Writers need sleep
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December 13, 2016

The shortest days of the year are here. In my family’s Scandinavian tradition, TODAY, December 13 is Santa Lucia Day. According to legend, she brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the catacombs in the third century. In the annual holiday festivals, Lucia is represented by a blonde girl in a white dress with a red sash who wears a crown of candles on her… [Read More]

Holiday Reading Recommendations
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December 6, 2016

During these cold winter months I love to curl up with a book and escape to other worlds between the pages. I bet you do, too. Finding more time to enjoy reading for pleasure is the best gift you can give yourself this year. When I think about the books I’ve read during the last year there are some which stayed with me a long… [Read More]

Gratitude for Great Works
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November 29, 2016

As the year begins to come to a close, the Thanksgiving holiday reminds me of how much light there is in my life. I live in a community that reads, celebrates books, and supports literary artists and libraries. Books are something I feel passionately about and I’m grateful to have made them my calling, my livelihood, in this chapter of my life. For her skills… [Read More]

Sockpuppet Armies Attack Authors
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November 22, 2016

When your writing is published, expect to go public. Positive engagement with your audience is critical to the success of your book. Readers want to connect with authors. And writers like to hear feedback from their readers. During the last decade publishers have come to expect authors to create and manage their online personas on various social media platforms to promote and market their books…. [Read More]

Take Ithaca With You
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November 15, 2016

Whether you’re new to Ithaca, have memories in Ithaca, or are a lifelong resident, you’ll learn why Ithacans love where they live in this beautiful new guidebook to all things local. 365 Things to Do in Ithaca by Laurel Guy will be released in December by Schiffer Publishing. Gorges. Enlightened. Quirky. Ithacans do things differently. On Cayuga Lake in the heart of New York’s Finger… [Read More]

Chris Abani: Cornell University’s Creative Writing Program Barbara and David Zalaznick Reading
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November 8, 2016

Debra Silva Rivera is our guest blogger today. In 2015 she was selected by the Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation/Voices Writing Workshop in Miami to work with novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright Chris Abani. Rivera lives in Ithaca and is working on a middle-grade novel. Cornell University’s Creative Writing Program invited Chris Abani to speak on campus November 3 as part of the… [Read More]

Overwritten?
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November 1, 2016

A common problem for writers of narrative is overwriting. They work on a piece, edit, add more, read it again, out loud, and add a few more things. Overkill. The writing becomes so writerly it draws attention to itself and gets in the way of the story. The raw authenticity evaporates in the translation to prose. There is enormous pressure on the unpublished writer to… [Read More]

Podcasts for Writers
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October 25, 2016

The work of being a writer is never ending. When you’re not writing, you’re reading. When you’re not reading, you can listen! Podcasts are a wonderful way to learn about new books, hear authors talk about their writing practice, learn new skills, improve your writing craft, and gain fresh perspectives on the business of publishing. Here’s a short list of some of my favorite podcasts… [Read More]

Podcasts for True Crime Writers
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October 18, 2016

Perhaps you got hooked on podcasts last year by listening to Serial. From the creators of This American Life, produced by WBEZ Chicago, and hosted by Sarah Koenig, Serial offered listeners a true story told over the course of a season with weekly episodes. The first season focused on the disappearance in 1999 of Hae Min Lee in Baltimore and the conviction of her boyfriend,… [Read More]

The Unanticipated Rewards of Publishing Your Book
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October 11, 2016

Last week here I shared a dirty little secret. Authors get the blues. Depression strikes when you least expect it: upon the successful publication of your book. I did not intend to discourage writers from pursuing the path to publication, though it may have had that effect on those who hadn’t realized how much hard work and personal sacrifice might be involved. Today I’d like… [Read More]