WritingSucks

Download a Free Writing Book

Free is always good....You can download a free copy of literary agent Donald Maass' book "The Career Novelist" here:

http://www.2morrow.bc.ca/documents/career_novelist_DonaldMaass.pdf

It looks like the book was written in the 90's and covers everything from "The Dream", choosing an agent, through publication of your novel.

Judy Blume Is Back

Judy Blume is 70,  lives in Key West, and tap dances. According to the article Margaret, from "Are You There God? It is me, Margaret", would be 40.

"The beloved children's book author is back, with a funny four-part series featuring lovable, loathable Abigail and Jake."...read more>

J.K. Rowling May Write Another Potter Book

In this book he will be a grandfather. No, I don't know--I've never actually read a Harry Potter book. Shame on me. I would like to read them all at once by candlelight. Or maybe listen to them all on CD while on a transatlantic sea voyage. Or maybe wait until I am in a nursing home.

Read More.

Oprah ‘Stunned’ to Learn Her Dad Is Writing A Book

" Oprah Winfrey said she was “stunned” to learn her father plans to write a book about her.

“I was upset. I won’t say devastated, but I was stunned,” Winfrey told New York’s Daily News in a story published Tuesday.

Winfrey said she laughed when one of her assistants told her the newspaper was calling to ask about a book her father Vernon Winfrey was writing.".....read more>

Top Ten Books on Writing

The Writing White Papers has come up with a list of ten finalists for the top books on writing. I haven't read any of these books, so this list will be a good resource.

I'm still working my way through "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron (one of her other books is on the list.) Stephen's Kings book "On Writing" will be next.

Go vote for your favorite...

End of the Year Book Picks

Here's NPR's list of books to buy, books to read, and books to hope for in your stocking:

Gimme More Books

P.S. I got my laptop back! Thank you Santa Claus and geeks at Best Buy.

The Artist's Way

I'm finally reading and doing The Artist's Way. I've heard and read a lot about this book over the years, and have always wanted to buy a copy and go for it. I'm in Week One, and it is a 12 week program. By week 12 I expect to be a prolific writer with a book deal, with ten book deals!

One of the weekly exercises in the book is to take "your artist" out on a date. So today I am trying to decide where to take my artist on a cheap date. I think I may go down to The Society of Decorative Painters, something else I've always wanted to do and haven't.

Anyone else had good luck with the book? Did your artist try to slip you a ruffie on your date?

Books on Books

I took this list from an article by Shaunna Privratsky that was printed in FundsforWriters. This is her list of great books on crafting and succeeding at writing a book proposal:

How to Write and Sell a Book 
- by Stella Whitelaw

Damn! Why Didn't I Write That?
- by Marc McCutcheon

Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write:
How to Get a Contract and Advance Before Writing Your Book
- by Elizabeth Lyon

How to Write a Book Proposal (How to Write a Book Proposal)
- by Michael Larsen

Thinking Like Your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Nonfiction--
and Get It Published
- by Susan Rabiner

Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book
- by Susan Page

The Fast Track Course on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal
- by Stephen Blake Mettee

We are getting ready for our Spring Pledge Drive here at the radio station. Could someone please be nice and donate $164,000 here and put me out of my misery?

Over the 20K Hump

I finally managed to get over the 20,000 word hump on my "novel." It has been slow going, and setting a goal for something like 10K words on a Saturday just doesn't happen. I am truly amazed by everyone who cranked out 50,000 words during the month of November for National Novel Writing Month. I may still be working on my word count by the time next November rolls around.

My goal is to have it done, as in written and then re-written about 10 times, before June 7th---the big 30th birthday.

Filler Me Up

I didn't make my goal of 10,000 words this weekend. But, that's okay, I managed to crank out almost 5,000. Last night I bought C. Hope Clark's e-book "Short & Sweet: Markets for Fillers." Fillers are basically the extras that magazines use to flesh out their publication. Reader's Digest uses jokes, The New Yorker uses cartoons (just not mine), and many ladies' magazines offer side bars full of tips, quotes, and quizzes. Usually, publications don't post the writer's guidelines for fillers, so many writers don't ever think about them. My goal for the week is to send out three queries to magazines that accept fillers--now that I've said it I have to do it.

A week ago today I walked outside and broke my leg. I just realized that I am wearing the same sweater that I wore on this day last week. Surely the bad luck has come to an end? I am a pretty sad sight to see, a broken leg getting out of a car with no bumper and a big dent in the back. I'm still waiting for the other person's insurance company to cough up some money.....