Life is unattainable sometimes It’s just out of desires’ reach Nothing more than another bill And another time to clock in After a while, the rhythm lingers Not in difficulty, but in tension Pressure comes from all directions And it doesn’t stop for anything So, we’re back at the railroad again Did you see when … Continue reading Lost by the train
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Counting rejections
I could play video games or read a book, but I always end up checking my email to find another rejection. I can't remember how many rejections I've gotten now. All from small magazines and such. I'll send in some poetry or short stories, but I get the same reply back. My whole Submittable page … Continue reading Counting rejections
Book review – The Hate U Give (Spoiler Free)
“That's the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?” ― Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give Title: The Hate U Give Author: … Continue reading Book review – The Hate U Give (Spoiler Free)
Toughest of the tough
You'd think writing the novel was the hardest part. Or perhaps editing the novel was worse. But no. Queries always seem to be the hardest. They are the one thing I have never gotten a "this is amazing" from. I always get critiqued hard and have to start over again. I took a break from … Continue reading Toughest of the tough
Writing trends
Books that sell always seems to have a trend. We had fairytale retelling trend, dystopian society trend, LGBTA+ trend, etc. Popular books always have a theme between them. If we pay attention, they often tell stories about problems with our world. Many relevant books about our pains are up there in sales volume. It always … Continue reading Writing trends
Best Books of 2018
Since 2018 is over, it's time to catch up on all the great books that came out that we might have missed. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green "The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship--like a … Continue reading Best Books of 2018
Why do I want to know about their failures?
During author interviews, many people ask about the final product. They ask about where the book idea came from or how the writer became a writer. But I'd rather know more about how the writer failed. Did any characters disappear in later drafts? Did any scenes get cut? If so, which? Why? Were any scenes added? … Continue reading Why do I want to know about their failures?
Which side of the story?
Stories get pieced together strangely. I can tell you a story about a hero. She saved many children by keeping them away from harm. She may have used violence to stop her enemies, but the children were safe at the end of the day. She gave the most she could and never asked for a … Continue reading Which side of the story?
Inspiration to busy creators
Sometimes the world may be against you. Everything may seem to fall apart as if you can’t get anything done. But even writing down three words is progress towards a goal. Three more strokes of a painting. Three more pages of a book. A little bit a day can go a long way.
Book review – What Editors Do (Spoiler Free)
"Being an editor is a lifelong apprenticeship: the books you read, the jobs you have, influence your approach to any given text. Yet in a sense I'm the same editor I was at the beginning of my career, an idealistic former literature student who took pleasure in books whose form and content I understood to … Continue reading Book review – What Editors Do (Spoiler Free)
