Writer in ResidenceTag
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October 29, 2015
The Problem with Working for Free
When I first started writing, I took any opportunities I could.First, I interned at a magazine for a high co-op program. Later, I wrote CD reviews for free, got a few poems published in some zines, and ...
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October 28, 2015
The Lucky Seven Interview, with Kevin Hardcastle
We are thrilled to have debut author Kevin Hardcastle on board as our November 2015 writer-in-residence at Open Book. His short story collection, Debris has created tons of buzz, especially after Kevin's ...
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October 28, 2015
How Spending Time with Your Influences Helps Overcome Creative Blocks
It happens to everyone: Everything is humming along nicely with a project and then, bam! You have no idea where to go next. The words aren’t coming anymore, the ideas have stalled, and your confidence ...
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October 27, 2015
Why I Don’t Want You to Buy My Book (From Me)
“I want to buy your book, but I want to do in a way where you’ll get the most money. Should I buy it from you?”I love this question. It’s one of I’ve had several times over the years from well-meaning ...
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October 24, 2015
Why Your Book Doesn't Really Need a Launch Party
A couple of years ago, I finally admitted something to myself:I hate organizing launch parties.Like, completely just no.I love coming up with ideas for them. I love talking about them. I love making posters ...
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October 30, 2015
Literary Readings: Do You Have to Do Them?
Picking up from where I left off about book launches, today I’m talking about whether writers really need to read from their work to promote it.Books are sometimes (often?) tricky things to sell. There ...
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October 22, 2015
Finding Inspiration in Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol is arguably one of the most quotable artists to have lived.And although much mystery and controversy surrounds his powerful legacy, there is so much inspiration that can be drawn from his ...
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October 20, 2015
How Tarot Can Help You with Your Writing
I was 13 the first time I tried to see the future in a playing card.I’d been at the grocery store with my parents, and in the checkout line was a small rack of books. I was immediately drawn to one ...
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October 18, 2015
The Importance of Creative Rituals
“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”- Chuck CloseFor years now I’ve used a very simple way to mark the moment when it’s time to write: I light a stick of ...
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October 15, 2015
Why Writers Need to Talk About Work
Like a lot of people out there, I used to think that anyone who had a book published must be “making it” as a full-time writer. I didn’t wonder how much they might actually be making, just assumed ...