ThePublishingSpot: January 2008 Archives

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Jan31	Rachel Kramer Bussel Explains How To Build A Better Public Reading Jason Boog January 31, 2008 Know More: Rachel Kramer Bussel book promotion, public readings, sex writing Last week Rachel Kramer Bussel threw a big party to celebrate the new anthology she edited, Best Sex Writing 2008. She held the event at Rapture Cafe in the East Village, bringing together a crack team of erotic readers. I put together a lo-fi web video so you could see the event yourself. Click here for more information about Bussel's upcoming readings. Today, she explains how to build a better public reading to support your work. 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 writing. Jason Boog: At your book opening, you found some new, unexpected writers for your collection as well. How can writers build a vibrant writing community like you have? Any advice for building a better public reading/ book opening? Rachel Kramer Bussel: Reading widely, for one. I am constantly picking up books or visiting websites that might lead to something of interest, and those aren't all "sex blogs" per se. Continue reading... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan31	Three Easily-Clickable Writing Resources For You! Jason Boog January 31, 2008 Feeling stuck? Feeling bored? Here are three simple links that will break you out of any writing funk. No matter if you are a creative writer or a journalist (or both!), these links will help...First up, journalist Jeff Jarvis just... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan30	How To Go From Short Stories To A Novel: Lessons From Rachel Kramer Bussel Jason Boog January 30, 2008 "Amber lingered at La Petite Coquette, her hand reaching out to stroke all manner of silk and lace in all the most beautiful colors ... her eyes were solely on the luxurious merchandise, the bras scalloped with flowers along their... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wednesday Writing Lesson: How To Create Strong Characters Jason Boog January 30, 2008 How do you make a character come to life? Not by having them stare at mirror or having them stand heroically posed for the reader.Over at the Guardian, the brilliant writer James Woods delivers a master-level course on character creation... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan29	Rachel Kramer Bussel Explains How To Cope With The Stress Of The Freelance Life Jason Boog January 29, 2008 "When I tell people I write about sex, I can see immediately whether their judgment about me has changed in the second it took me to say it. Most of the time, I don’t have time to sit and explain... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Celebrating Patry Francis and The Liar's Diary Jason Boog January 29, 2008 Along with Susan Henderson, Litpark, and THREE HUNDRED OTHER BLOGS, I'd like to celebrate the work of a first-time novelist who just realized her dream today, after struggling with all the writing life problems that we discuss here. Patry Francis... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan28	How To Write About Sex Without Sounding Like A Spam Email Jason Boog January 28, 2008 Sex. Sex? Sex!It's a major part of our lives, but we don't usually talk about it around the watercooler. And since the topic is shrouded in so much cultural wrapping paper, your average writer has absolutely no idea how... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan25	How To Revise Your Novel Even Though Web Writing Is Ruining Your Editing Skills Jason Boog January 25, 2008 Where have all the postings gone?I've been a little light on the blogging here lately, but I've got a good excuse--I'm editing the crap out of my novel. Finishing this draft, I realized that I've lost touch with some of... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan24	How Writers Can Use Web Video Without Pretending That They Are Hollywood Directors Jason Boog January 24, 2008 What will web videos by writers look like in ten years?I hope they won't look like Hollywood movies or trailers for Hollywood movies. It's so silly to have this new lo-fi, do-it-yourself medium of web video and pretend like we... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan23	The Mobile Journalism Showdown at Davos Jason Boog January 23, 2008 The annual Davos World Economic Forum has just become a hotbed of mobile web videos, a virtual labratory for writers to study. At Davos, Jeff Jarvis is running with a crowd of journalists who are all using mobile technology to... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan22	How To Build A Cheap Web Journalism Toolkit Jason Boog January 22, 2008 Last year I had a short conversation with one of my journalistic heroes, William T. Vollmann -- a novelist and reporter who always shot photographs to mix with his stories. For the next generation of Vollmann-inspired journalists, we must consider... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan21	Flash Journalism Jason Boog January 21, 2008 I came into writing imagining I'd be churning five thousand word essays all the time. But honestly, writing is getting shorter and shorter every day.Now, with the advent of Twitter--the mini-blog site where people keep track of the minute details... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan18	How To Write a Novel or Attend an MFA with a Family Jason Boog January 18, 2008 Can you have a family while studying for an MFA in creative writing? More generally, can you have a family, a dayjob, and still have a writing life?I discussed that with Paul Malmont in the video interview above, trying to... