No matter how you feel about John Irving's writing, I think you'll find this peek into one author's writing process interesting:
Source: Paper Cuts, A Blog About Books, New York Times
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Beginnings and Endings
No matter how you feel about John Irving's writing, I think you'll find this peek into one author's writing process interesting:
Source: Paper Cuts, A Blog About Books, New York Times
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Next Exciting Step: A Literary Agent!
Today I am thrilled to announce that I now have a literary agent.
But not just any agent: Rebecca Gradinger of the renowned Fletcher & Company. Yesterday morning I met with Rebecca and with Swanna MacNair, who handles the film end of the business. It became immediately obvious that I would be fortunate to be accepted onto their roster of clients.
Here's what I liked most about Rebecca's approach. She talked about my writing career, not just one particular book. She focused less on big advances than on the process of writing the best book possible. She was clear about roles and responsibilities. She had read my book and talked about it in such detail and with such insight that it was obvious she cared deeply about the "project."
In short, she represents everything a writer should look for in an agent.
But I didn't rely on just my impressions. I got in touch with two of her clients, who could not say enough nice things about her. The highest compliment: "She's a writer's agent."
So for the second time in a week, I've hit the jackpot!
But not just any agent: Rebecca Gradinger of the renowned Fletcher & Company. Yesterday morning I met with Rebecca and with Swanna MacNair, who handles the film end of the business. It became immediately obvious that I would be fortunate to be accepted onto their roster of clients.
Here's what I liked most about Rebecca's approach. She talked about my writing career, not just one particular book. She focused less on big advances than on the process of writing the best book possible. She was clear about roles and responsibilities. She had read my book and talked about it in such detail and with such insight that it was obvious she cared deeply about the "project."
In short, she represents everything a writer should look for in an agent.
But I didn't rely on just my impressions. I got in touch with two of her clients, who could not say enough nice things about her. The highest compliment: "She's a writer's agent."
So for the second time in a week, I've hit the jackpot!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Now What?
It has always stuck with me: the final scene of "The Candidate," in which the politician played by Robert Redford realizes his goal of being elected senator. "Now what?" he asks the people who helped make his dream a reality.
It's the question many people have asked me since the results of the ABNA contest:
"So what's your next novel going to be about?"
"Have you started your next novel?"
"When is the next one coming out?"
In other words, "Now what?"
I got the answer yesterday in a nice telephone conversation I had with last year's ABNA winner, Bill Loehfelm, who wrote Fresh Kills and has his second novel, Bloodroot, coming out in September.
He told me to focus on what I know how to do: Write. Enjoy the moment, but start writing. Right away.
And even though he is a Mets fan, I do believe I will follow his advice. Seems like good advice for all writers. Even writers who are Yankees fans.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The ABNA Awards Event
I don't know what other writing contests are like, but I can't imagine one that could top the ABNA Grand Prize: a publishing contract with Penguin Books.
As if that wasn't awesome enough, get a load of the awards event:
Tuesday, May 26: My wife and I checked into the Crowne Plaza, Times Square, and were given a room on 33rd floor. We had a beautiful view of Times Square and the Manhattan skyline. We could even see both the East River and the Hudson. Our rep from Amazon greeted us with a bag of goodies--including several books, spending moola, and a Kindle 2! Incredible. That evening, we were taken to a private restaurant in Greenwich Village. After a nice little Happy Hour, the other two finalists -- Brandi Lynn Ryder and Ian Gibson, both extremely friendly, interesting, and talented writers -- and I were interviewed, on video, by a panel of editors from Penguin and Amazon. Watch for the video on www.amazon.com/abna sometime next week. We were then treated to a delicious dinner of... I forget. But it was great. Around 10 pm, they got tired of listening to the writers pontificate, so they put us in cabs and sent us back to Times Square.
Wednesday, May 26: After a sleepless night, it was time to head down to Battery Park for the announcement of the winner. We got to experience morning rush hour in Manhattan from the inside of a Kamikaze yellow cab. The restaurant had a beautiful view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
. The announcement was to be made at 9am. I was amazed at how slowly the time passed from 8:30, when we arrived, to 9:00. I can't really describe how I felt when they announced me as a winner. I made a short acceptance speech. Somewhere in there I got a laugh, but I'm not sure if it was something I said or the vacant I-can't-believe-this look that was, no doubt, frozen on my face. Later that day, I visited the Penguin offices down on Hudson Street. There, I met "my editors," the publisher, and the publicist. An incredibly friendly group of professionals.
Friday, May 29: Got a free pass to BEA. Spent the day meeting other folks from Penguin and taking in BookExpo America at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center. Another great day.
What can I say? Every aspect of the awards event was handled with complete professionalism. We were treated like kings every step of the way.
And the Grand Prize? Jackpot!
As if that wasn't awesome enough, get a load of the awards event:Tuesday, May 26: My wife and I checked into the Crowne Plaza, Times Square, and were given a room on 33rd floor. We had a beautiful view of Times Square and the Manhattan skyline. We could even see both the East River and the Hudson. Our rep from Amazon greeted us with a bag of goodies--including several books, spending moola, and a Kindle 2! Incredible. That evening, we were taken to a private restaurant in Greenwich Village. After a nice little Happy Hour, the other two finalists -- Brandi Lynn Ryder and Ian Gibson, both extremely friendly, interesting, and talented writers -- and I were interviewed, on video, by a panel of editors from Penguin and Amazon. Watch for the video on www.amazon.com/abna sometime next week. We were then treated to a delicious dinner of... I forget. But it was great. Around 10 pm, they got tired of listening to the writers pontificate, so they put us in cabs and sent us back to Times Square.
Wednesday, May 26: After a sleepless night, it was time to head down to Battery Park for the announcement of the winner. We got to experience morning rush hour in Manhattan from the inside of a Kamikaze yellow cab. The restaurant had a beautiful view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
. The announcement was to be made at 9am. I was amazed at how slowly the time passed from 8:30, when we arrived, to 9:00. I can't really describe how I felt when they announced me as a winner. I made a short acceptance speech. Somewhere in there I got a laugh, but I'm not sure if it was something I said or the vacant I-can't-believe-this look that was, no doubt, frozen on my face. Later that day, I visited the Penguin offices down on Hudson Street. There, I met "my editors," the publisher, and the publicist. An incredibly friendly group of professionals. Friday, May 29: Got a free pass to BEA. Spent the day meeting other folks from Penguin and taking in BookExpo America at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center. Another great day.
What can I say? Every aspect of the awards event was handled with complete professionalism. We were treated like kings every step of the way.
And the Grand Prize? Jackpot!
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