If you venture much beyond the exosphere of planet earth, the concept of Thursdays begins to break down. Seeing as earth days are measured relative to earth's position relative to earth's star, you're already in trouble before you get to the moon. That Thursdays specifically were named after the Norse deity Thor is an additional…Read more I don’t like Thursdays
NaNoWriMo: How to extend an imaginary deadline
It is the first day of December, a day I think of as a sort of literary groundhog day. Each December 1st, a large contingent of aspiring novelists come out of their NaNoWriMo caves, blinking in the sunlight, surprised to find that the world is still there. For many, this is a day in which…Read more NaNoWriMo: How to extend an imaginary deadline
Where I’m at and Where I’m Going
Writing and I have a long history together. Best friends through grade school and high school, sometimes my only companion through hard times. We were like this (holds up two fingers, crossed) long nights spent over the scratching pencils and clicking keys, pouring reams of paper into the inferno of our love affair. We seemed…Read more Where I’m at and Where I’m Going
William Goldman
Deadline and other outlets are reporting that the great William Goldman has died. He was an amazing writer in all fields of endeavor and you could learn an astonishing amount just by watching him work. Marathon Man, All the Presidents Men, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, Chaplin... the astonishing list goes on and others with…Read more William Goldman
Shyness Unmasked: Using ancient Italian theater to combat anxiety.
Yesterday, my publisher, Laurence, asked his stable of authors whether we consider ourselves "Shy". I think he was hoping to get us to push aside some author stereotypes and rally us to get out there and make some noise, sell some books, rattle the glass, throw our hats on the ice... Um... yeah... I've…Read more Shyness Unmasked: Using ancient Italian theater to combat anxiety.
A Literate World
Outside of my family, there are two people who inspired me to become a writer: Jim Henson and Dr Seuss. But that would have been a meaningless dream if there had not been someone inside my family who told me it was okay if I wanted to write that novel... as long as I got my homework…Read more A Literate World
A sense of place
It seems counter-intuitive, but writing is a visual medium. Authors have the delightful task of imagining vivid worlds, peopling them with interesting characters, and then inviting readers to join us for an adventure in our own peculiar land beyond the wardrobe. We can see it so very clearly in our heads, and we just want to take you…Read more A sense of place
How to extend an imaginary deadline: Post-NaNoWriMo Pep Talk 2016
Today is the last day of November, the last day of National Novel Writing Month, and a day in which thousands of writers wish that their keyboards came with an 'Extend Deadline' button. According to the official count, as of this morning, 15.5 million words have been written and verified by NaNoWriMo participants, and over…Read more How to extend an imaginary deadline: Post-NaNoWriMo Pep Talk 2016
WRITE A NOVEL IN THREE EASY STEPS!
It is November and you know what that means: Writing advice season has begun. It seems to get here earlier every year. The stores are stacked with new keyboards and copies of Bird by Bird. The interwebs are humming with tweets tagged #amwriting and Pinterest boards are filling up with pictures of typewriters and inspirational quotes, some…Read more WRITE A NOVEL IN THREE EASY STEPS!
NaNoWriMo: A Significant Wordcount Event Is Imminent
Memo from the Department of Literary Security To: All Potential Authors & Interested Parties RE: Literary Alert Level Tango The Secretary has been monitoring internet traffic on sites frequented by wordsmiths and detected elevated levels of activity among literary agents provocateurs from the Office of Letters & Light. It is our determination that this uptick in chatter…Read more NaNoWriMo: A Significant Wordcount Event Is Imminent
Scott Perkins, Author 