Last November, Neil Gaiman sat down and had a long chat with author Junot Díaz, one of his final appearances before he takes 2016 off to be just a writer and a father to his new baby with wife Amanda Palmer. This interview kicks off with a great rundown of the history of Sandman, which is well worth watching whether you’re familiar with the comics series or not. If you prefer to just get right to Neil, you can jump to about the 6:30 mark, where the video moves to the interview venue. This is a longish interview — nearly an hour and a half — so be sure to carve out a bit of time to watch.
Authors
Reading Wrap Up for 2015
I started this year with a number of reading-related goals, among them to read more published books (as opposed to manuscripts) than I have been managing recently, to read more diversely, and to try my hand at a number of reading challenges I’d found around the internet, one of which in particular focused on reading books you’ve had sitting on your bookshelves for a year or more instead of endlessly buying new ones. As it’s the last day of the year, it’s time to see how I’ve done.
In terms of reading more, I certainly managed that one. I’m one book shy of hitting my goal for the Goodreads Challenge, and I’m nearly finished with my current read, so I can safely say that’s one goal met. In terms of diversity, 63% of the books I read were by women, with the remaining 37% by men, and that’s about on par for me in terms of gender split, falling a little more heavily on the women-writers side than last year, but then I tend to read more women than men by default. As for writers of color, they accounted for 30% of this year’s reading, up slightly from last year’s 25%. It’s not a bad number, but I’d still like to raise it, so that’s a goal that will carry on into 2016.
As for the other challenges I took on, I failed pretty abysmally, indicating that perhaps given the small amount of time I have for personal reading, I should focus on fewer goals rather than spreading myself thin trying to find ways to read things that count for more than one challenge. So I’m sticking to my basic reading goals for the coming year: Read more books, read more diversely, and try not to buy quite so many new books when I have so many waiting for me at home already. I’d also like to read more books in translation, but I feel that dovetails nicely with my goal to diversify.
I’m happy to say I read some really wonderful books this year. I could probably go on for ages extolling the virtues of a few of the titles in particular, but instead I’m just going to list a few favorites, in no particular order. Please note that these books are all personal reads; none of the authors are clients.
I’d love to hear what books have made an impression on you this year. New favorites? Recommendations? Or were there any books that were a true disappointment? Feel free to share your bookish thoughts in comments. I look forward to hearing what had you excited in 2015, and wish you all the best for a wonderful new year of reading and writing!
Getting Back to the Page: Some Writers on Writing
Trying to get back to writing after a day or two off can be a tricky thing. Perhaps you’re excited to write and get right to it, no problem, in which case, have at it and good for you. But you might be feeling a bit of holiday hangover — figurative or literal — that makes even the idea of thinking about your project unappealing. Or you want to write but your brain is still turned off. It happens.
For all of you struggling to get back to it, and to those of you who just would like a little writerly advice, I offer up this video of several writers talking to interviewer Charlie Rose about different aspects of writing. I hope you enjoy and that it sends you back to your desk. And just remember, all the words count. Happy writing!
Molly Crabapple on Art, Writing, and Creative Work
Artist and journalist Molly Crabapple sat down with the folks at Vice recently to talk about her creative habit and her new memoir. She has some interesting, honest things to say about the grind of working in the creative arts day in, day out. The video includes some liberal swearing and a few sketches with nudity, so please use your own discretion regarding viewing it at work or if those sorts of things offend you. Otherwise, I encourage you to check it out for a little creative inspiration. Pardon the link, but it didn’t want to embed for me. Enjoy!
Taking Drawing Lessons from Artist and Journalist Molly Crabapple
Writers on Writing: Ian McEwan on Finding Confidence
Day 20 of the December Writing Challenge, and you’re just about two-thirds of the way through the month. So many of you are still going strong, writing away each day, and I’m so proud and excited that you’ve gotten into the groove. In case you’re feeling a little discouraged or like you’re the only one dragging yourself to your computer on some of these busy December days, I’ve got a short-but-sweet video below to help remind you that all writers face the same challenges. So keep your head up and your fingers on the keyboard or around your pen. Happy writing!
Happy Book Release Day!
A very happy book release day to Jo Davis, whose latest Sugarland Blue romantic suspense novel, BRING THE HEAT, is available today.