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan17	How Do We Write about the War in Iraq? Jason Boog January 17, 2008 Last week I wrote about the death of Andrew Olmsted, a military blogger who always caught me off guard with his ideas and images about the Iraq War. Meet Olmsted in his final, inspiring post. Writers need to read and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan15	How The MacBook Air Will Affect Writers Jason Boog January 15, 2008 So Apple unveiled a fancy-pants new computer today. As much as I would totally dig finishing my novel on a MacBook Air, it really won't do anything except make your lap lighter. I can't say it better than Gawker. Still,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	What Cloverfield, Dr. Who, and Harry Potter Can Teach You About Writing Jason Boog January 15, 2008 What happens when you release a straight-to-video movie with the same premise as a giant blockbuster, releasing your "mockbuster" the same day as the film you imitate? Is it plagiarism? Or is it fan fiction?I vote fan fiction. For years... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan14	What David Simon and The Wire Can Teach You About Writing Careers Jason Boog January 14, 2008 Last night I finally caught up with the fifth season of The Wire. Besides having the best writers in television (Richard Price and Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos for gosh sakes!), the show has a dark look at the inside... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan11	Barry Yourgrau And Other American Cellphone Writers Jason Boog January 11, 2008 Mobile! Mobile! Mobile!I keep saying it, and every day I'm seeing more examples. The Internet is quickly filling up with bright, hungry writers who are setting the standard for cellphone writing. You should be one of them. Here are three... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan10	How To Break Your Writing Funk Jason Boog January 10, 2008 What do you do when you are in a writing funk?I was feeling swamped by all my projects this week, and I tried everything to raise my spirits: the gym, a glass of whisky, and a book by my favorite... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 9	What Andrew Olmsted Left Behind Jason Boog January 9, 2008 Earlier this week I wrote about the death of Andrew Olmsted, a military blogger who I always enjoyed reading. Writers like him do more to help us understand the Iraq War than a whole Internet full of pundits. Over at... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Live From Your Cellphone Jason Boog January 9, 2008 Can you tell a story while filming something on your cellphone? Do people want to watch a live video streamed from a journalist's cellphone?These are questions all writers need to be asking--it's almost as important as the question, "Will people... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 8	What the WGA Strike and Jon Stewart Mean for You Jason Boog January 8, 2008 In this new media universe, what does it mean to be a writer?Is blogging writing? Is my web video monologue writing? Is an ad-libbed variety show with pre-planned guests writing? As the Writers Guild of America strike continues, writers around... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 7	Publishing Spotted: Remembering Andrew Olmsted Jason Boog January 7, 2008 I'm having one of those days when everything on the Internet fascinates me but I hardly have time to check it all out. Still, there are a few stories that were too important to miss.The Urban Muse has a sweet... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	What David Lynch and iPhone Can Teach You About Writing Jason Boog January 7, 2008 One of the most popular thing on YouTube today is (ironically) a bitty video of David Lynch bashing movies on mobile phones--an anti-iPhone manifesto. "You will never in a trillion years have experienced the film," he yells at cellular movie... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 4	The Top Five Self-Publishing and Print-on-Demand Links From The Publishing Spot Jason Boog January 4, 2008 First of all, a big welcome to all the GalleyCat readers coming through The Publishing Spot today. It's a real honor to meet all these new people.Over at GalleyCat, Ron Hogan has been running some fabulous self-publishing advice, and I... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	From Pete Hammond to Gene Autry in Less Than Sixty Seconds Jason Boog January 4, 2008 As we contemplate the weekend, I'd like to leave you with three bits of glittering Internet writing gold.Over at Portfolio's media blog, Jeff Bercovici just staged the first Peter Travers vs. Pete Hammond movie critic face-off, looking at two film... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 3	Tony D'Souza Explains How To Publicize Your Book Jason Boog January 3, 2008 What happens after you publish your first book? Not much, unless you're willing to do a lot of work. While pondering the pros and cons of self-publishing, GalleyCat reminded me of an important point that can get lost in the writing... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Drunk Scribbles Vs. Scheduled Writing Jason Boog January 3, 2008 What's the best way to finish your book? Drunk in a roach motel or handcuffed to a day-planner?Over at Urban Muse, writing guru Kelly L. Stone advises writers to apply fanatical care to the business of writing; planning their schedules... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 2	Rounding Up The New Year's 2008 Round Ups Jason Boog January 2, 2008 Over here at The Publishing Spot, we understand that you are way, way behind on your bloggy reading list and that you have no time to surf through all the "Welcome to 2008" lists. I'm reading the 2008 Round Ups... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Anti-Self-Help-Creative-Advice Movement Jason Boog January 2, 2008 So here we are, blinking in the glare from a whole big, white, empty page of the new year. Welcome home. I'm currently arranging interviews with two brilliant magazine writers and the editor of an erotic writing anthology--so look for... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

« December 2007 | Main | February 2008 »

