It’s All About the Execution
I often hear writers spend an inordinate amount of time talking about their search for the great idea. I do it myself. Often, we get frustrated at rejection letters from The Toilet Paper Review or the fact that managing editor at Headbanging Accordion magazine won’t return our phone calls and we blame it on the…
continue readingWriting Advice From Someone Who Expects Not to Write Again
Craig Clevenger, author of Dermaphoria and The Contortionist’s Handbook does not expect to ever write another word. He doesn’t plan on a career, he doesn’t worry about his “style” or his body of work. He focuses on every single word as if it’s his last. Above his desk is a note that reads “this is…
continue readingCan We Please Outlaw Mirror Descriptions of Characters?
I’m utterly amazed how this can actually be used by a professional writer, in a professional magazine. This is something that we all have done, so don’t act like you didn’t, but usually we outgrow this after the first few stories. So I’m just shocked to see it in an otherwise decent story I read…
continue readingWriterisms to Avoid
You all don’t need this, but its here, just to say we told you so. Writerisms: overused and misused language. In more direct words: find ’em, root ’em out, and look at your prose without the underbrush. am, is, are, was, were, being, be, been ?Ķ combined with “by” or with “by ?Ķ someone” implied…
continue readingTip: Writing Exercise from John Gardner
Slushpile favorite Mike Magnuson reminded us of the grace, insight, and knowledge John Gardner poured into the pages of The Art of Fiction. When I was re-reading the wonderful book, I came across an interesting exercise to hone your writing skill.
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