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My first draft–other than the plotting–is as bad as my first, first draft, at age 12–was. That’s talent. The progress I’ve made over the years is in 1) planning and 2) revision. That’s craft.

(via Kate. A stunning list of fake names From a fab author: 1. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s and father’s middle names)Marie Alan. 2. NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother’s dad, father’s dad)Durwood Lambert. 3. STAR WARS NAME: (the first 2 letters of your last name, first 4 letters of your first name)Kn’dean 4. DETECTIVE

You know, I think I’m just going to have to give in and get a shirt made that says, “WARNING: TMI” on it. Some people at work were making fun of me for saying things like, “You have hollows under your cheeks.” “You have a big back.” “Brown and black do go together, especially when

Morning post-shower insight (also, in light of reading Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey): Stories are the Western version of Zen. The basic western story is, “Person can’t figure out how to handle something, what to do; person learns from various people what to do; person does what’s necessary after a change in attitude” or, if

I don’t know why, it seems inevitable that I get personality quizzes that ask, “Do you like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones better?” This is no longer the important question. Granted, at one point, it was the important question. Do you like sweetness and light or do you like the acid burn of hate?

So many bands I don’t know. I remember when I thought country-western radio was the end-all, be-all of music, and electric guitars were retarded. –The exact moment. I was listening to “I’m gonna hire a wino” and watching Mom milk a cow in a red barn with peeling paint. The same barn and the same

Avoiding writing? Check out Christie’s listing of books and manuscripts for sale. Gogol’s Dead Souls. Nabokov’s The Luzhin Defense. A copy inscribed to his wife. Don’t even get me started on the art. See, I’m caught up on my word count. Nyaa…

I’m at 22K for my NaNoWriMo book, and my character has just gone through his absolute nadir. It’s been my worst–hardest, most hari-kiri inspiring–day of writing, too, although I got it all done for the day. Traditionally, your character’s worst (“black”) moment is supposed to come right before the big fight scene, and the hero

Careful. I had to watch them all at one sitting. (via Ann.)

My short story, “Fragile,” FKA “Things You Don’t Want,” has been rejected again, but in the nicest possible way: Thank you for submitting “Fragile” to ABYSS & APEX. As you know, we kept it for second round consideration but ultimately decided not to accept it for publication. The competition this month was strong and while