Devoted to publishing, publishers and to those who craft the written word

"[My Christmas lights have] been burning night  and day for weeks and should have been taken down already. But like any chore not related to day-to-day survival, they'll probably stay up and lit long into spring. Things in New York sparkle a lot longer than you'd expect before they burn out."

That's an excerpt from Josh Kilmer-Purcell's funny and heartbreaking memoir, I Am Not Myself These Days. He's been our special guest this week, sharing secrets about web community and the life/work balance.

Today, he shares his favorite writing resources in my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web publishing.

Jason Boog: 
Which writers inspire you? Which websites do you recommend that fledgling writers read? Why?

Josh Kilmer-Purcell:
Armistead Maupin is, of course, the master of the style I most enjoy--along with David Sedaris. Click here to continue reading...

And yes, I'm proud of that.

As far as websites go, I think writers should read mostly blogs of other authors and industry employees. They have the most honest information about the craft. I love the  "Miss Snark, the literary agent" blog.  

There is so much more to be learned about the business side of writing than most writers take the time to learn. Never forget that writing is a business. And to succeed in business you have to be proactive. Don't passively send out a few queries and wait and sulk.

Click here to read the whole Josh Kilmer-Purcell interview.