If you’ve been writing as long as I have, you already know that every novel we write contains scenes that seem to come effortlessly as well as scenes that have to fight to survive. In The Professor of Eventide, there was one scene (or really a series of scenes) that I came very close to … Continue reading One Scene I Almost Cut From The Professor of Eventide (and Why I Kept It)
writing
The Books That Shaped The Writer I Became
When I think about the writer I’ve evolved into, after more than 20 years of learning and honing my craft, I can trace part of that journey through four books in particular: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and Leaves of Grass by … Continue reading The Books That Shaped The Writer I Became
How I Know a Story is Finished (Or Not)
Since I finished The Professor of Eventide, I’ve had some time to think about how I know when a book is finished. At what point is the book done done and at what point am I still tinkering just for the sake of changing things? I’ll start with the obvious answer: every author is different … Continue reading How I Know a Story is Finished (Or Not)
The No-Tropes Manifesto: Why I Choose the Unknown Over Formula
I feel a little funny saying this, especially since I was the executive editor of a literary journal for 23 years, but I hadn’t paid much attention to the word trope until a few years ago when it seemed like suddenly everyone was talking about it. These days, we see posts or vlogs about How … Continue reading The No-Tropes Manifesto: Why I Choose the Unknown Over Formula
How Summer Affects My Thinking and Creativity
I know I always say that autumn is my favorite time of year, and in many ways it is. I’m not a huge fan of the 100+ degree summer heat we get here in Southern Nevada, especially not the 100+ degree days that are also humid. However, I do get time off in the summer, … Continue reading How Summer Affects My Thinking and Creativity
Why Character Matters More Than Plot in Literary Fiction
Many writers are familiar with the long-standing debate over whether character or plot is more important. If you’re into Greek philosophers, Aristotle believed that, when speaking of tragedy, plot is more important and character is secondary. Others, who are not Aristotle, argue that character is the most important. What is the answer? It’s a trick … Continue reading Why Character Matters More Than Plot in Literary Fiction
Why Some Fictional Mysteries Don’t Want To Be Solved
Last week, I wrote a bit about the differences between traditional mysteries and inverted mysteries. I realized when I finished that post that I had more to say on the subject, so this week I wanted to talk a bit about the endings of mysteries and how sometimes there isn’t a convenient ending for some … Continue reading Why Some Fictional Mysteries Don’t Want To Be Solved
The Story Behind The Professor of Eventide
The Professor of Eventide is featured today in the BookBub New Release newsletter! Yay! Way to go, Jonathan! If you’re here from BookBub, welcome! I’m so glad you found your way over. If this is your first time visiting my site, today's post feels like a great place to begin because I wanted to share … Continue reading The Story Behind The Professor of Eventide
Why Dark Academia Continues To Haunt Us: The Allure of Gothic Literary Fiction
After hearing the term Dark Academia time and time again, I began watching videos on YouTube and looking up pins on Pinterest to see what the fuss was all about, and I liked what I saw. It turns out that the term Dark Academia became a thing in the mid-2010s, spreading through Tumblr mood boards … Continue reading Why Dark Academia Continues To Haunt Us: The Allure of Gothic Literary Fiction
How I Protect My Creative Energy on Days That Aren’t Writing Days
I'm not a fan of that old writer's adage that insists that we should write every day. Maybe that works for some writers, but it doesn't work for me. When I'm working on a project, I tend to treat it like a job. I write Mondays - Fridays and take the weekends off. Not every … Continue reading How I Protect My Creative Energy on Days That Aren’t Writing Days