Being on the Sugarland P.D. means never backing down, no matter how intense the case—or how dangerous the attraction…
Captain Austin Rainey knows all too well that being a good cop sometimes means gaining some bad enemies. After his ex-wife is killed, he finds himself on the wrong side of the law, trying to prove he’s innocent of her murder. The last thing he needs is a distraction—especially of the irresistible female kind…
Medical examiner Laura Eden has always found Austin more than a little intriguing, but she’s kept her feelings under wraps. Now she’s determined to do her job and clear his name—but as her investigation brings them into close proximity, she can’t deny the attraction between them—or resist the temptation he presents.
But Laura and Austin soon realize their budding feelings might be more than emotionally perilous. Someone is coming after everyone Austin holds dear—and Laura might be the next one in the line of fire…
Check out this tense romance at your favorite book/e-book retailer today.
How Writers Get Their Start: Katori Hall
It’s a short week here in the U.S., as Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I thought I’d share another of The Paris Review blog‘s wonderful series of videos where writers share their “first time” getting into print/publishing. So often writers are told to write the thing they want to read. In the case of Katori Hall, she saw a definite absence of a certain type of play when she went to prepare a scene for an acting class — something that featured two young black women in conversation — and so she decided it was up to her to fill that gap.
How Writers Get Their Start: Donald Antrim
The Paris Review blog features a series on writers’ first times, short videos in which they talk about how they started out and what project allowed them to break through into publication. Each story is unique and, I think, encouraging in some way, particularly because they illustrate so clearly that the one thing these writers all have in common is persistence.
Today’s author is Donald Antrim, author of Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World.
Amy Stewart on Storytelling and Reinvention
Author Amy Stewart got her start writing about gardens with a twist, titles such as Wicked Gardens: The Weed that Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities and The Drunken Botanist. But during her research for the latter title, she came across a story so compelling that she just knew she had to turn it into a novel. The result, Girl Waits with Gun, is her first work of fiction and marks a huge shift in her writing career.
What’s the risk for a bestselling author to switch genres so completely? How did she get started writing about plants and bugs? Stewart answers these and many other questions about craft and the importance of storytelling in her recent interview with Jonathan Fields. This runs nearly an hour, so be sure to set aside some time to settle in for a nice long listen.
Guest Post: 25 Debut Authors Share Advice for Getting Published
I’m delighted to welcome Chuck Sambuchino (@chucksambuchino) of Writer’s Digest Books to the blog today. September 2015 saw the release of three of Chuck’s new books, the 2016 Guide to Literary Agents, the 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market, and his anti-clown humor book When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide. Chuck has generously offered to do a giveaway. In two weeks, he’ll pick a commenter from this thread at random, and the winner will receive their choice of any of his books. Must live within the US/Canada to receive a print book; those residing elsewhere will receive a PDF e-book. Beware clowns.
GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED! The winner, as chosen through Random.org, is Jayne, who posted October 7th. Jayne, please watch your email for a note from Chuck Sambuchino with information on receiving your book. Congratulations! Thanks so much to everyone who commented, and to Chuck for his great guest post and generous giveaway.
Without further ado, I’ll hand you over to Chuck.
I love interviewing debut authors. I interview them for my Guide to Literary Agents Blog, and make sure to include at least a dozen such interviews in each edition of the Guide to Literary Agents, such as the new 2016 edition. These interviews are very helpful to aspiring writers, because the authors come clean about what they believe they did right, what the wish they would have done different, and other advice for writers.
So I went back to 25 debut author interviews of the past few years and focused on one single important question I asked them:
“Now that you’re done explaining your own journey to publication, what is one piece of advice you’d like to share with writers?”
The results are inspiring and fascinating. See below, and learn from 25 writers who have come before you and succeeded.
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“Never give up. Keep writing through the rejections, the revisions, the never-ending explanations to your friends about why you aren’t published yet. Keep writing when you hear that other people have gotten agents and book deals. Keep writing, even if it takes you years to finally accomplish your goal.”
~Sabaa Tahir, author of An Ember in the Ashes
“To paraphrase Jay Asher [author of 13 Reasons Why]: ‘Don’t give up because that NY Times bestseller could be right around the corner!’”
~Constance Lombardo, author of Mr. Puffball: Stunt Cat to the Stars
“Don’t send out your novel before it’s ready. Take your time. If it’s as good as you think it is, everything will work out.”
~Lisa Freeman, author of Honey Girl
“I would say to do more thinking than writing. It’s really easy to get mired in language and sentence structure and sort of lose the forest for the trees. It’s important to really think about your idea inside and out and up and down and all around before penning a word so that you really know what you’re getting at and how you want to get at it.”
~Dev Petty, author of I Don’t Want to Be a Frog
“ ’Ass in Chair.’ Fingers above keyboard. Don’t talk about what you’re going to write—write it.”
