Are you a subscriber to The Art-Committed Life newsletter? If not, here's what you've missed in the last two issues. Volume 2, Issue 4 features three key takeaways from a recent week-long novel retreat offered by the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Also provided is a list of key craft books recommended by retreat faculty …
Continue reading Takeaways from a Novel Retreat, Handling Criticism, and More
What makes one a successful writer? I was forced to contemplate that question yesterday morning while having brunch with friends from out of town. One of their daughters is a freshman at a prestigious liberal-arts college. She has no idea what she wishes to major in, but knows she loves to write. So she asked …
Continue reading Three Fundamentals to a Successful Writing Career
Perhaps it's because I don't like being told what to do. Maybe it's because I don't like to reflect on some of the things I've done. But as a reader I generally do not care for the use of the second person. I've been forced to rethink my position after reading Sue William Silverman's masterful …
Continue reading Are You Talking to Me? Use of the Second Person
Two weeks ago Facebook celebrated 10 years of making us depressed and envious by creating for each user a personalized video not unlike what you see in an Oscars "in memoriam" telecast. It was a wise move by Facebook's corporate brass to create a video starring ourselves, because academic studies show Facebook encourages narcissism; feeding the …
Continue reading Envy, Narcissism, Depression and Creativity
Today's post is inspired by an award-winning fantasy and science fiction author I interviewed during my cross-country road trip, Michael Swanwick. For a time in the early 2000's he played a character online by the name of "Unca Mike," who took a different approach to writing advice: Most writing columns offer sound and useful advice …
Continue reading 5 Keys to Success for Aspiring Writers (Not) to Follow
MONTPELIER, VERMONT -- As a creative writer, you know the importance of routine. Writing at a certain time of day, with a particular pen or inspiring sweater, anything that helps you find that quiet place where it's just you and the words. But how often does life really let you find that place? That's the …
Continue reading MFA Nugget: Inspiring Your Writing with Contemplative Practice
This is your chance, dear readers, to weigh in on the types of posts you'll see over the next year on The Artist's Road. I've arranged below a list of categories into which Artist's Road posts could most comfortably be fit. It's a bit of a challenge, because while this blog has a theme--living the …
Continue reading What Would You Like to See on The Artist’s Road?
Who's up for a little creative insight from Emily Dickinson? Tell all the Truth but tell it slantSuccess in Circuit liestoo bright for our infirm DelightThe Truth's superb surpriseAs Lightning to the Children easedWith explanation kindThe Truth must dazzle graduallyOr every man be blind When I started my MFA in Writing program nearly two years …
Continue reading 3 Steps For Creative Writers to Tell it Slant
I have a congenital allergy to blog chains. But I'm loading up on as much pseudoephedrine as the pharmacist can legally sell me (no, I don't run a meth lab) to participate in "Then Next Big Thing: My New Project" chain. I am to discuss my big writing project, then pass the task on to …
You crack people up at dinner parties. It seems there's no end to your ability to draw a smile with a quick take on a past event. With so much material, writing it should be a cinch. Right? That is what Sarah Braud once thought. Sarah graduates today from the Vermont College of Fine Arts …
Continue reading MFA Nugget: Are You Sharing an Anecdote or Writing an Artful Story?
The Artist's Road 