Looking into the Dark
The unconventional narrative of Andrzej Stasiuk's 'Dukla' invites us into the dark to explore the nature of memory and imagination.
An Impractical Solution for an Impractical Era
Given that we’re already well into the second decade of the twenty-first century, I’m willing to bet that your writing machine is also an e-mail machine, a blog machine, a magazine and newspaper machine, a Facebook machine, a Twitter machine, and in some cases a pinball machine.
Yes, You Can Trust Him
Stephen King is one of those writers self-proclaimed literary authors avoid reading. He must be doing something right, however, because as of this moment, King has written 49 novels and sold more than 350 million copies.
Impermanent Things
The amateur novelist comes to understand a key aspect of novel writing: no change—minor or catastrophic—is off the table. Today’s episode: the delirious fever of rewriting.
Call for Submissions: Beloved Books
As readers we all have our favorites, the books that grabbed hold of us and made us reach out to steady ourselves. There are books that have changed us, that still influence us to this day. There are books, it goes without saying, that we love.
Subtle Adventures in Nihilism
Because the most adept of readers loves nothing more than to turn the pages; because we don’t let things like prose style or plausibility creep into our consciousness... because one prefers caricatures to characters, The Help is the most remarkable novel we’ve come across in years.
Literary News for the Literarily Inclined
In books: National Short Story Month; three writers battle over MFA programs; judge resigns as Philip Roth wins prize; the novel still alive and well; Charles Simic on libraries; ten disturbing novels; literary tattoos; and a ban on the word "verdant."
The Myth of Morality
Where The Pale King is concerned, everyone agrees that David Foster Wallace enshrines boredom. What has been glossed over, however, is how fiercely and unrepentantly American these pages are.
The Pleasure and Pain of Lovers and Readers
Love is something beyond us—something just within our fingertips but always taking that one extra step to elude us. In the end we begin to realize that this is perhaps for the best—that it is maybe more fortunate than we realize.
The 8th “R” of Positivity for the Unpublished Novelist
The amateur novelist has an enlightening experience where all enlightening experiences seem to happen: out in the woods. Today's episode: The importance of relaxation (without having to waste time relaxing).
The Psychology of Waiting
The amateur novelist resists the urge to make a tally mark in his skin for each day that goes by without good news. Today’s episode: managing neuroses.
The Limits of Motherhood