~Jeff Anderson, author of Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth
“Find a trusted critique partner to give you honest feedback, and be sure to return the favor in critiquing their work. There is a lot to be learned about the art of writing from editing other people’s work.”
~Aisha Saeed, author of Written in the Stars
“Tenacity is everything. Don’t listen to the people who tell you can’t make money as a writer. They’re well meaning, but they lack imagination.”
~Max Wirestone, author of The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss
“Write the book you want to read.”
~Amanda Linsmeier, author of Ditch Flowers
“Be stubborn. I tried 90 different agents before I landed one.”
~Adam Plantinga, author of 400 Things Cops Know: Street-Smart Lessons from a Veteran Patrolman
“You can turn rejection and disappointment into a serious motivator if you’re determined enough to be published. But you must also understand why the work is not accepted. Have the discipline and subjectivity to look at your work and say, ‘Yeah, that’s not good enough,’ and then sit down and make it better. ”
~Jamie Kornegay, author of Soil
“Work hard, be patient, and become part of a writing community. Get involved in the industry in some capacity—even as a volunteer—to gain a better understanding as to how it all works.”
~Brooke Davis, author of Lost and Found
“‘Never give up; never surrender.’ Or, the longer version: Write. Edit. Polish. Find a competent critique group or writing partner and learn to take honest criticism. If your novel still doesn’t sell, write another one. And another. Write as many as it takes. And don’t be discouraged by other authors’ success—instead, let it encourage you to work harder, write better, and hang in there. Your turn will come.”
~Susan Spann, author of Claws of the Cat: A Shinobi Mystery
“Don’t be afraid to ask for advice: if you know someone who has successfully written a proposal, ask him or her if you could take a look at it; if you know someone who knows an agent, ditto.”
~Asher Price, author of Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity
“Always use active verbs. Avoid passive voice if you can.”
~Thomas Lee, author of Rebuilding Empires: How Best Buy and Other Retailers are Transforming and Competing in the Digital Age of Retailing
“Choose enthusiasm. If you are lucky enough to have more than one agent or editor interested in your work, don’t automatically choose the bigger name or even the most money. Go with the person who loves your book and is dying to work with you.”
~Eliza Kennedy, author of I Take You: A Novel
“Write a great book. The publishing world may be hard to break in to, but if you have a great book, they’ll have no choice but to notice you. And on that note, edit. Edit like your life depends on it.”
~Lindsey Cummings, author of The Murder Complex
“Don’t send your work out until it’s as good as your favorite book. Also, there is no one way to write. Many authors are long-winded and later have to chop a lot of words. I write sparingly from beginning to end and then go back and plump up all the chapters. Do what works for you.”
~Marcia Strykowski, author of Call Me Amy
“Read widely in the genre you’re writing in. And go easy on yourself. Everyone has their own pace. Persistence is as important as productivity.”
~Nancy Grossman, author of A World Away
“Do not give up. If you believe in your work, find ways to work around those impenetrable doors. There isn’t only one way to break in, so explore all avenues. And be kind to everyone.”
~Karolina Waclawiak, author of How to Get Into the Twin Palms
“Wait until there’s something you really want to say.”
~Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, authors of Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending
“It’s cliché, but read. A lot. Anything, but especially current stuff in the genre you write. Find out what’s selling—and why kids like it. Figure out what you like and why you like it. Then write something new.”
~W.H. Beck, author of Malcolm at Midnight
“Do your research. Knowing what kinds of books specific agents and editors like is incredibly helpful. Stay informed. Know what books everyone is talking about. Know what books you yourself love. And, just like any industry, being kind and pleasant to work with, and respectful takes you far. And in publishing, it’s not hard to be kind.”
~Cirey Ann Haydu, author of OCD Love Story
“Read, write, and stay informed. The only thing you can control is how hard you’re willing to work at becoming a better writer.”
~Claire Kells, author of Girl Underwater
“Don’t be afraid to put yourself and your writing out there. Take colossal risks. The publishing world rewards bravery.”
~Brandy Vallence, author of The Covered Deep
“Finish. Don’t keep tinkering with the same book for years. Put it aside and start another one. You won’t improve as a writer by writing the same book over and over.”
~Melissa Lenhardt, author of Stillwater: A Jack McBride Mystery
Thanks again to Chuck for sharing so much great advice. Don’t forget to leave a comment in order to enter the giveaway. A winner will be chosen in two weeks, and will get their choice of any of Chuck’s books. Must live in the US/Canada for a print edition; those residing elsewhere are eligible for a PDF e-book edition. Good luck to all!