I’ve got some go-to hikes. Mt. Marathon’s Jeep trail. Lost Lake. Routine routes, my basis, build a training base. There are surprises. Birds, conditions, thoughts. The same trail is different every hike. But getting the goods – exercise, fresh air, mindset reset – is the same. All I have to do is go. I’ve got […]
Writing and Recreating by Sean Ulman Read More »
Step 1: READ YOUR BRAINS OUT Move to a town famous for its writing culture. Maybe there’s a fancy MFA program you wouldn’t even try to get into, or a local history of invested writers, and nearly every barista slinging lattes and croissants has published a volume of poetry. Immerse yourself in the regional literature,
How to Write a Novel in 25 Years or Less by Christine Byl Read More »
I take that phrase from a newsletter I read this week by learning expert Scott Young. Reviewing The Handbook of Creativity by Robert Sternberg, Young synthesizes this takeaway: Creativity is a by-product of acquired expertise and a willingness to take intellectual risks. Lately I’ve been struggling to decide what my next novel will be. Over
Do You Swing for the Fences in Your Writing Projects? by Andromeda Romano-Lax Read More »
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
How I Got My Agent by Heather Aruffo Read More »
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
Simard and the Mother Tree by Mary Odden Read More »
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 »
