I’m making this as brief as possible, which means I’m not explaining the “Whys” of these tips, other than with this preface:
This is the 21st Century. Storytelling, by which I mean plotting, ain’t what it used to be. The contemporary audience has seen and read and experienced at least as much as you have, which means MAKE SURE YOU KEEP EVERYTHING AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE SO YOU’RE NOT TELLING READERS/VIEWERS WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW .
When Nathan Bransford offers writing or publishing advice, we listen…and advise y’all (especially prose writers) to do the same. Today, his guest author, discusses the good and the bad points of letting those close to you read your unfinished work.
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If you tell a close friend or family member that you’re writing a book, it’s highly possible they will ask to read it.
Here it is, the unvarnished truth…if you define truth as “pack of lies.”
In other words, this could well be the closest you’ll ever get to enjoying a pitch meeting. So, yeah, enjoy!
The Good: 
The Not So Good:
Norm Macdonald, who died yesterday of cancer, at 61. was one of the funniest, brightest people I’ve ever met.
If art is what happens when your creations reveal your inner self, then he was an artiste extraordinaire in life as well as on the stage.
RIP, dood. Chill in peace.