“In a crumbling park in the crumbling back end of Copacabana, a woman stopped under an almond tree with a suitcase and a cigar.” Ways to Disappear, Idra Novey’s debut novel, is about a South American writer who has disappeared,…
Most writers, it seems, prefer one tense over another. Many of us use the past tense as our default, as it allows for foreshadowing, and, conversely, it allows reflection from the present “telling” moment. We’re telling a story of which…
What could be better than listening to stories or to writers talk about fiction and their writing process? There are many wonderful literary podcasts out there. Here are some of our favorites: The New Yorker Fiction Podcast Once a…
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Amy Bloom, White Houses Penguin Random House From Kirkus Reviews: “From the prolific Bloom, whose novels and short stories have often…
I will confess: I like maps. I like understanding where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m going. And I love Google and/or Apple Maps. The satellite view, the street view, directions, walking distance, the whole thing. I can…
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Will Boast, Daphne Liveright/Norton From Kirkus Reviews: “Boast (Epilogue, 2014, etc.) writes about Daphne, who isolates herself from most other people…
We the Animals, by Justin Torres, is a wonderful example of the use of the collective voice in fiction. There are, of course, many other classic works that use this voice, including the novels The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides…
Fiction should connect the writer to the reader. Fiction should not be written with a reader in mind. Fiction can be written as though writing a letter to a friend. Fiction should use language in a way that pleases…
What could be better than summer camp for writers? While each summer conference varies greatly from the next, they all allow writers a chance to escape from their daily routines, work on their fiction, and be with a community of…
In studying the craft of fiction, story and plot seem like simple enough concepts: story is the chronological sequence of events while plot is those same events, reordered by the author. In an attempt to consider how to construct meaning…
