(Give me more) writers writing about writing
December 1, 2014 2:37 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for more excellent blogs written by novelists. Point me in the right direction!
I'm working on polishing my manuscript for publication. Shocking surprise: It's easy to get off track! I've found a lot of inspiration reading through the archives of novelists' blogs for advice and thoughts about their own process, so I'm looking to add more blogs about writing to my Feedly.
Right now, I've only found two blogger-writers I really love: Chuck Wendig and Justine Larbalastier. I love them both for many reasons: They offer great advice, but don't exist purely to promote "writing advice" as a salable good. They've extensively documented their own writing & editing process. They don't just write about writing—they talk about their life in an interesting and relatable way. And they're funny and engaging and all-in-all a joy to read.
I'd love suggestions of more blogs like this! Things I'm looking (or not looking) for:
- Blogs that don't exist JUST as writing advice blogs, but are actually the personal blogs of people who write.
- Blogs focused on "how to get published" are not something I am interested in at all
- A sense of humor! Not just dry tracts about how to edit.
- Posts about their personal processes (editing drafts, how they organize their writing, creating characters, refining storylines, etc.)
- Ideally, someone who's actually published (not just self-published) a few novels
Thank you!
I'm working on polishing my manuscript for publication. Shocking surprise: It's easy to get off track! I've found a lot of inspiration reading through the archives of novelists' blogs for advice and thoughts about their own process, so I'm looking to add more blogs about writing to my Feedly.
Right now, I've only found two blogger-writers I really love: Chuck Wendig and Justine Larbalastier. I love them both for many reasons: They offer great advice, but don't exist purely to promote "writing advice" as a salable good. They've extensively documented their own writing & editing process. They don't just write about writing—they talk about their life in an interesting and relatable way. And they're funny and engaging and all-in-all a joy to read.
I'd love suggestions of more blogs like this! Things I'm looking (or not looking) for:
- Blogs that don't exist JUST as writing advice blogs, but are actually the personal blogs of people who write.
- Blogs focused on "how to get published" are not something I am interested in at all
- A sense of humor! Not just dry tracts about how to edit.
- Posts about their personal processes (editing drafts, how they organize their writing, creating characters, refining storylines, etc.)
- Ideally, someone who's actually published (not just self-published) a few novels
Thank you!
Brain Pickings is a blog that's updated ridiculously frequently that has many posts about the writing process, schedules, habits, etc. of famous authors (i.e. Anaïs Nin on self-publishing, odd habits of famous writers).
posted by peacebone at 4:20 PM on December 1, 2014
posted by peacebone at 4:20 PM on December 1, 2014
If you have not yet discovered PBW (Paperback Writer), you need to.
A New York Times bestseller, she's published 50+ novels in 9 genres. She's kept her near-daily blog going since August 2004. There is no advertising on her site. I've included some extra links to point you to particular things, because while she tags things, that's about all the navigation there is. She writes, not plays with her website. Also, she has severe arthritis, so she writes primarily via Dragon, and saves her hands for sewing and art.
Inside her blog, you'll find all sorts of things, including:
- Photography. Often of whatever creatures wander into her yard in Florida, but many other subjects, too.
- Quilts and quilting.
- Humor. All sorts. If you're a writer, make sure you find the John & Marcia..
- Recipes. Don't miss the No-Brainer Fudge recipe. "Four basic ingredients, ten minutes to cook, tastes like you slaved for hours." And yes, it's that easy and that good. I've been making it for years and years now.
- Lists of ten things.
- Occasional mentions when she has a new book coming out, or maybe a cover to show off, but she doesn't drown you in marketing.
- If she's reviewing a book, it's because it's something she bought for herself that she really liked. She doesn't "do reviews" and she doesn't read to give quotes. Sometimes she'll mention office products or random crafting stuff in a similar manner. Often when it's going to end up in something she's giving away.
- Contests. These happen with surprising frequency. Might be books, might be journals, might be something she made, might be a "book wish", etc.
- Art. Too many different tags to choose from.
- Writing advice, worksheets, commentary, etc. Way too many tags to choose from. Check the tags page - it might guide.
