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You know what makes it seem impossible to make it as a writer? The quiet myths that surround published authors. Except on my site, established writers rarely discuss the hard times they faced as fledgling writers.

We don't think of William Faulkner as a night watchman or T.S. Eliot as a banker--but both writers had those jobs. The hardest part about writing is believing that you are a novelist/poet/journalist even though you haven't been published yet.

That's why I brought on comic strip writer Woody Wilson last year--the man who has written Rex Morgan, M.D. and Judge Parker for many years. Before that gig,  he struggled to become a newspaper comic strip writer--just as hard as any starving artist.

In his interview he taught us plenty...

First, How To Pace Your Writing

Then, How To Break into the Comic Strip Writing World

After that, How To Survive Early Failures

Then, How To Survive as a Newspaper Comic Strip Writer in the Internet Age

And finally, How To Become a Newspaper Comic Strip Writer

Thanks for putting up with my repeats this week. I've been on vacation. Tune in next week for more super-fresh content. I missed you...

kmmad 

"A bit of advice is worth repeating: don't listen for praise, but for constructive criticism, the kind that you can take home and use to better your manuscript."

That's some tough-love advice from Lance Olsen's writing handbook, Rebel Yell, a trusted staple of plenty of professional writers--including myself.

Lance Olsen has written nine novels, and stopped by for an interview last year. We discussed his new book, Anxious Pleasures and he shared dynamite tips.

He taught us How To Revise Our Novels, Mercilessly.

Followed by advice on How To Outline Your Novel.

Then he shared Three Pieces of Writing Advice for the Price of One.

Then taught us How Writing Groups Can Help Your Writing.

What's going on? I'm on vacation this week, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.

To keep you happy while I travel far, far, far from the city, I'm posting some of my favorite traveling writer interviews I've collected at The Publishing Spot--building a complete interview library in the process.

I'm on vacation this week, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.

To keep you happy while I travel far, far, far from the city, I'm posting some of my favorite interviews I've collected at The Publishing Spot--building a complete interview library in the process.

I learned how to travel and write as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. John Coyne was one of the most helpful friends I found when I came home--he's the novelist, blogger and editor who runs the writing site, Peace Corps Writers.

Coyne stopped by our site years ago, delivering some great advice about all kinds of writing...

He began by explaining how to build a web publication from scratch. 

He explained what writers can do to adapt online. 

And showed us how a travel-writing community can help your work.

Then he gave pointers on how to connect with golf lover readers. 

"The funny thing is that if you were a millionaire like some of these managing directors shaking down seven figures a year, you'd have known to push your way ahead and fill your plate. Rich people can't get enough of the free stuff.' Walter shrugged. There was no reproach in his tone; in fact, there was a wistful admiration in his voice, as if he were beginning to understand how the world worked."

That's a bit of clever dialogue and a life lesson from first-time novelist, Min Jin Lee.

Last year, she converted her experiences of rubbing elbows with money and power in the excellent-novel, Free Food for Millionaires. She served up practical life lessons from her writing career, including:

A primer on How To Build Stronger Transitions In Your Writing.

A guide to Researching Your Book

A brief, brief handbook on How To Outline Your Novel

An essay about How To Write Omniscient Narration

And, finally, How To Write Your First Novel

Two reasons for this repeat. First of all, some "breaking" news caught up with me yesterday. Second of all, I'm sneaking out the backdoor and going on vacation tonight. I'll be out all next week, running some of my favorite interviews from the archives to keep you company. See you in a week... 

What kind of web video are Internet-based book junkies like you and me looking for?

Book blogger Chad W. Post had this prophecy: "Lots of people will watch this and think—hell, it’s not that hard to put together an internet show that’s at least this good. A bunch of different programs will suddenly come into existence, a few of which are actually quite good."

While he had a gloomy theory about what will ultimately happen to this burst of online content, it still made me excited to see what happens next in the world of literary web video.

Check out my feature on Felicia Sullivan and weigh in with your comments--what questions should I ask next time? What kind of video interview questions do you want me to ask?

Last month, Felicia Sullivan's stopped by to talk about her elegant book, The Sky Isn't Visible from Here. We talked about lots of things, including...

How To Work With An Editor

Should You Get a Creative Writing MFA?

Can You Write Your Novel At Work?

How Can You Turn a Memory into a Memoir Scene?

How Can Fellowships Help Writers?

Book bloggers are tearing their hair out about Love and Consequences, a memoir about growing up in street gangs that was COMPLETELY FABRICATED by Margaret B. Jones. The Amazon page for the recently debunked book alone contains enough crazy quotes to write a whole doctoral dissertation about the dysfunctional state of the American memoir. 

Forget about people like that. My guest writers don't cheat. 

Last week we had a visit from Janice Erlbaum, exploring the story behind her new memoir, Have You Found Her. During her week-long visit, Erlbaum delivered a graduate-level course about how she turned her real-life journals into an troubled, tough story. 

Just follow these links to wipe the chalky taste of fake memoirs out of your brain...

Erlbaum showed us How To Negotiate A Book Deal.

Then she explained How To Become A Memoir Detective.

After that, we discussed "One of the dirty little secrets of writing professionally."

Then, we focused on The Fine Art of Journal Writing.

Finally, she explained How To Build A *Real* Memoir Scene

We were on CBS News today, and not because they found out about the bank we robbed to finance our freelance writing careers.

If you follow that link, you can see that The Early Show used some of our six-word memoir party footage. Even better, the video features the work of three graduates of The Publishing Spot's Grad-School of Hard Knocks: scriptwriter and memoirist Allen Rucker; and Smith Magazine editors, Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser (you can see their interview here).

I thought I'd take this chance to index our complete interview with Allen Rucker. His book just came out in paperback, after all. Follow these links for some quality writing advice from the man who wrote this six-word memoir: "Alas, a farewell to legs. Next!"

Allen Rucker taught us How To Keep Writing Despite Personal Disasters.

Then gave a primer on How To Write For Hollywood.

Followed by a lesson on How Hardboiled Novels Can Improve Your Writing.

Then he showed us How To Structure and Revise A Memoir.

And finally, he gave advice on How To Pitch A Non-Fiction Book.

article on home education in the UK, primarily a very even-handed profile of the Newstead family, who have, along with many other UK home educators, "simply tried the mainstream and found it wanting." Best quote from the home educating father, People say 'Isn't socialisation a problem?' And we say, 'Yes it is, which is why we've taken our children out of school.'Thanks to Carlotta at Dare to