writing for an audience of one

For years, I read about the benefits of writing for someone else. For someone you love. Stephen King talked about it. Ernest Hemingway talked about it. Everyone and their great-dead-grandmother talked about it.

trust nobody?

One of the biggest things I have learned in the publishing process is this: Trust someone else.

When I signed on with my agent, she had several suggestions for The Great Lenore (7 days until March 1, by the way, when The Great Lenore will be available for pre-order). Some suggestions were small. Other suggestions were much bigger. As I have mentioned on here before, her suggestions included that I remove one particular character from the manuscript entirely. At first, I fought her on this. But you know what? - she was right.

product description: "the great lenore"

I have a special Sunday afternoon treat for you.

A couple days ago, my publisher sent me the "product description" that would accompany The Great Lenore when it shows up for pre-order on Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, et cetera next Tuesday (March 1). I spent last night tweaking the description he sent. This is the final (or nearly final) version. Enjoy.

the view up here is...mediocre

Now that we have the book cover up, I have an admission to make...

You ready for this?

I'm not all that excited.

the book cover of the great lenore, unveiled at last

What more is there to say? Maybe you cannot judge a book by its cover, but...wow!

And just like that, The Great Lenore joins copies of Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao, Garrison Keillor's Love Me, Stephen King's The Stand, A.M. Homes's This Book Will Save Your Life, and books by writers ranging from Nick Hornby to David Foster Wallace to F. Scott Fitzgerald to George Orwell, among the collection of covers designed by Jamie Keenan.

seeing the world as a writer

Stories are everywhere.

This realization is part of what it means to see the world as a writer.

weekend writing discussion: routine or not routine?

This week's Weekend Writing Discussion Question:

Routine Or None?

the 3 things you have to do to write stories...that people will remember forever

Lately, in my study of literature, I have come to the conclusion that three distinct elements comprise a novel: Story, Characters, and Writing.

Generally speaking, if two of these three elements are top-notch, the reader will have an enjoyable reading experience.

weekend writing discussion: where do you find your characters' names?

This week's Weekend Writing Discussion question:

Where do your characters' names come from?