Category: Dubious Writing Advice
Proofing Checklist: Just Nod & Smile
I recently finished the latest revision of my novel, and after all the heavy lifting was done–you know, adding new scenes, tweaking character motivations, all that–it was time for one more proof before it goes back to my agent. Now I have a pretty… Continue Reading “Proofing Checklist: Just Nod & Smile”
Get Your Hooks In: Even More Fun With First Lines
For a while now I’ve been revisiting my published stories specifically to look at the first line and determine if it’s the kind of line that immediately hooks the reader. Once again, this is because of an essay by Stephen King called “Great Hookers… Continue Reading “Get Your Hooks In: Even More Fun With First Lines”
The Post-Rejection Process
Rejections are inevitable. You can’t avoid them, you can’t (and absolutely shouldn’t) argue with them, and though they lose some of their sting over time, they’ll always have some bite. What you can do is control how you deal with rejections. For me, that… Continue Reading “The Post-Rejection Process”
Deadlines: What Can They Teach You?
I’m currently writing on deadline, something I’ve done a lot in my career. From short stories to novels, I’ve frequently had to bang out the words under the gun. That got me thinking. What has writing under a deadline taught me and how has… Continue Reading “Deadlines: What Can They Teach You?”
Micromanagement: 4 Benefits of Writing Tiny
I’ve been writing Twitter microfiction under the #vss365 hashtag for roughly two months. This is my first experience writing at this very limited scale, and I’m finding it both fun and educational. I’m by no means an expert, but there is definite value in… Continue Reading “Micromanagement: 4 Benefits of Writing Tiny”
Submission Top Ten: Longest Waits
Recently I sent a few submission status queries and even a withdrawal letter, and it got me thinking about long wait times and how they turn out. So I went back through my submissions and pulled my top ten longest waits to see how… Continue Reading “Submission Top Ten: Longest Waits”
Why I’m Not Writing: Procrastination
Let’s talk about procrastination, one of the myriad demons that plague writers and keep them from achieving their goals. I believe procrastination generally stems from fear. You know, fear of failing, fear of writing badly, fear of that really difficult scene that’s out of… Continue Reading “Why I’m Not Writing: Procrastination”
Off the Hook: More Fun with First Lines
For the past couple of years I’ve written blog posts examining the first lines of my short stories. All of this is based on an essay by Stephen King called “Great Hookers I Have Known” from his collection Secret Windows. In the essay, he examines first… Continue Reading “Off the Hook: More Fun with First Lines”
Works in Progress: How Many Is Too Many?
I often go hunting for quotes from authors about writing, usually for my weekly writing update posts. I recently stumbled across the following quote from novelist Philip Roth, and I really dig it. He said: “The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.” -Philip… Continue Reading “Works in Progress: How Many Is Too Many?”
A New Rejection Record
I’ve written a couple of posts on my various rejections records, lists of dubious achievements in number, speed, and type of rejections. Because I send out so many submissions, it should come as no surprise that a lot of these records don’t stand for… Continue Reading “A New Rejection Record”
Night Walk & Other Dark Paths
Acts of War: Flashpoint
Acts of War: Aftershock
Acts of War: Stormbreak
