One of the things I have learned about writing while writing is that it often takes writing to learn about writing. Make sense? You know, I like to read about writing, everything from plotting journals to autobiographies of writers (and magazines, oodles of magazines). But in some ways, there is nothing like writing, and then…
I think the first thing I need to define here is my idea of art. Now, there are whole books and classes and even lives dedicated to this topic, as well as ever-shifting popular and specialist opinions. I know. (I took a couple classes in college on aesthetics, as well as art appreciation, and the…
I have been awarded the Sunshine Blog Award. And now, before we discuss that further, I’m going to–in true Devon style–get all pensive about it. From my hasty research, I conclude that there are two kids of blog awards. The first is backed by some sort of organization of some kind. That can be as…
Me! That’s right, folks. The Paris Book Festival has posted their annual competition results and I have taken an honorable mention in the General Fiction category. Thank you, thank you very much. I would like to thank all you little people who have helped me get where I am… Now, the award will only be…
I was just a writer. All I ever wanted to be was a writer and all I ever planned on being was a writer. Even last spring, when I decided it was time to start focusing on the goal. Even last summer, when my aunt and I started Owl and Zebra Press to publish my…
So I have been doing more thinking about how publishing a novel is like having a baby. So much so, that I have come up with yet another very apt connection between the two. I don’t know how many of you have studied or even thought about the phenomenon (it probably has a name, but…
I have been repressing this blog post, because it’s a little cheesy and may seem too far-fetched for applicability. However, I can restrain myself no longer. Being an author is like being a mom, and the book is your baby. It is. Here’s why. Now no disrespect to moms. They are pretty cool. I’m a…
Things I don’t particularly like about being a writer: Marketing Publicity Talking to people, especially answering questions on the spot (Crotchety!) Not getting paid for long periods of work Tweeting Distractions (from working at home) Not being taken seriously Self doubt Snooty writers and snooty critics Needing a GRE or 12 conferences in Hawaii Editors,…
Occasionally, in the life of a writer, your job demands that you curl up in the fetal position and bawl your eyes out. Maybe it’s only happened to me once, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the last time. You see, because I have only been a part-time writer (and full-time mom with a double-full-time…
I don’t actually starve. But the word “starving” is a whole other blog topic dedicated to the slang usages and relative versus absolute poverty. That said… When I was a little kid, I was often praised for my artistic abilities. They even stuck me in a special school for it, encouraged it. My parents drove…
(Before I begin, let me declare the inclusivity of the term “artist” which I am using here. I include all kinds of visual, performance, literary, and other artists, but speak more from the experience of the painter, crafter, and of course, writer.) The starving artist is such an iconic personage in our history that it…
the starving artist 