Tag: Writing
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Writing advice, distilled…
Every writer must eventually write a book about writing. It’s some sort of unspoken rule. Due to my lifelong interest in the writing process, I’ve read a fair number of these advice manuals. (Two of my favorites are Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel by Jane Smiley and Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose, because both of these books say…
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Everything that’s wrong with your screenplay (or novel)…
All The Things That Are Wrong With Your Screenplay In One Handy Infographic | Co.Create | creativity + culture + commerce This is a terrific infographic for any aspiring writer to study. It’s also a great tool for book reviewers and media critics, to help us pinpoint what is going wrong with what we’re reading. I…
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About MFA Writing Programs
Things I Can Say About MFA Writing Programs Now That I No Longer Teach in One – Books – The Stranger by James Yamasaki. Well, this was a controversial essay, to say the least. He divides aspiring writers into three groups: I had a handful of students whose work changed my life. The vast majority of my…
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A good resource for writers…
I recommend that all writers, whether you intend to self-publish or publish traditionally, read the excellent and short reviews of self-published books that Jefferson Smith (and occasional guest reviewers) posts at Immerse or Die. Smith maintains that the most important quality of fiction is whether it enables the reader to become immersed in the story, an assertion…
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Watch out, that writer’s taking an info-dump!
This is another entry in my ongoing series identifying common problems in self-published novels. As a writer, you’ve got a terrific idea for an alien planet, a fantasy world or a dystopian future. You’ve worked out all the details, and you just know that no other writer has come up with something this creative or…
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A note to writers: Maybe you aren’t ready…
One benefit of traditional publishing, which is lost when writers choose to self-publish, is that publishers can tell writers that their books just aren’t ready for publication. Publishers don’t usually say this in so many words. Often the message comes in the form of a standard rejection letter or, even worse, silence. But the message…
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For writers who want to self-publish…
I’ve been reading a lot of self-published books lately for a freelance gig reviewing independently published books. I am not opposed to self-publishing. I think it’s terrific that technology is allowing more writers to get their work out there and have the opportunity to be read. BUT… (you knew that was coming, right?) A lot…
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Wow, Ursula K. Le Guin gave a great speech at the National Book Awards…
Here’s just an excerpt from Le Guin’s speech at the National Book Awards, but you should really go read the whole thing–it’s short and completely inspiring: “I think hard times are coming when we will be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now and can see through our…
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Rule number 1 for self-publishers: Proofread!
In the last few years, services like Kindle Direct Publishing and Lulu have made it incredibly easy for writers to self-publish, which I think is mostly a good thing for writers and readers. Self-publishing enables writers to build and audience and demonstrate their talents, and it puts more voices out there than ever before. Some terrific…
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Book review: Everyday Writing
Everyday Writing: Tips and Prompts to Fit Your Regularly Scheduled Life by Midge Raymond Everyday Writing is a short e-book that promises to help people who want to write but who can never find the time. It’s divided into two parts. The first part offers tips to help readers start writing and keep writing. I…
Shannon Turlington 