Quiet Night, Too Much Thinking
A Quick Look at a First Novel by Mathew R. J. Parkes
It’s not a good idea to ask an editor to look at your work unless you are ready for an honest opinion that you might not like. Today, I received a request on Twitter from British debut novelist Mathew R. J. Parkes [ @ShriekSN ] asking me to take a look at his first full-length … read more A Quick Look at a First Novel by Mathew R. J. Parkes
Should Writers Pay for Reviews?
This article in Publishers Weekly discusses the pros and cons of paid reviews and it’s a good read if you have written a book and now you want to promote it. When I say “paid reviews,” by the way, I’m talking about pro (and pricey) review services like Kirkus and Blueink, not $5 reviews on … read more Should Writers Pay for Reviews?
Never Doubt Yourself
Late Night Music
Running Off the Tracks
A friend on Ello recently joked about writers running off the tracks, and after browsing my page, he wrote: “I would think, having surfed your page, you would be firmly on track. Completely, totally, one hundred percent, absolutely, positively, confirmed, obediently, full-fledged, and compliantly on track at all times.” I do try! Growing older has … read more Running Off the Tracks
Imagination and Knowledge
Here’s another enduring quote from Albert Einstein to remind us that imagination is so essential to the creative side of writing: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.”
Logic and Imagination
Blast from the Past
As I begin the unpleasant chore of getting rid of most of the stuff I have accumulated over the years, tonight I came upon a blast from the past. Buried in the back of a large closet in my garage, I found 10 very heavy boxes. And when I peered inside, lo and behold—many, many … read more Blast from the Past