One area where I believe it would be unwise to rely solely on AI-generated text is in the field of creative writing, particularly in the writing of novels. Writing a novel is a complex and nuanced process that requires not only the ability to produce coherent text but also a deep understanding of human emotions, …
I finished my novel in mid march of 2019. On a whim, I sent out a few query letters to literary agents. Not many, just five, who I had chosen based on the clients that they represented, clients whose books seemed similar to mine. I didn’t know much about publishing, and my novel certainly wasn’t …
I have been pleased by all the information that is available now on the emotional lives of mammals, birds, fish and insects. Of special interest are the books that discuss what is known about the subject. The authors not only cover the research they have done but they do a good job of reviewing the …
Emotional Lives of Mammals, Birds, Fish and Insects by Bob Armstrong Read More »
I’m picky about war novels and movies (don’t even get me started about sentimental or manipulative Holocaust stories). But when I watched All Quiet on the Western Front last week, I was emotionally moved and intellectually gratified. After the final credits rolled, I wasn’t ready to let the movie go—which is exactly what director Edward …
What Snarky Oscar-Season Reviews Can Teach a Writer by Andromeda Romano-Lax Read More »
Maybe you’re a full-time writer who, like Stephen King himself, sits down at nine a.m. every morning and begins typing away until the end of the workday at five p.m. Diligent. And if the above sounds like you, then this article may not be your cup of tea. I am not this kind of writer, …
January: A Month to Breathe… and Write by Lindsay Belle Sobolik Read More »
The first time I read Suzanne Simard’s Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, she—or the editor I imagined leaning over her shoulder—made me uncomfortable. In the first 40 pages, where she tells us she belongs to a fourth generation of British Columbia hand loggers and describes her childhood thoughts, she is …
If you’re like me, you’ve had an inbox stuffed in recent days by newsletters about people’s resolutions or theme words for the year, and following that, by a storm tide of articles claiming that resolutions are nonsense. Trust me, this post will not be (only) about writing resolutions. But first, can I vent some mild, …
Resolve: To Master Your Own Best Writing Practices by Andromeda Romano-Lax Read More »
Alaska has a new anthology to enjoy this winter: Wheels on Ice, edited by Jessica Cherry and the late Frank Soos. The story behind this publication is bittersweet, given that Soos, a former Alaska Writer Laureate, long-time teacher and 49 Writers board member, died in a solo cycling accident before the book could be completed. …
I am writing. No, not writing. I am jamming (writer’s style). I have my notes, I have my laptop, I have my coffee. There is an electric blanket in my lap (which allows me to stay cozy enough to create) and a cracked window beside me providing a constant cool breeze (that will keep me …
This is an edited version of a blog post that ran previously on 49 Writers. “If you’re going to live your life based on delusions, and you are, because we all do, then why not at least select a delusion that is helpful? Allow me to suggest this one. The work wants to be made …
Ideas That Want to Be Written by Andromeda Romano-Lax Read More »
