Ian McEwan on the Novel
“The novel as a literary form was born out of the Enlightenment, out of curiosity about and respect for the…
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III. Publishing a Novel: Part 1. Going it Alone
No, I’m not talking about self-publishing here. I’ll leave that for another post. Instead, I’ll describe a process that’s worked…
II. Publishing a Novel: Getting an Agent
In my last post I talked about the value of an agent. Now here’s the grim reality: the odds for an…
So You Want to be a Writer
“If you are going to be a writer there is nothing I can say to stop you; if you’re…
Butt In, Distractions Out
“Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form…
Necessary Arrogance
Writing is a tough business. Gratification (publishing) can be long in coming. If and when it does, royalties are…
Why We Write
But isn’t it really about personal fulfillment? If you’re a struggling writer, you’ve probably had someone say this…
Two Daisies
Recently, the New York Times Book Review featured two writers asked to comment on the question, “Do critics make good…
The White Room
I heard Twyla Tharp say that to begin a new work of choreography, she enters a “white room.” Certainly, this…
Writing What’s In You
“If ya ain’t got it in ya, ya can’t blow it out.” Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong “Write what you…
The Eleventh Thing
Writers often join critique groups. Others invite friends or colleagues to offer feedback on work-in-progress. Peer feedback can be important,…
Men in Boats
Several weeks ago, my husband and I streamed Das Boot [The Boat], the fictional war epic about a German U-boat…
That Thing Called Plot
Several years ago, I was on a panel of writers that included P. T. Deutermann, author of military thrillers and…
Creative Space
“…there was, in the rear of the house, the most delightful little nook of a study that ever afforded its…
Farewell, My Darlings
“Kill Your Darlings, kill your darlings…” Stephen King On Writing No writer likes rejection letters, particularly the impersonal ones.…