John A. Valenti 3rd is a national award-winning reporter for the Long Island, New York, based daily newspaper Newsday, where he has worked since 1981. He is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 episode Big Shot and is the author of Swee'pea, The Story of Lloyd Daniels and Other Playground Basketball Legends, as well as a contributing poet to the critically acclaimed anthology 13 Poets from Long Island. For Nothing Is Hidden is his debut novel. Please share a quic

***This article is geared towards fiction novels . The dedication and acknowledgment pages for non-fiction books contain different parameters and tone. When your book is complete, and that means all developmental edits , proofreading , and interior design are finished, you may want to consider dedicating your novel to a special person; someone who supported or mentored you throughout your writing journey.  Some authors dedicate their book to a group, organization, or to their

There are so many writing rules it’s hard to keep track. Some are sophisticated, others are subtle. Have you ever given a thought to how numbers should be written in a novel or how writers handle scenes with timestamps? Is there a difference between a specified time used in dialogue or in prose? What about dreams and tabloid headlines? Should you put a movie title in all caps, italics, or quotation marks? How about song titles? Are you aware of the RAVEN rule? These writi

An author’s goal for any novel is to capture the reader’s attention with a memorable opening line that lures the reader in then keeps them turning pages. The hook is like the delicious appetizer before the main meal, but that is not enough. The author must keep readers begging for more. Chapter endings play a crucial role. As a writer you must be mindful of this concept with every chapter of your story. You must fulfill the promise of your book’s essence and carry that

There are many wannabe authors out there with interesting ideas for a story, but they have no idea how to begin. Some will mull their...