Advice from Ploughshares editor Ladette Randolph
Expert tips from this true triple threat in the publishing world.
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Hillary Casavant
December 1986: Sue Grafton on making time
Find time when you don’t have time.
Joyce Carol Oates: The unique and universal
Joyce Carol Oates suggests tapping deeply into the personal for material.
ABCs and an MFA
MFA programs help children’s and YA authors develop craft and connections.
Creative Writing MFA 101
A quick and dirty guide to creative writing MFA programs
Postgrad: up next
You have your writing degree. Now what?
From trash to treasure
Sit down in your character’s office or bedroom. Glance in the waste basket. What’s inside? A photograph? An orange rind? A half empty bottle of … Read More “From trash to treasure”
Photographic memory
Home from your vacation, you flip through the photos on your camera. As you pass a picture of a busy street, something catches your eye, … Read More “Photographic memory”
Make a statement with your personal essay
A perfect personal essay can clinch a spot in a writing program.
David James Poissant: Zoo story
David James Poissant captures plots, characters, voices and the occasional animal in his new story collection.
Nonprofits encourage new readers
How can writers generate literacy? Put books in the hands of others.
Ruth Ozeki: Mindful meditation
The novelist’s workshop takes writing from the mat to the page.
Anita Shreve: Soldier on
Anita Shreve wrote nine drafts of her latest novel, Stella Bain, before it was published. With persistence and passion, she saw the book through to its end, an approach that has paid off throughout her 24 years as a novelist. Time and again, her novels demonstrate how dynamic characters and complex plots can bridge the gap between mainstream and literary.
Mitch Albom and James Patterson spread the word about reading
By supporting bookstores and libraries, authors Mitch Albom and James Patterson create readers in communities and audiences for writers.
Don’t write for the money
A new survey shows that book writing is anything but lucrative. That doesn’t mean you should give it up.
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Tin House’s Michelle Wildgen on tricks of the trade
Editor, teacher and acclaimed novelist Michelle Wildgen gives an inside look at the writing life.
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Dorothy Allison’s top writing tips
Dorothy Allison looks at writing with grit, humor and joy.
Gaiutra Bahadur: How I Write
As Bahadur, a journalist, set out to discover the lost story of her ancestry, she realized her great-grandmother’s narrative was not unique; it was “emblematic.”
Holiday gift guide for writers
’Tis the season! Find the perfect holiday gifts for the writers in your life.
Steve Yarbrough: Can’t stop telling
Novelist and teacher Steve Yarbrough brings a compulsion for words to the page and the classroom.
Amor Towles Interview: How I Write
The bestselling author of Rules of Civility reveals his writing process.
Suit yourself
You’re walking through the woods when you come across a suitcase. Describe it. What is inside? Who does it belong to? How did it get … Read More “Suit yourself”
Literally
Our language is filled with idioms, phrases which have definitions different from their literal meanings. Clichés such as “at the drop of a hat,” “take … Read More “Literally”
Sea and fog
You wake up on the deck of an empty boat. The boat is adrift, and you’re surrounded by fog. You check your pockets. No cellphone and … Read More “Sea and fog”
World of words
Got writer’s block? Step outside with a pen and notebook and find the words you’re missing. Keep your eyes peeled for a sidewalk message, a … Read More “World of words”
Fashion passion
“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”—Marilyn Monroe Give an unusual piece of clothing or unique accessory to a character. … Read More “Fashion passion”
Alice Hoffman: How I Write
While studying for her master’s degree at Stanford University, Alice Hoffman was approached by Ted Solotaroff, founder of American Review literary journal, and she quickly learned two cardinal rules of publication: Write often and write fast.
Curbside encounter
You’re walking through your neighborhood when you see three children sitting on the curb. It’s 11 a.m. on a school day. What are they doing … Read More “Curbside encounter”
Two truths and a lie
“Write the truest sentence that you know.” —Ernest Hemingway Write down 10 truths: historical facts, pop culture trivia or details about yourself. Then rewrite each … Read More “Two truths and a lie”
History repeated
Imagine you could travel back in time to a moment in history: the invasion of Normandy, the flight of Amelia Earhart, the assassination of Abraham … Read More “History repeated”
In the company of greatness
Imagine you could spend a single day with your favorite writer or poet, either living or deceased. What would you do? What questions would you … Read More “In the company of greatness”
Tale as old as time
“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” —Franz Kafka Imagine a character who has never grown old. What has he seen … Read More “Tale as old as time”
Jenna Blum: How I Write
“It’s really not the writing that takes me a long time; it’s the ideation, and the underlying architecture that has to feel solid before I can even start cloaking it in words.”
Not so ever after
Write the sequel to your favorite fairytale. Are Hansel and Gretel tried for murder? Do Snow White and her prince contemplate divorce? Does money really … Read More “Not so ever after”
The other four senses
Pick a spot, sit down and close your eyes. Notice the scent. Does the air smell like car exhaust or lemon disinfectant? Listen to the … Read More “The other four senses”
“Do you need help?”
Use this line at the beginning, end, or somewhere in the middle of a story. Who needs help? What do they need? Why do they … Read More ““Do you need help?””
Tickle the taste buds
What does a sunset taste like? How about a conversation between former lovers? Is longing like dried cherries, desire a slice of chocolate torte? Make … Read More “Tickle the taste buds”
Heartbreak Hotel
Write the scene of your first heartbreak from a third-person point of view. Pretend you’re a bystander and capture the environment, the dialogue, the facial … Read More “Heartbreak Hotel”
Please, Mr. Postman
With a decline in postal service, hand-written letters may be a dying form of communication. But imagine a major power outage forces your character to … Read More “Please, Mr. Postman”
Blame it on the weatherman
A blizzard in July. Thunder in February. A hurricane in Kansas. How would a dramatic change in weather affect your plot or character? Write a … Read More “Blame it on the weatherman”
10 phone apps for writers
Your smart phone just got smarter.