I see you there—your ink well and your quill and your oak gall ink. Dip, think, scratch. Yeah, you’re writing. Chances are, as a writer, you enjoy being alone. Me, too. Did you ever think about why you like alone time? 2020 has taught us all many awful lessons—but it’s definitely taught me how much…
I have a walkie-talkie by the gearshift in my VW Passat. I hear the command: “Roll sound.” And the reply: “Rolling sound.” More whispering—all the directions are being given inside the café a half-block away, where the scene is being filmed. “Roll Camera” in a quiet whisper. Wait, wait … An assistant director stands outside…
Last month I mentioned (I mean, announced) that I’ll be the guest writer/teacher next summer for Ireland Writer Tours. I got the invitation from Ireland Writer Tours organizer Fiona Claire a few months ago. As far as I was concerned, it came clear out of the blue. It was incredibly flattering. (A quick update: the…
Come fly away with me. (I’ve always wanted to say that. Or write that.) To Ireland. Next summer. I’ve been invited to teach for a week with Ireland Writer Tours. My co-instructor will be a fabulous literary agent, Moe Ferrara, with BookEnds. One week—and only a dozen writers in the entire group. Intimate? Personal? Yes…
It’s a cocky thing to say, but I’ll say it: I rarely get stuck when I’m writing. (Notice I didn’t say ‘never.’) If I feel slightly stuck, here’s what I do: I start writing down everything my character is feeling in the moment, in the “now” of that character’s situation. If the character isn’t feeling…