Martha Conway

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    • The Physician’s Daughter
    • The Underground River
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      • The Floating Theatre (UK)
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    • Thieving Forest
    • 12 Bliss Street
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Apr 01 2017

The Cold Open – Begin with a question

WHEN YOU BEGIN your novel using certain techniques—such as “In media res” (in the middle of the thing) or “At the last possible moment”—you are deliberately planting a question in your readers mind. In the first instance, the question is “What is going on?” and in the second, “What will happen now?” These are great…

Written by Martha Conway · Categorized: Uncategorized · Tagged: craft, creative writing, creativity, fiction, how to write well, writers, writing, writing craft, writing rules

Feb 21 2017

Just received my ARC!

A big box of Advance Review copies came in the mail last week. I’m totally thrilled! It’s 1838, and May Bedloe works as a seamstress for her cousin, the famous actress Comfort Vertue—until their steamboat sinks on the Ohio River. Though they both survive, both must find new employment. Comfort is hired to give lectures…

Written by Martha Conway · Categorized: Uncategorized · Tagged: American theatre, civil war, fiction, historical fiction, historical novels, Ohio River, showboats, theatre, underground railroad, writing

Sep 07 2016

What? I thought I was done!

IT’S BEEN SIX MONTHS or more since I looked at my last novel, the one that was “done.” That novel is gearing up to go into production now, and I have a few notes from my editors, stuff to change. As I read through the manuscript for places to cut back or to develop a…

Written by Martha Conway · Categorized: Uncategorized · Tagged: craft, creative writing, creativity, fiction, good books, historical fiction, how to write well, Ohio River, publishing, reading, revision, slavery, underground railroad, writing

May 23 2016

164 5-star reviews!

Today’s Featured Kindle Book on FKBT: Thieving Forest by Martha Conway 4.4 out of 5 stars! Thieving Forest

Written by Martha Conway · Categorized: Uncategorized · Tagged: amazon reviews, creative writing, featured kindle book, FKBT, good books, historical fiction, novels, Ohio, pioneer, writing

Apr 26 2016

What are the Best Rules for Writing?

“Good stories have a quality of authorlessness. The better they are, the more authorless they seem. . . They give a sense of being out there, like facts.” (Janet Malcolm) I have this quotation in front of me on my writing desk, and every once in a while I read it and ponder once again…

Written by Martha Conway · Categorized: Uncategorized · Tagged: craft, fiction, good fiction, good sentences, how to write well, Lauren Groff, Michael Chabon, publishing, reading, Rick Bass, writers, writing, writing craft, writing rules, Zadie Smith

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