Ten Common Mistakes Werewolf Authors Make

10.  Do not messily devour a hart over your keyboard. Blood is hard to get out from the keys

9.  No matter how much the muse is flowing, set aside time for the important things in life, like chaining yourself up on transformation night.

8.  When pitching an agent, resist the urge to finish with, "...or I will visit my ages-old affliction upon you!"

7.  When writing non-werewolf characters, try to remember that their culture does not sanction the eating of hearts. No, not even then.  (Thanks to our good friend Elizabeth Corrigan for this contribution.)

6.  Avoid referring to your readers as "prey-animals."

5.  Remember: an elevator pitch needs to be more than just a primal howl.

4.  "Write drunk, edit sober" should not be taken as a metaphor for "Write wolf, edit human."

3.  When negotiating contracts, it is now considered old-fashioned to demand a clause stating that payment will never be remitted in silver.  With the exception of MacMillan, all the major houses are now on the gold standard.

2.  Avoid prologues.  And old gypsy women.

1.  The only way to improve is to read often, write often, and kill all the furless weaklings who get in your way.