I finally read Leslie Jamison’s “The Cult of the Literary Sad Woman,” in which she argues, unexpectedly, that pleasure and happiness are as legitimate as literary subjects as pain and sadness. I hope it is read by every publisher who puts out memoirs.
I've started keeping a journal. When I don't write in it I feel negligent and guilty. When I do write in it I think: You're not really writing, you're just keeping a journal.
The computer gives writers their email and social media in the same place as their manuscripts and articles. This makes it easy to sit down at the keyboard (once half the battle) and infinitely possible to avoid working.
Instead of "radio silence" I'm going to start saying "editor silence."
Writers are drawn to teaching because it’s exciting to discover new talent and, failing that, it’s satisfying to be reminded that not everybody can do what we do.
Yesterday I blogged, I tweeted, I texted, I emailed, and I Instagrammed. Today I’m going to write a letter.