You can have a great character, but if they’re not interacting with other people in a dynamic way, the story’s not going to light up.
Founded in 1977 at Columbia University's School of the Arts
You can have a great character, but if they’re not interacting with other people in a dynamic way, the story’s not going to light up.
Alexandra Kleeman talks about why the writing process should not be a place of comfort, but of “the unexpected, the frightening, and the transformational.”
People often say to me, “You’re a writer? How lucky.” There was little luck involved, unless working constantly is luck.
Lauren Wilkinson talks about making writing a habit, why she runs errands when she’s stuck, and protecting time for your writing.
Jericho Brown discusses his (lack of) writing desk, the books that inspire him as a writer, and the one thing that makes writers better.
Olivia Laing discusses the spaces she works, the one skill that writers need, and the writers she returns to again and again.
Ada Limón discusses how self-reliance makes you a better writer, silencing outside influences to prevent mimicry, and “the gathering time.”
David Joy talks about the organization of disorder, the upside of writing in the middle of the night, and the compulsion to create.
Crystal Hana Kim talks about habit versus inspiration, her favorite Louise Erdrich quote, and the advice she follows when she’s writing character.
Morgan Jerkins talks about writing into your fear, the Toni Morrison quote that inspires her, and what she wishes her writing desk looked like.
Sara Nović on the importance of “non-writing,”why writers need to cultivate curiosity, and why she washes the dishes when she’s stuck.
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