the craft of writing

Why Do You Want to Write a Book?

A few nights ago, a new neighbor dropped by. She came late in the evening and stayed so long that I figured she must want to ask me something, but

Recently, one of my writing students asked for advice on how she should structure her novel. “I already have fifty pages and I don't know

The most important thing every writer has to do is take a leap of faith. What does that mean, exactly? That, no matter how stuck you are at the

Recently, I appeared on a radio show to promote a literary event. We were talking about my latest novel, but inevitably the

Recently, I took my mom to see The Great Gatsby. As we watched the scene where Nick is asleep on the couch, wan and pale and surrounded by manuscript

My first day at the AWP Conference in Boston, I stood for several minutes at the bottom of the escalator, paralyzed by the sight of so

Whether you're a self-published writer or published by a traditional house, the word on the street is the same: Blog like your life depends on it if

(Note to readers: If you just want to skip to the "how to" part of writing a novel synopsis, feel free to scroll down a few paragraphs! I know how

“What are you doing in there, honey?” My husband claims that he had to call me through the bathroom door three times before I heard him. The shower