How a Book Is Born, Part 12
In which I decide to kill off a character. And then rescind the decision.
In which I decide to kill off a character. And then rescind the decision.
I recently got a note from a writer saying she felt creatively drained. She said, “My book is good. How can I convince others?” Reading between the lines, I figured she’d written a book she felt was excellent but agents/editors were rejecting it, and that was making her feel a lot like not writing any more…
On the theme of Open the Office Door, an excerpt from my book Dojo Wisdom for Writers on a concept I love: Lesson #8: Keep the Beginner’s Mind Martial artists respect the beginner’s mind because it’s open to new experiences and isn’t as critical as it later becomes. Someone who is just beginning…
Back in the days when I was a magazine editor, I often worked with people who were perfectly competent writers but who hadn’t quite figured out some of the basics. For example, when I said, “Talk to a couple of experts about simple ways to organize your socks,” I didn’t mean that the writer should…
I’ve been lucky to be a freelance writer of nonfiction for many years. A fantastic tribe of readers — people like you — have supported my efforts by buying my books, attending my talks, sharing your thoughts and otherwise making my work a joy. Even those of you who send me notes from your prison…
Sometimes, surprise yourself.
Terry Pratchett is wicked smart and his comic novels come with a sting. He found out a few years ago that he is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s, and to read his most recent novel, I Shall Wear Midnight, with that knowledge is enough to make you cry. His young protagonist, Tiffany Aching, and her sidekicks,…