I write a lot about character arc, and I talk a lot about it with my clients. Because if there’s a magic bullet for creating a novel that sucks the reader in, holds her attention, and ultimately makes her feel like it was worth the 6+ hours it took to read that book, character arc is it. Many writers are … Read More
Why can it be so difficult to improve old work?
If you’ve been with me a while, you know that I’m revising a collection of short fiction, with the goal of getting it ready to submit by the end of the year. Some of the stories in this collection are new, and some are old–and right now, I’m revising an old one, set at the boarding school for the arts … Read More
When one door shuts…
We all know the saying: When one door closes, another one opens. Last month, I shared that I’d received some tough news from a colleague on my new novel–news that it wasn’t nearly as far along as I’d thought. Many of you wrote to share your appreciation for my honesty in sharing this, for the vulnerability in it. Some of … Read More
I wish I’d done this a LOT sooner…
In my latest post for Jane Friedman, I wrote about the writerly quality of grit, and three ways that it’s critical to getting over the finish line with publishing—which is something I’ve experienced myself recently, in a deeply personal way. Last week, I sent my novel-in-progress off to my fellow book coach and Julie Artz for a manuscript evaluation. And friends, though it … Read More
