We’ve talked about the quest. Now let’s talk about the relationship novel. People getting in trouble alone—People getting in trouble with others. The two stories there are to tell. There’s a legend that after Faulkner left Hollywood someone found a piece of paper in the garbage can by his desk…. Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Molding and being molded”
Tag: Fiction Writing Advice
Justifying author bios
Have you ever wondered why agents want to see an author bio paragraph in a query letter that is—as least ostensibly—supposed to be entirely about selling them on one particular book? They don’t want to hear about your other unpublished novels or ideas, but they do want to know whether… Read more“Justifying author bios”
Pulp Rag: Aiming past ecstasy
The ultimate aim of the quest must be neither release nor ecstasy for oneself, but the wisdom and power to serve others. —Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth, via Kathryn Estrada So let’s talk about the quest plot structure. Because writing itself is a quest, and if you don’t know… Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Aiming past ecstasy”
Gearing up for NaNoWriMo
Let’s call this Monthly Mania Monday. This month—in case you’ve been living in a cave—you might not know it’s the upcoming November National Novel Writing Month. Are you doing NaNoWriMo? I’m not. That’s because a) I don’t have time, and b) I’ve already put in my obligatory decades of practicing… Read more“Gearing up for NaNoWriMo”
Linking to P. G. Wodehouse
Today I’m bringing you one of my all-time favorite writers of comedy: the inimitable P.G. Wodehouse. It’s Friday, and I say, what the hell. I’m taking the weekend off from the publishing world, this madcap adventure in publicity, loquacity, and marketing perspicacity run amock. There is only so much eagle-eyed… Read more“Linking to P. G. Wodehouse”
Pulp Rag: Planting a suspicion, revealing a glory
A week or so ago I posted an essay on hook-development-climax that was almost entirely quotes from great works. I quoted hooks. And I quoted climaxes. I would have quoted development, but my fingers got tired. I wanted you to see exactly what constitutes a hook (why it’s short!) and… Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Planting a suspicion, revealing a glory”
Evaluating an editor
Hey, guys! Jane Friedman of Writer’s Digest has a post this morning containing links to a whole plethora of stuff on her blog about the world of writing and publishing. Why am I telling you this? Well, for one thing, Jane and I had a chat on Twitter the other… Read more“Evaluating an editor”
Pulp Rag: Going beyond the beyond
Have you ever seen the movie Flatliners? I’m normally not into horror movies—I get grossed out just by squashed bugs—but I love that movie. I love the concept of what’s beyond the beyond. . . Read the full essay on Pulp Rag.
Pulp Rag: Mining yourself
There are no new stories, only new perspectives. Has anyone ever told you that?. . . Read the full essay on Pulp Rag.
Linking to the essays A.A. Milne
Now that I have completely polluted your minds with more business advice than you can possibly swallow, I’m bringing you a calming, refreshing mental yoga pose to get you through the weekend: The Essays of A.A. Milne. Milne, as we all know, was a fiction author. In fact, a children’s… Read more“Linking to the essays A.A. Milne”