Top 10 Blog for Writers

Remember when I asked you guys whom you’d like to see in the Top 10 Blogs for Writers of 2010/2011 at Write to Done? And some of you said, “Justin Bieber”? Just kidding. I don’t even know who Justin Bieber is (only that his name crops up everywhere). No—many of… Read more“Top 10 Blog for Writers”

Linking to the Robert Gottlieb interview
in the Paris Review

This one is a Merry Solstice present to all the editors and writers out there in the world. It isn’t even really a post, it’s just a link and a bunch of quotes from a wonderful interview with one of the all-time great editors of our era, Robert Gottlieb—the Paris… Read more“Linking to the Robert Gottlieb interview <br>in the <em>Paris Review</em>”

The 2 Non-Artistic Professions Running
the Artistic World of Contemporary Fiction

MY ANNUAL RANT I promised last week that I’d explain this week why almost all of what’s widely publicized as contemporary fiction these days falls into the lowest-quality categories that exist: Telling really badly, Telling mediocrely-to-competently, and Showing really badly. I’ll tell you straight off it’s a goddamn artistic crime,… Read more“The 2 Non-Artistic Professions Running<br>the Artistic World of Contemporary Fiction”

1 Big Reason I’m Not Writing You Guys a List Today

I would write you all a really cool post with a brand-new, fresh list of ways to make yourself crazy by storytelling in writing. . .but we just spent the entire Thanksgiving holiday working like fiends to get The Art & Craft of Fiction: A Practitioner’s Manual finalized for publication…. Read more“1 Big Reason I’m Not Writing You Guys a List Today”

4 Reasons Best Sellers Get to Suck & You Don’t

According to Publishers Weekly, the top 50 million books sold in the U.S. in 2009 were all written by the same 26 people. How does that happen? Think about it. Readers know their names. You can test this one. Are you famous? Absolutely no facility with the written word, no… Read more“4 Reasons Best Sellers Get to Suck & You Don’t”

6 Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot

We’ve all done it. We write what feels like the most heart-wrenching, glorious, meaningful story ever put into words, and we polish it until it’s as beautiful as a rare seashell. Then we hand it around, to our writing workshop or critique circle or peer group or dedicated readers, and… Read more“6 Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot”

5th Annual Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest

All right, guys. It looks like the 5th Annual Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest is being held for this year. Folks are over there nominating their favorite blogs written specifically for the in-depth edification and entertainment, the support and encouragement, the comedy and companionship, the sheer on-going benefit of… Read more“5th Annual Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest”

4 Post-Its to Stick Up Over Your Writing Desk

When you sit down to write today, take a moment to scribble these 4 things on 4 post-its. Then stick ’em up over your writing desk. “What if. . .” Write down the “what if?” PREMISE of your novel. Then every time you look up, pondering where to go after… Read more“4 Post-Its to Stick Up Over Your Writing Desk”

Meeting the editor

What’s today—the first Monday of the month? Let’s call this Meet the Editor Monday. So, I woke up LOATHING my own fiction this morning. It’s a loathe-your-own-fiction kind of morning at our house today. Do you ever get that feeling? Here’s something you maybe don’t know about being a professional… Read more“Meeting the editor”

Bringing you the party from Nathan Bransford's blog

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live. —Thoreau So I’m having a wild time over on Nathan Bransford’s blog, where my post “Everything You Need to Know About Writing a Novel, in 1,000 Words” went up yesterday. People have been… Read more“Bringing you the party from Nathan Bransford's blog”