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Writing as Practice

No matter what popular opinion might say, talent is only the beginning. What really counts is practice. Consistent, smart practice that doesn’t just play to your strengths in your chosen field but addresses your weaknesses as well. A few years ago a writing-teacher encouraged us to see writing as practice. A lightbulb went off in my head. Now, though, I’ll take it a step farther and say: Don’t see writing as practice. See it as a practice. That little article is important. To practice, say, the piano can be tedious. A chore. Something you “should” do. A practice, on the Read More …

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Writing is Painting with Words

When most people think about artists, what first comes to mind are painters, sculptors, film makers, musicians, or composers. Writers are usually an afterthought. “Yeah. I guess they’re artists, too.” In a way it makes sense. Visual arts and music are immediate. Striking. The object itself engenders a reaction. If you look at a book, though, it might be the cover art that grabs your attention, but the text itself isn’t much to look at – until you start immersing yourself into it. The beauty of writing is that it’s arguably even more of an act of co-creation than other Read More …

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Notes from a Season of Writing

Writing goes through its own seasons, much like life in general does. Right now I’m in a season of change. What was comfortable yesterday has become stifling. And what was safe and a source of pride has somehow morphed into a daunting obstacle. In the immortal words of Bruce Springsteen, I want to “change my clothes, my hair, my face” – and a few things besides. Actually it’s not about appearance at all. It’s about what’s going on under the hood. I’ve been slacking on my diet, I’ve been slacking on exercise, and with the resultant lack of energy, I’ve Read More …

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The Power of Validation

In my querying adventures I’ve come to a conclusion that probably doesn’t surprise anyone but myself: Social validation is a powerful little thing. I’ve never had more than an arm’s length interest in social media. The whole fishing for likes and retweets and friends has always seemed a little silly to me. But when an agent “liked” one of my pitches for one of the many pitch wars on Twitter, the dopamine hit was real. A hit of energy. A hit of hope. Of course my chances of anything coming of it are only slightly better than winning the lottery. Read More …

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Judge a Book by Its Cover

They tell you that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but, hey, the cover is its calling-card. It’s like the first impression you form of another person, and I suppose it’s just about reliable. Which is to say, it’s mostly a pretty good approximation, unless the person’s a consummate actor, or the publisher slapped a cheap stock cover on the book and thereby left a good part of its chances in the marketplace on the table. Sometimes I wonder if giving a new or mid-list author a mediocre cover may not be part of the strategy. After all, Read More …