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.
writers
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
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
Why we write
Write. Whether or not you want to be a "writer" you must write. Inscribed on metal, incised on clay tablets, ink on paper, you must write. Your life is an historic moment, a unique part of the vast tapestry and your story will be lost if you do not write it down. To refuse to…Read more Why we write
On the Edge: Random thoughts on mountains and manuscripts
If I had one talent as a mountaineer, it was the complete absence of a voice in my head telling me to be afraid of the edge. I have zero fear of falling and an absolutely unfounded belief in my own sense of balance. Maybe I am stretching my metaphor too far, but my brain's…Read more On the Edge: Random thoughts on mountains and manuscripts
Dropping the Dime On Ray Bradbury
On the day Ray Bradbury died, I was sitting at a computer loaned to me by a local library, working on the first draft of Howard Carter Saves the World. This is important because Mr. Bradbury, you see, didn't own a typewriter when he started out. He rented one in the basement of UCLA's Powell Library…Read more Dropping the Dime On Ray Bradbury
Scott Perkins, Author 