on to say that that's a good thing to keep in mind for individual chapters, too. Write the first line of the chapter to get the reader hooked, and the last line of the chapter to get them to turn the page to the next chapter.

I've been (for the most part) doing that intuitively, but it's nice to have it affirmed.