Columns

13 Resolutions To Make You A Better, More Productive Writer In 2013

December 26th, 2012

We’ve all been burned by New Year’s resolutions. Otherwise, we’d have statuesque physiques, shelves lined with our best sellers, and pools full of cash instead of hangovers, unfinished manuscripts, and maxed-out credit cards. Most of us have failed so many times that even the words “New Year’s resolution” elicit shame and fury. (Or maybe that’s just me, but I sure hope not. Schadenfreude is the best.)

Ask the Agent: More On Writer/Agent Etiquette, How to Approach Agents With Multiple Genres & More

December 26th, 2012

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 three of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder. Question from Amanda My question: If a writer receives [an offer of] representation from one agent while she's working on a Revise and Resubmit for another agent, should she notify the R&R agent that she received an offer?

Dramatic Situation Vs. Dramatic Scene: Win the Fight Against Poor Form

December 21st, 2012

I. Hemingway’s Thoughts on Interior Decoration Ernest Hemingway said that “prose is architecture, not interior decoration.” Some of us might not like to think of fiction as something so architectural, something so concrete as, well, concrete.  But we’d do better to interpret Hemingway's statement as encouragement to see fiction not as blue-print or mathematical formula, but as form. The difference between the two is the difference between an erector-set and a wheel-thrown vase.

The Blagger's Guide to J. R. R. Tolkien

December 21st, 2012

To blag (v): to sound like you know what you’re talking about when you don’t The Blagger’s Guide to Literature (n): an invaluable resource for those who wish to blag about books without actually reading them. Ha! I don’t need a Blagger’s Guide to Tolkien – I can go and see the films! And what about when your date asks you about the books afterwards? What then huh? Huh??

Book Brawl: A Christmas Carol vs. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

December 21st, 2012

We haven’t had a good ol’ Book Brawl round these parts in quite some time, but I think the holiday spirit demands a little merry pugilist action. In the ring today, we have the two most classic tales of Yuletide: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Who shall prevail in a display of brute strength and glad tidings? Let’s find out!

10 Stories We Never Need to See in Workshops Again

December 20th, 2012

Several months ago, Indiana Review staffer Joe Hiland wrote a great column about many of the submissions that routinely appear in the I.R.’s slush pile. Its timing was apropos for me, as I've recently felt like an unwitting subject in a perplexing metaphysical paradox: I keep running into the same stories in fiction workshops over and over again.

Top Ten: The Year's Best Fantasy - 2012

December 20th, 2012

Below you will find a list of my top 10 fantasy releases of 2012. This is not intended as a comprehensive list, but is a selection of the things I have read and seen. Also, keep in mind that the order is very loose. I welcome differing opinions, alternate selections, and suggestions in the comments. Without further ado...

Library Love: Five Copyright Essentials For The Writer’s Toolkit

December 19th, 2012

Original image via Wikipedia “Copyright.”

Ghostly Doppelgangers, Bell-Ringing Goblins, and More Cranky Old Rich Jerks: Get in the Holiday Spirit With Some Lesser Known Dickens

December 19th, 2012

Scandalous! Five Ways in Which The Hobbit is Superior to The Lord of the Rings

December 18th, 2012

This weekend saw the long-anticipated release of Peter Jackson’s cinematic adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (which made a butt-load of money). And while I love The Lord of the Rings and grew up in the shadow of its huge, looming presence, it was only after The Hobbit film was announced that I realized how I often prefer the story of Bilbo Baggins.