Today I've chosen three early posts on writing and the writing life. I hope you enjoy them. You can comment here or on the posts themselves.
writers and a living wage
I found it rather charming to read this post from late 1996 (my guess, given references to working on what would become The Blue Place, domestic partnership stuff, etc.) about writing and money. It's clear that I thought the only path moving forward was up. Kelley and I have just spent a couple of days talking about ways to supplement our writing incomes. When I answered this question, nearly thirteen years ago, I wouldn't have dreamt we'd need to do such a thing. There again, while Wizards of the Coast was a great place to work, Kelley has now been her own boss for nine years. And that, that right there, is the point. We are living our dream every day. Life is good.
what is 'good enough' for Clarion West?
Now I know how stories are selected for Clarion, and I find my advice is still good. I'd add, "make sure it's clear, make sure there's a beginning, middle and end, make me feel something." But, eh, you can't download twenty years of experience in one short post. Side note: I never did find out if the person asking the question ended up as one of my students.
what to do when you're a beginner
I had many of these questions in the early days, and sometimes wasn't as patient as I could have been. Oh, I wasn't mean or anything, I just didn't take the time to give a really detailed response. If you're a beginner, Kelley has given some excellent suggestions on her website. See, for example, From the Beginning, a comprehensive discussion of how to get started.
