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

"Kafka's writing will always make one feel a little foolish, a little tongue-tied. One will find oneself standing there in a kind of baffled wonder that will insist upon a slightly new mode of perceiving, a slightly new way of speaking." 

That's a passage from textual maze of Lance Olsen's new novel, Anxious Pleasures.

Lance Olsen literally wrote the book on writing, a handbook for fledgling writers called Rebel Yell. In addition, he has written nine novels and his work has appeared in scores of magazines.

This week he is our special guest, discussing his new book and sharing tips for fledgling writers.

Welcome to 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: 
Anxious Pleasures criss-crosses, time, space, and different writing styles. How did you outline this novel? In other words, how did you plan (and keep under control) this complicated weave of text as you wrote? Any general advice for outlining and plotting novels?

Lance Olsen:
Unlike many writers, I outline vigorously before launching a novel. Continue reading...

 

 I simply couldn't keep the symphonic structures of the sorts of texts I produce straight without doing so.

But I also give myself permission to veer from that outline every second of every day.

To re-outline at will should the fictive impulse take me in a new direction.

The result is a continuous give and take, a freeplay within constraint, and wonderfully liberating.

I can't speak highly enough about the rewards of outlining, but I'm also the first to admit it isn't and shouldn't be for everyone.

Still, an aerial view of one's work is a perpetual education.