With books and publishing changing so quickly, a lot of writers are wondering how they can tell when they’ve actually “made it.” It’s a valid question, one that I think we all need to answer if we want to write seriously. For myself in particular, as an indie writer, how will I know when I’ve achieved… Continue reading How do you know when you’ve succeeded?
Tag: why we write
Ira Glass on storytelling
I just listened to this awesome presentation by Ira Glass, host of This American Life, on the art of storytelling and narrative, and I wanted to share it because it’s that good. If you haven’t ever heard of This American Life before, do yourself a favor and check it out. You may or may not… Continue reading Ira Glass on storytelling
Am I a jerk?
Today, a longtime writing friend told me that she wants nothing to do with me, which made me very sad. I hope she will reconsider, and if she does, I’d gladly welcome her back as my friend. However, because it’s come to my attention that some of my other friends feel that I come across… Continue reading Am I a jerk?
Shoot your fans?
Today’s issue of Dave’s Daily Kick was titled “Hooking Credibility,” and I’m not sure what I think of it. At the end, Dave’s brother Tailspin Jim had the following to say: What I’m about to add is so basic that [Dave] would never think to include it, but you may be like the vast majority… Continue reading Shoot your fans?
Writing is like tending an orchard
So I was hiking the Y tonight, pondering various things, and the thought occurred to me that writing is a lot like an olive orchard. First, you’ve got the land, both cultivated and wild. Cultivated land is like your conscious mind, where everything fits neatly into order and you have control over what you create. … Continue reading Writing is like tending an orchard
Guest post: Developing Characters in a Fantasy Setting
Nathan Major is a friend and fellow writing who, like me, has taken the epublishing route for his first novel, Paradise Seekers. I met him through our mutual friend Charlie at Brandon Sanderson’s English 318 class. His book is pretty good; I’m only partway through it right now, but he’s playing with some interesting fantasy… Continue reading Guest post: Developing Characters in a Fantasy Setting
Rocking the rewrite
I am well into the third draft of Worlds Away from Home, and oh man–it is so much fun! That might seem a bit counter-intuitive (revising = fun?), so let me explain my process. In a first draft, I have a ton of ideas, but it’s hard for me to keep track of them all… Continue reading Rocking the rewrite
Getting back into things
So yesterday, I wrote through 4k words in WAFH 2.0 without even realizing it. I didn’t feel very productive, because I only did about 500 words at a time before something came up and I got distracted, but by the end of the day, ended up accomplishing a lot. That was a pleasant surprise. In… Continue reading Getting back into things
What have you learned from reading science fiction?
While trolling around the new Facebook questions app, I came across this interesting question. Unable to resist, I spent the next hour crafting my answer. This is what I wrote: Gosh, what HAVEN’T I learned from science fiction? Because of science fiction, I do not fear the alien. I do not feel threatened by people… Continue reading What have you learned from reading science fiction?
Take me to Arabia
Recently, I’ve found myself nearly overwhelmed by the sudden urge to run away to the Middle East and go totally and irrevocably native. It may pass, but I still want to go back there–really bad. So I looked up BYU’s TESOL certification program, and figured I could apply in January, start fall of ’11, and… Continue reading Take me to Arabia