Writing and Obstacles

I love this quote by Kay Gardiner of Mason-Dixon Knitting:* “I do not contemplate clever ways to overcome an obstacle if I have the option of groaning softly, putting my head down, and waiting for the discomfort to pass.” The post is about sweater construction, but the quote really resonated with me.  I tend to procrastinate when I’m[…]

Why Preorders Matter

Preorders are an *enormous* help to authors. Why? Because they’re lumped together with first week sales.  And that total is a publisher’s first and primary indication of whether a book is a commercial success.  Success affects things like whether a series is continued, and whether the publisher thinks the author is a good bet for future books.  (Sales aren’t the[…]

On writing and uncertainty.

I absolutely love this quote by MacArthur Genius Grant winner Terasita Fernandez: In those moments when you feel discouraged or lost in the studio, or when you experience rejection, rest completely assured that what you don’t know about something is also a form of knowledge, though much harder to understand. In many ways, making art[…]

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