On writing

There is so much advice out there on the internet for aspiring authors that, at times, it can be overwhelming. There are thousands of would-be-writers looking for the magic formula to get published.

I admit, I've read it all, sometimes late into the night; advice on genre, plot, voice and marketing your book. Recently I read a blog post, 'On Hope' by Natalie Whipple, who, after countless rejections and months of self-doubt, finally got published. Not to great sales or acclaim, but to the payoff and satisfaction of believing in her own writing. I wish her the best.

For me, it's been best to ignore the buzz and focus on my writing, and then the characters. I write best when I am alone, deep in my story; believing in the book, and knowing it's up to me to bring it together. If, at the end of the day, my story resonates, with people, it will do well; maybe even great. Imagine that.

Writers: National Book Award Finalists

The finalists for the National Book Award were just announced. The Tiger's Wife, The Bhudda in the Attic, Binocular Vision, Salvage the Bones and The Sojourn are all on the short list.  I just started The Sojourn, so it's too early to tell how I feel about it.

Either way, it must be something to be one of these authors who's book was [mostly] little known, and to suddenly have such well-deserved attention to their work.

It's fun for me to dream of the what-if's once in a while...then, back to reality and back to work. 

Thanks to everyone for all the kind words on my short stories.

Geoff

Getting published: a jump in hits

Since my story was published last week, the blog has had a big jump in hits. Now don't get me wrong, a big jump is taking it from 5 or 10 to 30 or 40 a day. But still, it's cool. Hopefully some of the new readers will become followers and I can continue to grow the site.

As far as the book, it's coming along great....I'm [speed] reading it and reviewing beta reader notes, before I send it for editing. Yeah, maybe I'm stalling, but I want to put out my very best work this time.

Then, I'll send it out, up to 46 times [like the last one] and wait [yes, at the bar] to be discovered. That way, no matter what happens, I'll be at the bar.

On Writing: short story published

As I wrote about yesterday, my creative non-fiction story, A Piece of Me, has been published in the Yale Journal for Humanities in Medicine, an on-line magazine. The link is below:

http://yjhm.yale.edu/essays/ggardner20111013.htm

On Writing: Love and Loss

My great friends Connie and Laura came with me to Providence in March to recruit students for work. We had an amazing time. Connie hadn't been doing well, and so it was like an escape.The first night we had lobster, the second night steak. Both nights we had steamers, [clams], which I introduced to Connie I few years back and she fell in love with. We laughed, made fun of each other, and the ladies shopped. Connie got halfway through Into the Middle Distance and told me "This is the one. This is the one that will get published..." She had a way of motivating me, and everyone.

Laura and I are back in Providence this week. Without Connie; she died right after we got back from our last trip up here. So, needless to say, it's been a tough visit, but we have great memories and our other friend Beth joined us and is a great help.

 Back in April, I wrote a story in the waiting room as Connie lay dying. It was another one of those that I wrote in one sitting; crying the whole time. After Connie's death, I submitted the story--again and again--not because I cared about it getting published, but because of Connie. It was rejected quite a bit.

The crazy thing? Just as I packed for the [sad] trip back to Providence, I received an email accepting the story in the Yale Journal for Humanities in Medicine. I can't help but think Connie has something to do with this; we will toast her again this evening, of course, and I will post the link as soon as it's published...

Geoff

So, I just finished The Last Werewolf, but I'm still not sure how to rate it.  On one hand it was really fun to read in a new genre, and the author is a strong writer; his murder and sex descriptions make my writing look tame in comparison.

On the other hand, it was hard for me to suspend disbelief and buy into all of the premises of the book; werewolfs, vampires, etc. But once I did I enjoyed the story and read it quickly.

So, I guess I'll rate it a four out of five...because the book certainly delivered what it promised. Then, I'll run back to my safety zone; mainstream and literary fiction...where almost nothing happens, but at least I don't worry about my protaganist getting attacked by the undead.

The Writing Life: Jonathan Franzen

I just read how Jonathan Franzen [award winning author of Freedom] always starts with the character, and never the story.  Without realizing it, I've been doing the same thing. I've been working on a character for my next book--the main character, starting to get a sense of what he's like; even what he looks like. Still, I have no idea what this poor bastard will be up against; I just know it won't be pretty.

Franzen also said that he always writes a female character first, afraid that if he writes the male first, he'll be in danger of writing himself into the story...very interesting.

I tend to think more along the lines of another author [can't remember who...] that said all of his male characters are him, and none of them are.

Either way, I can't get going on the next one until I finish this one, which I just printed out for the first time. It's thick and heavy, and yes, it's sitting on a bar.