Monthly Archives: January 2019

I’ve been flirting with the idea that while writing you really shouldn’t think about your readers at all. I have a commitment to writing well, and a commitment to my characters, to bring them to life and to be honest … Continue reading →

I’ve written a few bad novels. At the time I thought they were good, but they weren’t. I don’t plan ever to publish them, so you’ll be spared. I mention this because I don’t want to give anybody the impression … Continue reading →

This week I’m reading some thumbnail descriptions of novels by a group of aspiring writers. Those in the group have been asked not to reveal what others have written, so I’m not going to get into specifics. But I do … Continue reading →

Writing a novel is hard work. Having a natural affinity for the process is, I’m sure, a gift, but just having the gift isn’t enough. This week I’ve been looking at thumbnail descriptions of some novels by aspiring authors. Without … Continue reading →

One of the two epigraphs of the novel I’m currently tidying up is from Kurt Vonnegut’s Mother Night: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” (The other epigraph, which … Continue reading →

Revising a draft of a novel can be a painful process. Things that aren’t working have to be rewritten or tossed out, elements that are missing or neglected have to be not just added but woven in seamlessly. A scene … Continue reading →