The novel’s great strength is also its great weakness. A novel is (with a few rare exceptions) the work of one author. That can give it a depth, coherence and unity that is rare in our modern world. But it is also a challenge to our modern way of being. We’re creatures obsessed with socialContinue reading “I tell you, ergodic is the future of fiction”
Author Archives: Damien Walter
Just how many literary worlds are there now?
Online meme factory Flavorwire published a list of the 35 most influential writers on the internet recently. It’s a…questionable list at best. I know most of the names on it, and I’ve read many of those who have books published. But it reads in large part like a list of the authors friends on Twitter,Continue reading “Just how many literary worlds are there now?”
Will the next wave of publishing technology favour writers?
Independent author Susanna Shore expresses the bottom line on the state of independent publishing in a well thought out post on Kindle Unlimited. As a KDP author, it’s impossible for me to remain completely neutral, even when keeping outside the dispute. Generally, I tend to favour the opinion that all big companies look for theirContinue reading “Will the next wave of publishing technology favour writers?”
Yes writing is a waste of time.
The Think Buddha blog features a charming essay on the necessity of time wasting to creative life by Tory Syracuse (it’s a three year old essay but, self-evidently, time wasting is a timeless subject) and it has some interesting things to say about the flow state of writing. One of the great gifts of writing—and,Continue reading “Yes writing is a waste of time.”
Writing is hard because we like it that way
My friend and fellow word-herder Will Buckingham has something to say about the pleasure – and pain – of writing. In short Mr. Buckingham believes writers like to big up the misery experienced while writing in order make ourselves look all brooding, dark and mysterious, instead of the shallow pleasure seekers we truly are. Well,Continue reading “Writing is hard because we like it that way”
Success. It’s not what you think it is.
The problem with success is, it never ends. We talk a lot about success even when we don’t use the word. Who has the best job. The biggest house. The handsomest lover. I’d make a poetic list but you get the idea. As humans we waste most of our time chasing after success, in one formContinue reading “Success. It’s not what you think it is.”
Damien Walter’s 4 step crash course in learning to write good
I am a vocal advocate of the ONE TRUTH when it comes to writing and publishing – that the only thing which comes close to a guarantee of success in this field is to Get Good At Writing. At which point someone inevitably shouts DAN BROWN at me and I say, yesbut even Dan BrownContinue reading “Damien Walter’s 4 step crash course in learning to write good”
Novels are losing the narrative arms race
Humans like stories. In fact, it’s fair to say we are obsessed with stories. And never has our society been richer in stories. Today we have access to all the books, films, TV shows and other story media ever made, with more being made all the time. Little wonder then that novels became a hugeContinue reading “Novels are losing the narrative arms race”
Want to sell books? Get good at writing.
One of my very favourite novels hit the Top 100 bestsellers on Amazon Kindle tonight. I looked at the Amazon page for The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker and found my own review of the book glaring up at me! ‘By far my favourite book of of the year … There isn’t aContinue reading “Want to sell books? Get good at writing.”
Books aren’t consumer goods, that is what’s wrong
Crime author John Connolly condensed down a popular sentiment in to a single tweet recently, that I think is worth unpacking and considering in some detail. Something has gone very wrong if we'll pay $5 for a greeting card, $3 for gift wrap, but resent paying more than $2.99 for a book. — John ConnollyContinue reading “Books aren’t consumer goods, that is what’s wrong”
Engineering the myth of the writer
A good writer friend of mine is keen to point out that he does’t just sit around in a smoking jacket, dreaming away the mornings. But maybe he shouldn’t be so keen to demystify the writing life. The wonderful Brainpickings blog collates some of the odder behaviour of writers while they write, but notes thatContinue reading “Engineering the myth of the writer”
How to think about writing
Public intellectual Steven Pinker has a new book approaching, a psychological study of the process of writing called The Sense of Style. And it sounds fascinating: The key thing to realise, Pinker argues, is that writing is “cognitively unnatural”. For almost all human existence, nobody wrote anything; even after that, for millennia, only a tiny eliteContinue reading “How to think about writing”
Damien Walter 