Saturday, November 27, 2010

Enough, Already! Is It Time to Start Revising Your Manuscript?

The relationship of writer with book-in-progress can be likened to a marriage as opposed to a date.  Poems, articles, columns, and short stories are all creative commitments, to be sure, but even if they linger unfinished for a while, they are short relationships compared to 350 pages of manuscript.  With a book, you regularly re-evaluate your progress, your purpose, and your plans.  You recommit again and again.

 But is it ever done? When is enough, enough?  These questions come up at two particular stages,

Monday, November 22, 2010

Three Writers on Writing and Creativity

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate this week.  In honor of the holiday, when maybe we all can get a tiny bit more leisure time (ROFL), I'm sharing three videos and articles on writing.  So look, listen, and read . . .and enjoy!

I'll be back next week with a new discussion on revision--how to know when you're ready for it.

A video presentation by writer Elizabeth Gilbert on creativity:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u-tz0MA&feature=related.

Vivian Gornick, author of The Situation and The Story, on the writing life:  http://therumpus.net/2010/08/conversations-with-writers-braver-than-me-1-vivian-gornick/

 Jill Bolte Taylor on the brain and creativity:
http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html
PS  Do you have favorite videos, podcasts, or online articles on writing that you'd like to share with me?  Send them along.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Preparing for Hibernation--Building a Winter Writing Rhythm

Where I live in northern New England, it's getting toward winter.  The trees have lost most of their leaves, and it got so chilly last night, we almost didn't open the window in the bedroom.  The change of weather is bringing to mind vast snowy landscapes, the uncluttered look of deep winter.  My best writing time of the year.

As a painter and a writer, I've

Friday, November 5, 2010

National Novel Writers' Month--A Crazy but Effective Approach to Making a Book

Right now, as you read this, hundreds of thousands of writers from around the world are focused on one thing, a  crazy but effective approach to making a book.  It's a kind of competition without prizes called National Novel Writers' Month, or "nanowrimo."

Starting November 1 each year, these writers pledge to write 50,000 words in thirty days.  The goal is