Monthly Archives: May 2011
Let Your Story Grow
Let’s face it. As writers, there are times we need a little extra encouragement. (Or a hug.) Sometimes it’s so hard to escape into a story world when there are other, more visible tasks pressing for attention. It takes a … Continue reading
Writing Challenge #5: The Parsnip
This is a giant parsnip. Sometimes writers get timid on the page. Unsure. We let our anxieties, or our fear about what people might think, get in the way of the work we’re trying to do. This can make certain … Continue reading
Maybe I Need a Hug–or a Vacation
Time for a confession. My novel LOST NOTES has been frustrating me since I decided to examine my protagonist’s motivation. Instead of finding his, I lost mine. Then I walked away from the page. For more than a week, which … Continue reading
The Flipback Book, Part 2: Exclusive Interview with Arthur van Keulen of Jongbloed BV, the Dutch publishing company
With the flipback set to debut in England next month, I’m so pleased to introduce Arthur van Keulen, international marketing manager of Jongbloed BV, the Dutch publishing company that created this innovative book format. The goal of the product, as … Continue reading
All You Want to Know About the Flipback Book (Part 1)
Could the flipback revolutionize publishing? Definitely. Here’s why, starting with a definition of this innovative book format for those of you who missed Patrick Kingsley’s column in the Guardian. While flipbacks certainly play into the smaller-is-better trend in entertainment, unlike e-readers, no … Continue reading
Writing Challenge #4: Appearances Can Be Deceiving
This is the front cover of the sesquicentennial edition of the Vassar Quarterly, the alumnae/i magazine. (Yes I went there, hence deferring to the publication’s inclusive and always consistent use of alumnae/i to recognize and celebrate its heritage as a … Continue reading
Interview: Poet Julene Tripp Weaver on Taboos, Structure and Strategies for Selecting Poems for a Collection
Julene Tripp Weaver’s latest book of poetry, NO FATHER CAN SAVE HER, was published by Plainview Press in 2011. This powerful collection tells the first-person story of a girl navigating the physicality of the journey from youth to adolescence (and ultimately adulthood) … Continue reading
The Plot’s Intact, But Where’s the Motivation?
As I’ve mentioned, I’m new to writing plot-first. One of the biggest risks, apparently, is feeling disconnected from my characters. I know how my protagonist Henri reacts to the world around him, but not why. He thinks he’s living on borrowed … Continue reading
