Red Room Where the Writers Are

The Birds »

Things I Lost In the Quake: Ode to a Chicken Wing »

On Wednesday, the day after a 5.4-magnitude earthquake rocked L.A., I banged out for the blogosphere a joking

Implements of Faith »

A pen. But not just any pen. A Uni-ball GEL Impact 1.0 mm. Black.

Book Reviews ... and a Literary Reality Show? »

In the fall of 2007, the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) ran a lengthy essay by Steve Wasserman, a former editor of The Los Angeles Times Book Review, titled “Goodbye to All That.”

The Wednesday Sisters and the Writing Life »

For anyone who has ever dreamed of becoming an author, Meg Waite Clayton’s website is a delightful and inspiring place to visit.

More Writers than You Can Shake a Stick At - Everyone now can afford to preach in the desert. »

Here is a link to an interesting New York Times article about the number of books published every year. 

In Praise of Writing Friends »

The history of my writing starts with a purse.

How can I put this? »

Okay.  In our last episode Geoff was on the prow of the big ship screaming about running the world. We know what happened to the last guy to do that.

Rhythm and Writing »

Just for a bit of inspiration, I dipped into Joyce Carol Oates,

Margaret Mitchell: The Inspiring True Tale of a "Girl Reporter" Turned Bestselling Author »

One of the most uplifting stories I’ve come across recently is that of Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind. Known as Peggy by her friends, Mitchell became the first woman to cover hard news in the early 1920s for the Atlanta Journal, one of the predecessor newspapers to today’s Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The Writer's Middle Finger (How to grow it, groom it, love it, and stretch it) »

Last winter, I hit a bump. A big bump. I forgot why I write.

Magical Rewards That Come from Being a Writer »

I will be the first one to admit that I am not a great writer. As I have indicated previously, by the time I realized how bad of a writer I was, I was too successful to quit.

QUOTATIONS FROM EDMOND JABÈS 2 »

THE WRITER can get free of his writing only by using it, that is, by reading oneself.  As if the aim of writing were to use what is already written as a launching pad for reading the

What I write »

The first title of this post was: I write crap. I changed it though and the rest of this post is about why and why I would call my writing crap.

My Two Greatest Writing Lessons »

Around 1986, I interned at the L.A. Weekly. This was pre-... well, pretty much pre-everything. Wednesday was layout day; the entire production crew was quarantined for the duration.

Seducing the Muse (with apologies to Erica Jong) »

I've been in a small seaside town in Central California the past week with my writing group. We have come here every six months since October 2006.

On Watching Your Fingers »

Once upon a time in my wild(ish) youth, I loved music so much that I wanted to be it—that's really the only way I can describe it. I wanted to breathe it, wear it, live it.

Career Paths and Dream Visions »

I overheard a small part of a conversation the other day.

Wherein I Whine »

All's well. But lots of shoulds on my plate, a lot of hullabaloo in my life, and oh man, I do not want to write my novel synopsis. I do not want to grade papers. I do not want to write my column.

...jolting upright in bed and... »

My life is like that movie "Groundhog Day": every day exactly the same.

Bliss »

Please, somebody remind me of this gloriously joyful writing time during my next bleak period.

How chasing Mr. Wrong led to Mr. Write »

The Colleague Express »

The best part about RedRoom so far (in addition to the fact that it's so easy to add photos to my site), is the ease of access to other writers: my heroes and heroines, along with new acquaintances

The Evil Editor Takes the Autobus Local »

Five p.m. today and suddenly it hits me. Lassitude in my limbs, a sinking in my stomach, a buzzing in my ears. My head aches sharply. Torpor, not the good kind. Despair.

Las Dias de WHINE y Rosas »

Today is hit-the-wall day here in paradise, otherwise known as the Casa Colonial in Oaxaca, Mexico where I've been holed up for two weeks

JUST ORDINARY BUSINESS »

Just Ordinary BusinessFriday, Jan 11, 2008

Watch Out! Writer Lurking »

I'm a writer, among other things. And those other things include "unrepentant eavesdropper" and "spy." Yes, I admit it. I listen in.

Good Books and Good Ball: What Harriet Doerr, a fine novelist, owed to Bob Gibson, a fine pitcher. »

Harriet Doerr, who died five years ago at age 92, was a literary late bloomer. Her first novel, Stones for Ibarra, was published in 1984, when she was 74.

phrase for the day »

nichi nichi

working writer or writing worker? »

Like most American writers, I have a day job.

On the Brink »

My confession: I've been experimenting with form. Five memoirs into my career as a writer, I had despaired of digging deeper, I felt trapped by my own smallness, I felt ungraced by me.