Every writer has a story of how she went from idea to manuscript to publication. With us today to share her journey is Quinn Cummings, author of the recently released Notes from the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life. Hyperion Books, Quinn’s publisher, on the book: From fighting off a catnip-addled cat to […]
Usually I ask the questions. But today at Write Out Loud, Ami Spencer interviews me! So head on over to Ami’s blog, where I’ll share the most important lesson I’ve learned so far about writing a memoir.
At a family reunion this weekend, I was peppered with questions about Africa. I didn’t mind. Conversations about my travels often serve as writing prompts, reminding me of details to include in my book. That’s why I’m asking you: What would you like to know about Africa? Are you curious about what people there eat? […]
I like quotes. Snippets of life, perfectly succinct. Maybe that’s part of the reason I love journalism, for the vital role quotes play in my stories. But I’m torn over whether to use quotes in my memoir. Not in the actual narrative — Of course dialogue is essential to my book. I mean the kind […]
I’ve never been the kind of journalist that can bang out a lead. Sometimes it’s easy to crank out the first paragraph, but more often than not I write the rest of the story and return to the lead afterward, crafting it right on deadline. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I feel challenged […]
If you read this blog regularly, you know I don’t often simply link to an article or blog post. I believe in creating new content. (Or, in the case of Writers’ Roundup, giving you many links to choose from.) But this Los Angeles Times piece by Dani Shapiro about the making of a memoir was […]
I had an epiphany recently while reading Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, a book on writing that several author friends recommended. Putting my book together in pieces, imagining my end product but watching it morph into something different, all-in-all feeling like I don’t know exactly what I’m doing… These feelings are all normal! Well, according […]
Everyone agrees a writer’s voice — or lack thereof — can make or break a manuscript. But what is literary voice? And how do you improve something that’s so hard to define? Voice is one of those things you recognize when you see it. It’s what a reader refers to when she says, “I really […]
Last Monday, I kicked your butt into gear. This week, a gentler form of inspiration, an excerpt from my book. Wanna learn about my travel memoir first? Check out this post. * * * Packages from home take on new meaning in Africa. Peanut butter? Like gold. A favorite deodorant? More valuable than cash. And […]
Part of my goal on this blog is to foster conversation between writers, create a community of mutual support. Your thoughts, ideas and advice matter to me — and today we’re getting all three from Ami Spencer, a freelance writer who blogs at Write Out Loud. Ami, I turn it over to you. When Alexis […]