There's a Best of PBW page, most recently updated in July. If nothing else, read Courage. And try the fudge.
posted by stormyteal at 4:48 PM on December 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
A New York Times bestseller, she's published 50+ novels in 9 genres. She's kept her near-daily blog going since August 2004. There is no advertising on her site. I've included some extra links to point you to particular things, because while she tags things, that's about all the navigation there is. She writes, not plays with her website. Also, she has severe arthritis, so she writes primarily via Dragon, and saves her hands for sewing and art.
Inside her blog, you'll find all sorts of things, including:
- Photography. Often of whatever creatures wander into her yard in Florida, but many other subjects, too.
- Quilts and quilting.
- Humor. All sorts. If you're a writer, make sure you find the John & Marcia..
- Recipes. Don't miss the No-Brainer Fudge recipe. "Four basic ingredients, ten minutes to cook, tastes like you slaved for hours." And yes, it's that easy and that good. I've been making it for years and years now.
- Lists of ten things.
- Occasional mentions when she has a new book coming out, or maybe a cover to show off, but she doesn't drown you in marketing.
- If she's reviewing a book, it's because it's something she bought for herself that she really liked. She doesn't "do reviews" and she doesn't read to give quotes. Sometimes she'll mention office products or random crafting stuff in a similar manner. Often when it's going to end up in something she's giving away.
- Contests. These happen with surprising frequency. Might be books, might be journals, might be something she made, might be a "book wish", etc.
- Art. Too many different tags to choose from.
- Writing advice, worksheets, commentary, etc. Way too many tags to choose from. Check the tags page - it might guide.
There's a Best of PBW page, most recently updated in July. If nothing else, read Courage. And try the fudge.
posted by stormyteal at 4:48 PM on December 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Kameron Hurley's blog is pretty heavily focused around her writing career, rather than her personal life, but is definitely not just dry writing advice - rather, broader thoughts about writing for a living and includes stuff about her personal processes. She won Hugos this year for her fan writing on her blog (and her essays published elsewhere).
Peter M Ball is an Australian author who has had several novellas and short stories published - his blog has a lot of interesting detail about his writing process, looking at movies he's watched from a writer's perspective etc.
posted by fever-trees at 4:55 PM on December 1, 2014
Peter M Ball is an Australian author who has had several novellas and short stories published - his blog has a lot of interesting detail about his writing process, looking at movies he's watched from a writer's perspective etc.
posted by fever-trees at 4:55 PM on December 1, 2014
My suggestion is Book View Café, a collaborative blog that often has posts about writing, and the folks involved are pretty well-known: Ursula LeGuin, Judith Tarr, Vonda McIntyre, Brenda Clough, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, Deborah J. Ross, Sherwood Smith, Phyllis Irene Radford, etc. Also, she doesn't blog often and doesn't write much about process, but Sofia Samatar's blog is always worth reading.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 5:00 PM on December 1, 2014
posted by Monsieur Caution at 5:00 PM on December 1, 2014
Came to recommend Jennifer Crusie and was beaten to it, so I will heartily second it.
posted by PussKillian at 8:07 PM on December 1, 2014
posted by PussKillian at 8:07 PM on December 1, 2014
I think Carrie Snyder of Obscure Can Lit Mama does an amazing job of posting regularly and thoughtfully (almost every day) about her life and the role that writing plays in it.
Snyder has four children, she teaches, she runs and exercises, she does book tours and gets nominated for major Canadian book awards, and she writes so immediately and lucidly about every aspect of these experiences. Her archives go back for years. Highly, highly recommended.
posted by alicat at 8:36 PM on December 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Snyder has four children, she teaches, she runs and exercises, she does book tours and gets nominated for major Canadian book awards, and she writes so immediately and lucidly about every aspect of these experiences. Her archives go back for years. Highly, highly recommended.
posted by alicat at 8:36 PM on December 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: You guys are amazing. Looks like I have lots of reading to do!
posted by good day merlock at 7:48 AM on December 2, 2014
posted by good day merlock at 7:48 AM on December 2, 2014
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posted by AndrewInDC at 3:05 PM on December 1, 2014 [1 favorite]