March 17 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

NO GOOD ADVICE: Jaym Gates Shares Her Experience with Writing Advice

Writers are notorious for giving advice on writing. Doesn’t take long on the Internet to find a million or so articles on how write better, faster and stronger prose. Because it’s inescapable, writers often are assaulted by opinions and ironclad rules on writing, which often contradict each other. In the end, you’re a bit confused and have no idea who to listen.

What I’ve learned about the craft (writing is magic!) is that writing is one personal experience and no two writers are the same. Unless they’re clones. In which case I demand access to their cloning facility.

This is why I’ve taken to the streets to talk to writers about advice. What worked and what did not and why. The idea is not so much about to hash out new writing advice, but to foster more of a dialogue about a writer’s relationship with advice. This week I’m interrogating Jaym Gates! Read More NO GOOD ADVICE: Jaym Gates Shares Her Experience with Writing Advice

March 10 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

NO GOOD ADVICE: Juliette Wade Discusses Writing Advice

Writers are notorious for giving advice on writing. Doesn’t take long on the Internet to find a million or so articles on how write better, faster and stronger prose. Because it’s inescapable, writers often are assaulted by opinions and ironclad rules on writing, which often contradict each other. In the end, you’re a bit confused and have no idea who to listen.

What I’ve learned about the craft (writing is magic!) is that writing is one personal experience and no two writers are the same. Unless they’re clones. In which case I demand access to their cloning facility.

This is why I’ve taken to the streets to talk to writers about advice. What worked and what did not and why. The idea is not so much about to hash out new writing advice, but to foster more of a dialogue about a writer’s relationship with advice. My dear friend Juliette Wade has been so generous with her time to come and speak about her experience with writing advice. Read More NO GOOD ADVICE: Juliette Wade Discusses Writing Advice

March 3 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

NO GOOD ADVICE: Angela Slatter Talks Shop

What’s this feature about: Writers are notorious for giving advice on writing. Doesn’t take long on the Internet to find a million or so articles on how write better, faster and stronger prose. Because it’s inescapable, writers often are assaulted by opinions and ironclad rules on writing, which often contradict each other. In the end, you’re a bit confused and have no idea who to listen. What I’ve learned about the craft (writing is magic!) is that writing is one personal experience and no two writers are the same. Unless they’re clones. In which case I demand access to their cloning facility.

This is why I’ve taken to the streets to talk to writers about advice. What worked and what did not and why. The idea is not so much about to hash out new writing advice, but to foster more of a dialogue about a writer’s relationship with advice. Last Monday, I had Jonathan Wood take the stage, which you can read here. This Monday I have the wonderful and talented Angela Slatter (who, as you know, is a bit of a celebrity on my blog). Read More NO GOOD ADVICE: Angela Slatter Talks Shop

February 24 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

NO GOOD ADVICE: Jonathan Wood on Writing

Writers are notorious for giving advice on writing. Doesn’t take long on the Internet to find a million or so articles on how write better, faster and stronger prose. Because it’s inescapable, writers often are assaulted by opinions and ironclad rules on writing, which often contradict each other. In the end, you’re a bit confused and have no idea who to listen. I’ve talked about my disenchantment with writing advice as well.

What I’ve learned about the craft (writing is magic!) is that writing is one personal experience and no two writers are the same. Unless they’re clones. In which case I demand access to their cloning facility.

This is why I’ve taken to the streets to talk to writers about advice. What worked and what did not and why. The idea is not so much about to hash out new writing advice, but to foster more of a dialogue about a writer’s relationship with advice. This Monday I’ve invited author and dear friend Jonathan Wood to talk about writing (because that’s all writer ever talk about). Read More NO GOOD ADVICE: Jonathan Wood on Writing

February 15 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

Authors Talk Shop: Carrie Cuinn on The Balancing Act of the Writer Carrie Cuinn

Circus performers don’t know how to walk a tightrope the first time they step onto the line. It takes years of trial and error, stepping clumsily onto wooden beams, and then taught ropes a foot off the ground, before graduating to a practice line hung over safety nets which they only traverse while wearing a harness. It’s a difficult thing to do, this balancing act, and everyone falls down the first several times they try. Read More Authors Talk Shop: Carrie Cuinn on The Balancing Act of the Writer Carrie Cuinn

February 13 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

Authors Talk Shop: Anne Lyle on Making Time to Write

It’s a little known fact amongst casual readers, but the majority of published authors hold down a day-job, or are stay-at-home parents, or have some other responsibility in their life that takes a big chunk of time away from writing. This is particularly tough in a market where an author is often expected to put out at least one novel a year, regardless of how much time they have to work on it. I fit into both these categories – there’s been a roughly 8-10 month gap between the scheduled releases of the three parts of my trilogy – so of course people often ask me, “How do you find time to write?”. Read More Authors Talk Shop: Anne Lyle on Making Time to Write

January 11 / Haralambi Markov / Guests

The Dangers of Realizing You Love Your Job

So Harry was kind enough to ask me contribute something about writing and professionalism. I’m going to assume you know the three basics:

• The necessity of tweed jackets
• The essential nature of coffee shops
• The need to publicly hang those who hate on Scrivener

(I make fun, but I do in fact on a corduroy jacket that I wear to make myself feel more authorial. But don’t tell anyone because I’ll sound like an idiot).