Jan31	Rachel Kramer Bussel Explains How To Build A Better Public Reading Jason Boog January 31, 2008 Know More: Rachel Kramer Bussel book promotion, public readings, sex writing Last week Rachel Kramer Bussel threw a big party to celebrate the new anthology she edited, Best Sex Writing 2008. She held the event at Rapture Cafe in the East Village, bringing together a crack team of erotic readers. I put together a lo-fi web video so you could see the event yourself. Click here for more information about Bussel's upcoming readings. Today, she explains how to build a better public reading to support your work. 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 writing. Jason Boog: At your book opening, you found some new, unexpected writers for your collection as well. How can writers build a vibrant writing community like you have? Any advice for building a better public reading/ book opening? Rachel Kramer Bussel: Reading widely, for one. I am constantly picking up books or visiting websites that might lead to something of interest, and those aren't all "sex blogs" per se. Continue reading... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan31	Three Easily-Clickable Writing Resources For You! Jason Boog January 31, 2008 Feeling stuck? Feeling bored? Here are three simple links that will break you out of any writing funk. No matter if you are a creative writer or a journalist (or both!), these links will help...First up, journalist Jeff Jarvis just... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan30	How To Go From Short Stories To A Novel: Lessons From Rachel Kramer Bussel Jason Boog January 30, 2008 "Amber lingered at La Petite Coquette, her hand reaching out to stroke all manner of silk and lace in all the most beautiful colors ... her eyes were solely on the luxurious merchandise, the bras scalloped with flowers along their... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wednesday Writing Lesson: How To Create Strong Characters Jason Boog January 30, 2008 How do you make a character come to life? Not by having them stare at mirror or having them stand heroically posed for the reader.Over at the Guardian, the brilliant writer James Woods delivers a master-level course on character creation... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan29	Rachel Kramer Bussel Explains How To Cope With The Stress Of The Freelance Life Jason Boog January 29, 2008 "When I tell people I write about sex, I can see immediately whether their judgment about me has changed in the second it took me to say it. Most of the time, I don’t have time to sit and explain... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Celebrating Patry Francis and The Liar's Diary Jason Boog January 29, 2008 Along with Susan Henderson, Litpark, and THREE HUNDRED OTHER BLOGS, I'd like to celebrate the work of a first-time novelist who just realized her dream today, after struggling with all the writing life problems that we discuss here. Patry Francis... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan28	How To Write About Sex Without Sounding Like A Spam Email Jason Boog January 28, 2008 Sex. Sex? Sex!It's a major part of our lives, but we don't usually talk about it around the watercooler. And since the topic is shrouded in so much cultural wrapping paper, your average writer has absolutely no idea how... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan25	How To Revise Your Novel Even Though Web Writing Is Ruining Your Editing Skills Jason Boog January 25, 2008 Where have all the postings gone?I've been a little light on the blogging here lately, but I've got a good excuse--I'm editing the crap out of my novel. Finishing this draft, I realized that I've lost touch with some of... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan24	How Writers Can Use Web Video Without Pretending That They Are Hollywood Directors Jason Boog January 24, 2008 What will web videos by writers look like in ten years?I hope they won't look like Hollywood movies or trailers for Hollywood movies. It's so silly to have this new lo-fi, do-it-yourself medium of web video and pretend like we... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan23	The Mobile Journalism Showdown at Davos Jason Boog January 23, 2008 The annual Davos World Economic Forum has just become a hotbed of mobile web videos, a virtual labratory for writers to study. At Davos, Jeff Jarvis is running with a crowd of journalists who are all using mobile technology to... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan22	How To Build A Cheap Web Journalism Toolkit Jason Boog January 22, 2008 Last year I had a short conversation with one of my journalistic heroes, William T. Vollmann -- a novelist and reporter who always shot photographs to mix with his stories. For the next generation of Vollmann-inspired journalists, we must consider... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan21	Flash Journalism Jason Boog January 21, 2008 I came into writing imagining I'd be churning five thousand word essays all the time. But honestly, writing is getting shorter and shorter every day.Now, with the advent of Twitter--the mini-blog site where people keep track of the minute details... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan18	How To Write a Novel or Attend an MFA with a Family Jason Boog January 18, 2008 Can you have a family while studying for an MFA in creative writing? More generally, can you have a family, a dayjob, and still have a writing life?I discussed that with Paul Malmont in the video interview above, trying to... