Recent Activity

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  Favorite Writing Exercises

  Writing longhand is a great exercise. Amazing to think that every great work before 1897 was written linearly, and long-hand, with few edits. "Dracula" was supposedly the first bestseller ever typed. Typing makes for great editing, but for some folks (not including myself), simply going slower makes for a smoother first draft.

  Posted 05 Aug 08 in the narrative ark

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  Any Horror/Dark Fantasy Writers Here?

  I have two novels out there looking for agents, both with a horror angle, but didn't realize that till I was done with them that's what they were. I saw them as more literary. I was more influenced by my girlhood affiliation for horror flicks than I thought. Also makes them less marketable, I'm told. Oh for the good old days! When people like Wilkie Collins and Sheridan LeFanu were more mainstream! Anyone read those Stephanie Meyer books? Are they worth a look?

  Posted 05 Aug 08 in the narrative ark

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  What did you think of Muse 2008?

  I liked Franzen - thought, though, he could have read less and talked more - had to agree with him about "Oprah." The NYT book review doesn't require a medallion for an endorsement, not sure why Oprah should oblige "Oprah authors" to do the same.

  Agent Idol was irritating - they didn't get to my manuscript at all because of all the windbagging.

  Posted 17 Jul 08 in the narrative ark