Writer Bums are often late to read the next best thing. We're usually writing. Case in point: I just discovered why Dave Eggers almost won a Pulitzer.
This guy is a literary pioneer and powerhouse. Now, one of my favorite online surf spots is his hilarious McSweeney's Internet Tendency. Stories, like this one; just too damn funny!
Even the about page on the site cracks me up. This is how I feel, too, about blogging.
Saturday, March 24
Friday, March 23
Yearning to write
The one week anniversary for this blog and we have yet to mention craft. Is there anything more important for literary artists? Publishing and agents and events... all of it is talking about writing instead of writing.
Today I've been puzzling about character motivations and desires. In this most amazing book on craft (that's now my favorite book on writing next to this book), Robert Olen Butler devotes many pages to yearning as "a product of your own deepest white-hot center." Butler's approach has me wanting to drop all and head to FSU as his MFA student. (MFAs are a blog for another day.)
What does my character truly yearn for?
Writer Bums are Reader Bums. So forget the 101 lessons. Let's talk Flannery O’Connor and the most amazing short story classic Everything That Rises Must Converge. How does she do that and make it seem so effortless?
Today I've been puzzling about character motivations and desires. In this most amazing book on craft (that's now my favorite book on writing next to this book), Robert Olen Butler devotes many pages to yearning as "a product of your own deepest white-hot center." Butler's approach has me wanting to drop all and head to FSU as his MFA student. (MFAs are a blog for another day.)
What does my character truly yearn for?
Writer Bums are Reader Bums. So forget the 101 lessons. Let's talk Flannery O’Connor and the most amazing short story classic Everything That Rises Must Converge. How does she do that and make it seem so effortless?
Thursday, March 22
Overnight delivery required
This site comes to us courtesy of our Writer Bum contributor in LA LA land. The site is slightly deceiving at first... just another blog? Lo, Hollywood agents are revealed. Scroll, scroll, scroll, search, study, uncover in amazement, the insider info including reviews with contact information and email addresses of script reading movie agents. Wow!
Wednesday, March 21
Literary journal review
Know your market. So sayeth conventional publishing wisdom. Writer bums hear it all the time. But all these journals that publish literary/mainstream stories are basically the same, right? Wrong.
Here’s what P&W has to say about it.
With 3-6 months just to receive a “no thank you” letter, maybe a little homework—some enjoyable reading—is a good idea, especially for pubs that don’t like simultaneous submissions.
So hey: save time, inspire the writer within, and help support a journal.
But maybe you don’t have access to every journal in your bookstore. You’ve read the publisher’s description and a few stories online, but you need more. Here are two links to help with your research. These sites show reviews of literary journals.
Here’s what P&W has to say about it.
With 3-6 months just to receive a “no thank you” letter, maybe a little homework—some enjoyable reading—is a good idea, especially for pubs that don’t like simultaneous submissions.
So hey: save time, inspire the writer within, and help support a journal.
But maybe you don’t have access to every journal in your bookstore. You’ve read the publisher’s description and a few stories online, but you need more. Here are two links to help with your research. These sites show reviews of literary journals.
- Reviews at newpages.com
- Literary magazine reviews
Tuesday, March 20
To go or not to go
Purchased tickets yesterday to see Jonathan Lethem (4/12) and David Sedaris (4/22) coming to town thanks to the Portland Arts & Lectures series. Writer bums know, hobnobbing with other literary folk is good for our health. So I culled some event calendar info.
But first, EL Doctorow's reminder: "Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing." Thanks for the reminder, EL.
Some Portland literary event calendars:
Powell's Books upcoming events
Literary Arts upcoming events
Willamette Week ("words" on homepage under "more things to do...")
Oregon Live (choose "literary" from event menu)
Borders (choose downtown from "store locator")
Craigslist (general events may include readings)
But first, EL Doctorow's reminder: "Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing." Thanks for the reminder, EL.
Some Portland literary event calendars:
Powell's Books upcoming events
Literary Arts upcoming events
Willamette Week ("words" on homepage under "more things to do...")
Oregon Live (choose "literary" from event menu)
Borders (choose downtown from "store locator")
Craigslist (general events may include readings)
Monday, March 19
Label it under process
Time to payoff on the current title: Join the journey…
I have one short story, Kirby’s Dive, circulating for publication. I reworked this baby countless times over 2+ years, with help from writing workshops and literary friends. Finally I have a piece that upon rereading, I don’t feel compelled to edit.
This is the first time my confidence around a story can’t be swayed by rejection. So, this is my new earmark of completion. I feel like a salesman who believes 100% in his product. To get to “yes” just requires more sales calls.
All you writer bums out there are shaking your heads. Yeah, yeah. I know, this is 101 stuff. But when I reflect on a decade of sharing work, after each rejection I lost faith in my story’s appeal.
Kirby’s Dive was sent off to 10 literary journals back in January. (Researching journals that accept simultaneous submissions was a breeze thanks to Duotrope.) To date I received six rejections. So today I’m sending it off to six more—thus our blog topic.
Ten seems like a good, if not totally arbitrary, number. The trick for me now is to have 10 stories circulating with 10 journals. (Did I mention this is easy thanks to Duotrope.)
One day we’ll see this blog entry again, when I link back to it upon acceptance.
I have one short story, Kirby’s Dive, circulating for publication. I reworked this baby countless times over 2+ years, with help from writing workshops and literary friends. Finally I have a piece that upon rereading, I don’t feel compelled to edit.
This is the first time my confidence around a story can’t be swayed by rejection. So, this is my new earmark of completion. I feel like a salesman who believes 100% in his product. To get to “yes” just requires more sales calls.
All you writer bums out there are shaking your heads. Yeah, yeah. I know, this is 101 stuff. But when I reflect on a decade of sharing work, after each rejection I lost faith in my story’s appeal.
Kirby’s Dive was sent off to 10 literary journals back in January. (Researching journals that accept simultaneous submissions was a breeze thanks to Duotrope.) To date I received six rejections. So today I’m sending it off to six more—thus our blog topic.
Ten seems like a good, if not totally arbitrary, number. The trick for me now is to have 10 stories circulating with 10 journals. (Did I mention this is easy thanks to Duotrope.)
One day we’ll see this blog entry again, when I link back to it upon acceptance.
Sunday, March 18
A Macro Fiction Must Read
Many writer folk here in Portland are familiar with the Dangerous Writing workshop. In search of a URL, I came across this article from its most celebrated attendee, who waxes admiringly for a story that was out of print. Google to the rescue, uncovering "The Harvest" by Amy Hempel. This is a must read, folks.
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