Grub Street’s Muse and the Marketplace conference is this weekend. It’s always a good time of the year in Boston. Hundreds of writerly folks gather to talk craft, to talk publishing, to talk to each other, and to drink (because…
Every novelist builds a world, but if you’re writing fantasy or science fiction, worldbuilding is a bigger job—one I’m often tempted to skimp on. It’s great fun to think about magic in a new world—not so fun to figure out…
This is the time of year that makes us wish we were back in school. Not because we want homework or tests, but because we want back to school clothes, back to school shoes (black patent leather ones, please), stacks…
Here in Boston, GrubStreet’s Muse and the Marketplace conference is about to begin. I look forward to the Muse every year. What could be more fun? It’s like day camp for writers. Conferences are amazing places where writers can recharge,…
It’s the first afternoon of the Novel Incubator Alumni Writing Retreat in Jackson, NH. From my room up in the eaves, I read over the last chapter of the latest draft of my novel, attach the whole thing to an…
I was on the phone with my dad the other day, and just before we hung up I said, “Yalla, bye!” This was strange for a number of reasons. First, “Yalla, bye” is a weird phrase. Yalla means “let’s go”…