Ask the Book Doctor

by Bobbie Christmas Q: How many words are in a young adult novel? A: Young adult books for ages twelve and up should come in at 40,000 to 50,000 words.…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: When a character is addressed by a title, would it require capitalization? For example, which is correct: A. “Keep looking,” said Captain Carlyle. B. “There is…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I don’t think I’ll ever stop spacing twice after a period. Any suggestions? A: You can quickly repair all those extra spaces, assuming you are using…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: My writing organization is preparing an anthology. Would standard manuscript format apply? We are unsure of individual submission formats at this point. Please advise. A: Standard…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I am writing a collection of humorous personal experiences. I need advice on how to submit the collection to a publisher. Do I submit one or…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: At a recent writers’ conference, the word “branding” kept being thrown around. Am I behind the times? What does branding mean, when it comes to writing…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I haven’t a clue about how to promote my book on radio, yet I’ve heard other writers have been successful doing so. What’s the secret? A:…

By Bobbie Christmas Q: Is it ever appropriate for an author to express an opinion in a novel in an effort to influence readers? I’ve heard it’s called author intrusion,…

by Bobbie Christmas Q: When writing a thriller, should I begin the first chapter of the story with action from the protagonist or antagonist (villain), or does it matter what…