J.J. RichardsonJan 5, 20216 minHow to Make Fiction Magical A story that is not relatable is of little use to anyone no matter how clearly it is written.
J.J. RichardsonFeb 11, 201910 minUnfinished BusinessIf my mother were to haunt me from the next world (which would be a surprise because she is alive), I know what her incantation would be.
J.J. RichardsonSep 7, 20183 minVoice: Your Writing StyleEvery author has what literary experts call voice. It took me years to realize that voice simply meant the author's unique writing style.
J.J. RichardsonJul 20, 201711 minHow to Write a NovelI’ve read hundreds of websites and more than twenty books meant to help authors write novels. Most of them didn’t help me.
J.J. RichardsonMay 19, 20174 minTop 10 Tips for Self-EditingGertrude Stein famously wrote, “The artist’s job is not to succumb to despair, but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence.”
J.J. RichardsonDec 17, 20162 minYou Are the ExpertYour fans want to know that you know what you’re doing.
J.J. RichardsonNov 27, 20167 minWhen Is It Good Enough?I read somewhere that "a good short story with one extra word is a bad short story."
J.J. RichardsonNov 17, 20164 minJourney of 1,000 Interesting StepsWith a bit of skewed math, we can squeeze a decent novella out of one thousand sentences.
J.J. RichardsonNov 4, 20163 minThe Page GameI have played a game for years that has helped transform my writing from banal lethargy to transcendent elegance.