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan17	How Do We Write about the War in Iraq? Jason Boog January 17, 2008 Last week I wrote about the death of Andrew Olmsted, a military blogger who always caught me off guard with his ideas and images about the Iraq War. Meet Olmsted in his final, inspiring post. Writers need to read and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan15	How The MacBook Air Will Affect Writers Jason Boog January 15, 2008 So Apple unveiled a fancy-pants new computer today. As much as I would totally dig finishing my novel on a MacBook Air, it really won't do anything except make your lap lighter. I can't say it better than Gawker. Still,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	What Cloverfield, Dr. Who, and Harry Potter Can Teach You About Writing Jason Boog January 15, 2008 What happens when you release a straight-to-video movie with the same premise as a giant blockbuster, releasing your "mockbuster" the same day as the film you imitate? Is it plagiarism? Or is it fan fiction?I vote fan fiction. For years... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan14	What David Simon and The Wire Can Teach You About Writing Careers Jason Boog January 14, 2008 Last night I finally caught up with the fifth season of The Wire. Besides having the best writers in television (Richard Price and Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos for gosh sakes!), the show has a dark look at the inside... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan11	Barry Yourgrau And Other American Cellphone Writers Jason Boog January 11, 2008 Mobile! Mobile! Mobile!I keep saying it, and every day I'm seeing more examples. The Internet is quickly filling up with bright, hungry writers who are setting the standard for cellphone writing. You should be one of them. Here are three... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan10	How To Break Your Writing Funk Jason Boog January 10, 2008 What do you do when you are in a writing funk?I was feeling swamped by all my projects this week, and I tried everything to raise my spirits: the gym, a glass of whisky, and a book by my favorite... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 9	What Andrew Olmsted Left Behind Jason Boog January 9, 2008 Earlier this week I wrote about the death of Andrew Olmsted, a military blogger who I always enjoyed reading. Writers like him do more to help us understand the Iraq War than a whole Internet full of pundits. Over at... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Live From Your Cellphone Jason Boog January 9, 2008 Can you tell a story while filming something on your cellphone? Do people want to watch a live video streamed from a journalist's cellphone?These are questions all writers need to be asking--it's almost as important as the question, "Will people... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 8	What the WGA Strike and Jon Stewart Mean for You Jason Boog January 8, 2008 In this new media universe, what does it mean to be a writer?Is blogging writing? Is my web video monologue writing? Is an ad-libbed variety show with pre-planned guests writing? As the Writers Guild of America strike continues, writers around... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 7	Publishing Spotted: Remembering Andrew Olmsted Jason Boog January 7, 2008 I'm having one of those days when everything on the Internet fascinates me but I hardly have time to check it all out. Still, there are a few stories that were too important to miss.The Urban Muse has a sweet... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	What David Lynch and iPhone Can Teach You About Writing Jason Boog January 7, 2008 One of the most popular thing on YouTube today is (ironically) a bitty video of David Lynch bashing movies on mobile phones--an anti-iPhone manifesto. "You will never in a trillion years have experienced the film," he yells at cellular movie... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 4	The Top Five Self-Publishing and Print-on-Demand Links From The Publishing Spot Jason Boog January 4, 2008 First of all, a big welcome to all the GalleyCat readers coming through The Publishing Spot today. It's a real honor to meet all these new people.Over at GalleyCat, Ron Hogan has been running some fabulous self-publishing advice, and I... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	From Pete Hammond to Gene Autry in Less Than Sixty Seconds Jason Boog January 4, 2008 As we contemplate the weekend, I'd like to leave you with three bits of glittering Internet writing gold.Over at Portfolio's media blog, Jeff Bercovici just staged the first Peter Travers vs. Pete Hammond movie critic face-off, looking at two film... Continue Reading Posted at 6:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 3	Tony D'Souza Explains How To Publicize Your Book Jason Boog January 3, 2008 What happens after you publish your first book? Not much, unless you're willing to do a lot of work. While pondering the pros and cons of self-publishing, GalleyCat reminded me of an important point that can get lost in the writing... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Drunk Scribbles Vs. Scheduled Writing Jason Boog January 3, 2008 What's the best way to finish your book? Drunk in a roach motel or handcuffed to a day-planner?Over at Urban Muse, writing guru Kelly L. Stone advises writers to apply fanatical care to the business of writing; planning their schedules... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 2	Rounding Up The New Year's 2008 Round Ups Jason Boog January 2, 2008 Over here at The Publishing Spot, we understand that you are way, way behind on your bloggy reading list and that you have no time to surf through all the "Welcome to 2008" lists. I'm reading the 2008 Round Ups... Continue Reading Posted at 8:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Anti-Self-Help-Creative-Advice Movement Jason Boog January 2, 2008 So here we are, blinking in the glare from a whole big, white, empty page of the new year. Welcome home. I'm currently arranging interviews with two brilliant magazine writers and the editor of an erotic writing anthology--so look for... Continue Reading Posted at 7:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

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