Problem solving is what I do. It’s what my activity is, all day, sometimes a sentence, sometimes a whole book. My satisfactions come from solving those problems. It’s work, just endless work. – Philip Roth One night, about ten years ago, I wrote a short novel. Yes, I wrote it in one night. I began
John Hewitt's Writing Tips: Earn Your Ending
I am not opposed to happy endings. When you spend the length of a movie or a book rooting for one or more characters, you want things to work out well for them. That is human nature. You are invested in the characters. An unhappy ending, however, is preferable to an unearned ending. Nothing spoils
John Hewitt's Writing Tips: Join a Writer's Group
Joining a writer’s group (or poet’s group) can be a frustrating experience. You have to show up every session with something new for your peers to look at. Chances are, the people in the group will pick your work apart. They’ll reveal flaws you never thought were flaws. They’ll make you defensive and at times
John Hewitt's Writing Tips: Save What You Write
You never know when the words you write today, even the ones you don’t like, will come in handy later. The paper you wrote for a class in 1998 might suddenly be of use to you in 2009. The chapter you decided didn’t work in your novel might be just the thing you need three
