A short while ago I mentioned that I plan to read new types of books this year — eleven new categories of books, in fact — and so far, I’ve read a lot of graphic novels. Which isn’t really new for me, and which certainly isn’t on my list of eleven categories. But I just sneakedContinue reading “11-11: Memoir review (Elmer Kelton)”
Category Archives: writers
Because the abyss can wait….
I love blogs that lead me to other blogs. Soon, I won’t have time for books! I was reading a post at Literary Rejections on Display about fantasy rejection letters from a fake literary journal (I had this idea way back when I worked at American Literary Review–why didn’t I get to work on thatContinue reading “Because the abyss can wait….”
New fiction by Lori Ann Bloomfield
Lori Ann Bloomfield, author of The Last River Child (which I’m dying to read) and the First Line blog (which I read all the time), has a new story in the latest issue of New Plains Review. If you can manage it, track down a copy of the story in print and help support theContinue reading “New fiction by Lori Ann Bloomfield”
A Writer’s Notebook: writers talk writing
Today I’m offering three conversations about writing I’ve had with three different writer friends. The exchanges are a bit long, so I’ve divided this post into pages to help organize things. Check out the “table of contents” to skip to the section you’re interested in (but really, you want to read the whole thing). WhyContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: writers talk writing”
Another post from How Not To Write
I’m in the midst of some frustrating revision right now–two stories giving me headaches and another taunting me from the shadows, though I did pull off a long but good revision of a novel excerpt last week–so this new post from Jamie Grove on revision hell is well timed. Wonder if Jamie actually saw myContinue reading “Another post from How Not To Write”
Three principles of writing
I wish Jamie Grove posted at How Not to Write more regularly, because even when I disagree with some of his ideas about writing (which is very rare), he always gets me thinking about the craft and the process. Today’s post, “Charles Dickens – Three Principles of Writing,” is a great example and a wonderfulContinue reading “Three principles of writing”
New fiction from Ryan Werner
Ryan Werner’s online fiction project, Our Band Could Be Your Lit, is back in action with a beautiful new piece of flash fiction, “Back and to the Left,” based on Pearl Jam’s “Brain of J.” And it is one of the best stories I’ve read in a while. In his blog project, Ryan has vowedContinue reading “New fiction from Ryan Werner”
A Writer’s Notebook: a reading meme
Okay, this is perhaps cheating slightly, because a meme is hardly a writing exercise, right? Except that it is. I’ll explain more below, but for now, let’s call this a review of my influences. I should also preëmptively explain that this meme is made rather tricky because I have to qualify my answers: When itContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: a reading meme”
The end is near: Darin’s Bradley’s “Noise”
My friend Darin Bradley has had a very, very good year. His debut novel, the apocalyptic Noise, has garnered a great deal of praise and recognition since its release early this fall, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. Now, at the end of the year, Noise is starting to turn upContinue reading “The end is near: Darin’s Bradley’s “Noise””
Bad Writing
Point me to the advance ticket sales, please! Dan Chaon posted this on his Facebook page, which is where I found it. Sounds like a fantastic (and potentially depressing) jaunt into cold, blinding reality. A bit like “the Bulwer-Lytton contest meets 90% of all graduate writing workshops.” Which is exactly how I’d have pitched this.Continue reading “Bad Writing”
Samuel Snoek-Brown 