Writer's Report 2.0

San Francisco Chronicle journalist Pia Chatterjee has written a great article offering writer’s advice on what it takes to write the first draft of a novel.

The novel that I am working on right now, sitting by the heater in single bedroom in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, started in March 2007, in a cafe in the sunset district. I had been saving money for years by that time, not really knowing what I was putting it away for, until one day my dreams for myself came head to head with the reality of my working life. Much happened in those months in early 2007, but here’s the exciting part…Read More

From the Associated Press:

“Now & Then,” the 34th book in a series that began with the publication of “The Godwulf Manuscript” in 1973, finds Spenser as feisty and smart-alecky as ever. Despite a quarter century of getting shot at, and occasionally actually shot, both he and his friends are aging gracefully.

“Now & Then” is a return to form — one of the better Spenser novel in 20 years. The plot is unpredictable, the characters are richly drawn and the dialogue crackles. Although Parker’s work rarely approaches the excellence of more literary crime writers, his best books deliver a quick, entertaining read in a crisp, unadorned style.

more…

Writer’s Weekly answers a reader’s question in Ask The Expertabout using real people, places or events in their novel. There are things to watch out for to avoid pitfalls, but there may also be a hidden benefit.

In the Success Stories section is an article about how an admitted introvert makes her living as a writer.

Also check out WW’s Paying Markets for up-to-date listings on paying markets

If you’re a beginning novelist or just unsure of what needs to go into a story, this link to Advice on Novel Writing by Crawford Kilian is a very good place to start. Crawford is an accomplished Canadian novelist and college professor.

This extensive indexed article covers subjects like:

* Developing Efficient Work Habits

* Elements Of A Successful Story

– In the opening…

– In the body of the story…

– In the conclusion…

– Throughout the story…

* Style: Checklist For Fiction Writers

* Storyboarding

* Ten Points on Plotting