Writers Wednesday

This season, while promoting my fourth novel, I was asked about certain "truisms of the trade" that are frequently served up as gospel for writers. But how true are they, really? Upon reflection I have to say--not very.

From Writer's Relief staff: What is the “typical” creative writer personality? That depends on who you ask. Writers are depicted as everything ...

From Writer's Relief staff: As a writer, you’ve probably met someone who says he/she is going write a book because “it looks easy” and “any...

I'm not sure when the 'sympathetic character' became a necessity for modern authors. Certainly the Brontës didn't feel constantly pressured to write sympathetic characters, or they'd never have got away with Mr. Rochester

From Writer's Relief staff: Although it seems that the majority of writers who land a literary agent take the traditional approach of writing and s...

Recently I conducted a perfectly random, unscientific survey among writers and readers to make a list of words-we-are-way-too-weary-of. Now, as someone who loves words and whose very survival depends on them, I hardly mean to condemn any particular word to the firing squad.

From Writer's Relief staff: You’ve heard it before, probably at a writing conference or between MFA classes: Writer #1: I have a Facebook page...

From Writer's Relief staff: If you’re an aspiring writer, you’ve probably got an “I’d like to thank the academy” speech ready and waiting...