“Try to recapture that childlike state, when you wrote just for the sake of it, without concern for whether anyone outside of yourself will like it, publish it, or favorably review it. Write down every little idea that comes to you, no matter how silly it may seem, even if you don’t know what you […]
“Look to the blank page as an unconditional hug. The white, empty space will embrace you if you commit to the page. Write when you don’t feel like it. That will help you produce your best work. Let the words simmer and then return to the page again. Revise. Get feedback from trusted colleagues. Submit. […]
“When inspiration strikes, stop everything and write. But don’t wait for inspiration, and learn to hold ideas, words, whole paragraphs in your head, just in case. Make, beg, or steal time–from your job, your hobbies, your sleep–and write, whether it’s fifteen minutes a day or an hour once a week; find the time and use […]
“I’m the worst with writing advice. A masochist, at best. Hard on myself. Critical. But I do, maybe, have some advice: be slow and deliberate. Let ideas stew. Nobody’s waiting! You’re waiting for yourself to connect disparate threads. The result might be gorgeously horrific or inspiring, whatever your purpose. Give yourself that time to think, […]
“Read extensively, but write the poems only you could write. Talk with other writers, even if they’re dead. Know your purpose and hold it close. Think of the obvious, then think of something better. Make friends with metaphor. Take your poem to a metaphor’s house and stay. Follow when the metaphor goes out; see what […]
Welcome to Craft Talks. In this bi-monthly post, we’ll have a mini-interview with our own editors about craft, what they look for in submissions, and all things writing. Today, I talked with Amanda Fields, Publisher. She told me her role as Publisher, Naomi Shihab Nye, and her love of the weirder sides of motherhood. 1. […]
Spring is here and it’s a good time to turn to your writing craft and perhaps incorporate a new craft tool or two. In this month’s Writerly Roundup, we look at several different craft techniques that can be added to your writer’s toolkit.
Welcome to Craft Talks. In this bi-monthly post, we’ll have a mini-interview with our own editors about craft, what they look for in submissions, and all things writing. Today, I talked with Libby Maxey, Senior Editor and Literary Reflections Editor. She told me about her nine years at LM, Barbara Pym, and her love of […]
Welcome to Craft Talks. In this bi-monthly post, we’ll have a mini-interview with our own editors about craft, what they look for in submissions, and all things writing. Today, I talked with Amanda Jaros, Editor-in-Chief. She told me about her journey from Blog Editor to Editor-in-Chief, her love for Camille Dungy, and the importance of […]
Our Writerly Roundup blog series features a curated collection of articles on the craft of writing and the creative life that we don’t want you to miss. ~ For the past year and a half, I have been drafting essays that will eventually be part of my final thesis project. Well, that “eventually” is coming up quickly. […]
Welcome to Craft Talks. In this bi-monthly post, we’ll have a mini-interview with our own editors about craft, what they look for in submissions, and all things writing. Today, I talked with Colleen Kearney Rich, Fiction Editor. She told me about her recent publication, Linda Hogan, and the delight of surprise in submissions. 1. Tell […]