I am working through plotting issues myself and returned to these notes from a master class I taught on narrative endings a couple years ago. They are just my …
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writing
5 Funny Irish Writers on How to Write
In case you need some good old Irish inspiration to set aside the green beer for the pen this St. Patrick's Day weekend, I've dug up five funny Irish writers to …
A Survival Guide to Writers Conferences: 1. Eat Chocolate for Breakfast
A friend who is heading for a writers' conference next month asked if I had any advice, and since it's not the first time I've been asked: 1. Eat Chocolate for …
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Cathy Marie Buchanan: Finding the Writing Life
Earlier this year, when Cathy Marie Buchanan asked if I'd read her new novel, The Painted Girls, I jumped at the chance. I loved her debut, The Day the Falls …
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Writing a Novel is Like Paddling a Bathtub
Just came across this wonderfully funny and true quote in the New York Times Book Review: “Look, writing a novel is like paddling from Boston to London in a …
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Sarah Pekkanen: A Glass of Wine and a Little Courage
I'm having a nice little Gaithersburg Book Festival run lately, hosting Caroline Leavitt in January, Eleanor Brown in February, and now Sarah Pekkanen in March. …
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How Authors Can Get Bookscan Numbers
In case any authors out there don't already know it, you can get the Neilson Bookscan numbers for your books through Author Central on Amazon. I'll confess to …
On Gathering with Other Writers
Starting today, I'll be doing a weekly blog post on She Writes, sharing guest author and other posts from 1st Books. If you don't know She Writers, it's a great …
The Scent of a Woman's Ink, Still
On the whole, the past year was a pretty good one for literary women: Huerta Mueller won the Nobel, Hilary Mantel the Booker, Annette Gordon-Reed the National …
Meg Waite Clayton: In Praise of Writing Friends
No guest today. Just me, since it's my publication week! The history of my own writing starts with a purse. Like the character of Linda in my new novel, The …
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