craft
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Oldies, Goodies
If great art is supposed to be surprising, do great writers have to change? At The Millions, Drew Nellins Smith wonders whether there can be too much of a good thing: I just get it. However much I admired his work, it had…
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The Rumpus Interview with Matt Bell
Author Matt Bell talks video games, fiction, nonfiction, politics, empathy, and his new books, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Scrapper.
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Write What You Don’t Know
If we only write what we know, when do we get to use our imaginations? The Millions explores the art of writing things we don’t know.
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The Rumpus Interview with Adam Johnson
Pulitzer Prize–winning author Adam Johnson talks about his new book, Fortune Smiles, fiction and voice, veterans and defectors, solar-powered robots and self-driving cars, and infrared baseball caps that can blind security cameras.
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A Good Artist
You’ve got a good thing going. How do you know when to stop? Over at Electric Literature, Elisa Gabbert advises: Calling a manuscript done is a decision you need to make.
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The Rumpus Interview with Brian Shawver
Author Brian Shawver talks about his new book, Danger on the Page, his novel Aftermath, MFA programs, and why it’s a good thing that writing never stops being hard work.
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Bukowski On Writing
I didn’t pay a hell of a lot of attention to grammar, and when I write it is for the love of the word, the color, like tossing paint on a canvas, and using a lot of ear and having…
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The Rumpus Interview with Tony Hoagland
Tony Hoagland discusses his latest collection, Application for Release from the Dream, the value of poetry, why he doesn’t fear becoming overconfident, and the definition of American spirituality.
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Writers Must Read
Writers sometimes forget the importance of reading. Just about everyone who writes started out as a voracious reader, but working on the craft of writing ends up displacing time previously spent reading. Over at Dead Darlings, Kelly Robertson takes a look…
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Notes on Craft
“Craft” is a fluid term; used in aeronautics and astronautics to speak of a single vessel, or the skill of deception, or a verb analogous to “make.” Craft in literature is comprised of narrative elements and literary devices: the nuts…
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Consider the Paragraph
Paragraphs just might be the most underrated writing tool. Over at Smart Set, Elisa Gabbert points out how the use of paragraphs makes a difference in writing literature.
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Bones and Books
I didn’t tell him the deer bones were a substitute for human bones, or that I wanted to know if a man could be cooked in a smokeless, homemade oven in the backyard. Here, in certain circles, you don’t tell…