Agony Editor: Refusal to give up is a writer’s greatest strength
I think every successful writer has equal parts talent and tenacity.
Agony Editor: How to tell a fellow writer it’s time to move on
It can feel easier and safer to keep returning to familiar writing in the name of perfecting it. But at this stage, it is simply procrastination.
Agony Editor: Let flippant comments lie
How someone perceives your writing and your writing life is beyond your control.
Agony Editor: Writing comes from within, not from a fancy notebook
I’m sorry to tell you that no notebook, pen, or grammatical chant will improve your productivity or motivate you to write.
Agony Editor: Every writer brings their own flair to the book potluck
I sometimes think of writing books as participating in a potluck party. Everyone brings food. That food falls into the same identifiable categories, like salads, mains, or desserts.
Agony Editor: Books are many things to many people – and that’s okay
Sometimes a book is a revelation. And sometimes it’s just somewhere to place your aloe vera plant.
Agony Editor: Take me to the librarians
I have a middle-grade novel coming out and would love to raise awareness about the book, as well as my profile as an author, among school librarians.
Agony Editor: Spotting a reader of your book is a moment to savour
Seeing an actual reader engaged with your book is as rare as an author coherently describing their current work-in-progress. I hope you enjoyed the moment for what it was – a gift that many writers never experience.
Agony Editor: How to cope with editorial notes
Many writers fantasize that they’ll get editorial notes back from their editors that read, “Don’t touch anything! Every word is perfection!” But that never happens.
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