You guys, I interviewed Jenny almost two years ago about humor writing, being a humor writer, eating other humorists, and—especially—the book she was writing at the time. Well, guess what? Last week Jenny’s memoir hit #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List. So all of you who were… Read more“<em>Let’s pretend WHAT never happened?</em><br>the Bloggess interview”
Tag: Fiction Writing Advice
Let’s pretend WHAT never happened?
7 Reasons to Be Grateful You’re a Writer
I wrote this one day a long time ago out of sheer, overwhelming gratitude for my craft. And you know what? I’m still grateful. You have all the tools you need They’re right there at your disposal: the world, your five senses, literacy, a brain. You will never need anything… Read more“7 Reasons to Be Grateful You’re a Writer”
The 2 Ways Writing Keeps You Off the Streets & Out of the Bars
Many years ago when I used to hang out all the time in the bars of San Luis Obispo, California, a good friend and I were sitting on the curb outside our favorite dive with our feet in the gutter at around midnight one night talking deep in our cups… Read more“The 2 Ways Writing Keeps You Off the Streets & Out of the Bars”
107 Things You Should Know About Being Published
We’re jumping in the Way-Back Machine today. This was the very first of my numbered-list posts—from January, 2010—and the comments are still some of my favorites! You’re not going to get rich. You’re probably not even going to be able to pay your bills. In fact, money is going to… Read more“107 Things You Should Know About Being Published”
Feelin’ groovy—the Katie Weiland interview
Last winter when I was trading guest posts with the other Top 10 Blogs for Writers, K.M. Weiland and I swapped posts on 5 Writing Rules Your Should Break and The 4 Most Common Mistakes Fiction Editors See. She’s been extremely busy since then, as I’ve discovered, and now she’s… Read more“<em>Feelin’ groovy</em>—the Katie Weiland interview”
Remembering the future
—the next incarnation of the Roz Morris interviews
Roz Morris is back!—smarter, wittier, more profound than ever. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better. . .please pull up a chair and join us for the seventh (yes, one, two, three, four, five, six—the seventh!) Roz Morris interview: V: Welcome back, Roz! It’s as though you never… Read more“<em>Remembering the future</em><br>—the next incarnation of the Roz Morris interviews”
Story engineering—the Larry Brooks interview
You all remember Larry Brooks of the Top 10 Blogs for Writers. He wrote a guest post for me, Self-Editing at the Story Level, last March. That same week, he hosted me on his site, Storyfix, with the guest post, The Bootstrapping Writer—The Secret at the Core of Competency. Larry… Read more“<em>Story engineering</em>—the Larry Brooks interview”
2 Tricks for Breaking Writer’s Block in One Day
Last week I talked to a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile who’s writing a memoir. She told me she was having a lot of trouble with it—she can’t make herself write about a particular incident she seriously needs to write about. She asked me if I had any advice:… Read more“2 Tricks for Breaking Writer’s Block in One Day”
4 Ways Writing Reminds Us We’re Alive
It’s the Fourth of July this week, which is America’s version of a Summer Solstice extravaganza. We set off fireworks, eat too much barbeque, take a long weekend to look around at our loved ones, recognize their faces, and remember why we’re here. So let’s talk about four ways writing—because… Read more“4 Ways Writing Reminds Us We’re Alive”
How to Revise Wrong, in 3 Easy Steps
And now that you’ve plotted wrong, characterized wrong, and written wrong, even 9 ways to find the time to write. . .let’s talk about how to sit down with that baby and revise it wrong. Be obsessed with letting your language ‘breathe’ This is code for: “Be unwilling to revise… Read more“How to Revise Wrong, in 3 Easy Steps”