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Recap: Game of Thrones 3.05 - Kissed by Fire
April 29th, 2013
This is going to contain spoilers for this episode, and also for the books. I won't tell you what happens in the fifth book, or what I think is going to happen in the next episode, but I will talk about differences between the book and the show thus far. Deal with it. Last night's episode, Kissed by Fire, was a workman episode. There wasn't a whole lot of forward movement, but it expertly lined up plotlines and character relationships that will pay off for the rest of the season, and beyond.
Read Column →Ask The Agent: When to Nudge Agents, Hiring Editors, and MORE!
April 29th, 2013
Navigating the rough terrain of today’s publishing industry shouldn’t be a solo event. This week in Ask the Agent, I’ll explore and dissect a few of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder.
Read Column →Life-Changers and Soul-Crushers: 3 Books I Feel Blessed to Have Read & 3 I Wish I Could Obliterate from My Memory
April 26th, 2013
There are books, and there are good books. There are books that are not so good, but that are good reads. And then there are the books that, when you finish reading them, make you feel emotional, inspired, full of love for language and hope for humanity. These are the books that you can’t forget, the LIFE CHANGERS.
Read Column →7 F***in' Great Ways to Build Your Writing Routine
April 25th, 2013
I spent ages looking for tips on building writing habits, and was disappointed. There's a lot of bland advice out there: write every day, don't edit while you write, have a goal… None of that is very helpful if you're trying to understand how you should actually put this stuff into practice.
Read Column →All the Reasons Californication is Terrible Now
April 25th, 2013
Dear Tom Kapinos and everyone else responsible for Californication, What the hell happened? Are you guys okay?
Read Column →10 Authors Who Prove It's Never Too Late To Start Writing
April 25th, 2013
Some women are badgered mercilessly by biological clocks that tick louder and louder as infertility approaches. "Have a baby," the clock tells them. "Just look how cute that baby is! You need a baby. Now! While you still can." That part of me doesn't exist, but in its place is some sort of literary clock, every bit as annoying in its insistence and ubiquity. "Write the book," it says. "Look at that store full of books. One of those should be yours." Around my birthday, it turns rather mean spirited.
Read Column →Storyville: 20 Things I've Learned About Writing
April 24th, 2013
What have I learned over the past five years, as a writer, a reader, and a patron of the arts? Here are twenty items—I hope they help you with your career.
Read Column →Crossing the Rubicon: A Steve Erickson Primer
April 24th, 2013
On January 10th, 49 BC, Julius Caesar led a legion of soldiers across the Rubicon river into Italy, an act of insurrection that started the Great Roman Civil War. Roman historian Suetonius gives this apocryphal account:
Read Column →First Drafts in a Mobile Landscape: Five Word Processors for Tablets & Smartphones
April 23rd, 2013
In my previous column, Paperless Writer: Five Steps to a Successful Digital Rewrite, I focused on draft editing practices in a mobile landscape. Now I’d like to take a step back and talk about the first draft, that initial pouring of characters and plot onto the page (or in our case, the screen). Just as there is an abundance of word processing software for both Mac and PC, so it goes for iPad and other tablets on the market.
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