“What if, for example, you aimed to work 20% less than you had time to reasonably handle? If you have a relatively autonomous, entrepreneurial type job, this would mean saying ‘no’ to more things. It would also mean, on the daily scale, being more willing to end early, or take an afternoon off to go do something unrelated, or extend lunch to read a frivolous book.”
What Would Happen if We Slowed Down? :: Cal Newport
Golden.
Authors aren’t like athletes. We cannot win gold. :: Melissa Sweet
I like this idea: “This message is teased out as the characters undergo their experiences, and it should be accentuated in the third act, usually around the climax and in the fallout after. I refer to that period of time from the climax to the resolution as testing the message.”
Good Story Company :: How to End a Novel
How I love Natalie Lloyd! “It’s one thing to push myself. I think we all want to grow and change as creators, and keep getting better. For me, however, it’s also easy to turn that drive to make better art into a need for a specific accolade or recognition or whatever. And then another one. And another one. And even though I never, ever forget that I’m so lucky just to be writing books (!) — it’s so easy to feel like I’m not growing fast enough. Comparison really does kill creativity. Snuffs it right out.”
Comparison Really Does Kill Creativity :: Natalie Lloyd
Agent Kristin Nelson reflects on what she’s learned about the NYT list as her fiftieth book makes the cut. Very interesting.
Velocity, Volume, Interval and the New York Times Bestseller List :: Pub Rants
I love everything about this! Kids are the absolute best (and second place goes to librarians).
An 8-year-old slid his handwritten book onto a library shelf. It now has a years-long waitlist. :: Washington Post
Dear, dear Irene Latham has started a YouTube channel full of two-minute videos of writing advice and encouragement. Check it out!
Recently I was a guest on The Story of the Book podcast. Hosts Lindsay Eagar and Hayley Chewins are some of the most thoughtful middle grade authors out there. Their podcast is meaty, engaging, instructive, and inspiring and has become a regular listen for me.
Caroline Starr Rose: A Race Around the World :: The Story of the Book podcast
Thank you so much for sharing these links~ there’s so much to take in and so much to be inspired by, both on a craft level and a personal level.
I often review these months after the fact (I collect links in a word doc and later upload them), and it’s a fun rediscovery!