A good blog/site will not be merely shameless self-promotion (ok, some of it will be)…but as George Costanza once said, “We’re living in a SOCIETY!” And yes, we scriveners are playing our trade within a literary community and as such, it’s incumbent upon us to spread the wealth, have a dialogue, share those nuggets of wisdom or inspiration or even just useful info which have been shared with us…
Here are some compelling articles that caught my eye most recently…
Vaughn Roycroft writes of an issue I have touched on a bit myself: pursuing one’s writing dream a bit later in life. He touches on some heavy aspects of this dynamic—most notably coming to grips with our own mortality—but the piece is hardly a downer. Roycroft aptly conveys how these realities and realizations can strengthen and motivate us in our literary pursuits, and add an invaluable perspective.
There is an infinite array of ingredients which comprise the recipe of successful fiction, but at the end of the day I am resolved in my belief that so much still comes down to character. All too often even very skilled scribes miss the mark with this seemingly obvious but sometimes elusive tenet. This is a great piece from Jane Friedman about the importance of understanding—and conveying—your character’s obsession, and how to do it.
The pitch and query process remain so very vital—and still a challenge for me. You can write something amazing but if you don’t master the art of pitching (don’t throw too many curves), your work may never see the light of day (or at least, a bookshelf). Rachelle Gardner presents a nice post—detailed yet easy to follow and execute—on how to get it right.
I love dogs. And writing. So I love this site and this article. Jan Drexler on training your writing life. J
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