Chris Abouzeid's Blog, page 52

Inconvenient Truths of Our Own Writing

By Jamye Shelleby Recently I had a little run-in with one of my characters, who refused to cooperate with my plans for her. Some of my characters, let’s be frank, are simply thinly-veiled reproductions of or conglomerations of people I know. But others come to me without a real-life model, ...

If You Can’t Stand The Heat, Get Into The Kitchen

By Nichole Bernier When my first novel came out two weeks ago, I had most of my ducks in a row. I’d arranged a book tour to places where I had the most friends and family. I’d written magazine articles related to my book, and planned a launch party. I bought ...

Lit Mag News: Job Openings, Editorial Changes, and…Men’s Fashion?

  Welcome to the weekly round-up of all things new and noteworthy in the lovable world of literary magazines, brought to you by The Review Review.     Greetings lit-loving lit-nicks,   Are you looking for a job? Think you might like to be the editor of a highly reputable literary magazine? If ...

So You Want to Be Funny: A Guide to Pumping Irony

by Chris Abouzeid So you want to be funny? Not just wry-smile-funny or chuckle-of-recognition-funny, but laugh-out-loud-in-the-quiet-car-until-the-conductor-kicks-you-out-funny? Well I’d like to help. But the first rule of comic writing is the harder you try to be funny, the less anyone will laugh. (Also, my credentials as a comic writer are limited ...

5 Questions for Authors Allison Winn Scotch and Laura Dave

  By Juliette Fay I recently read THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME by Allison Winn Scotch and THE FIRST HUSBAND by Laura Dave, one right after the other, and fully enjoyed them both. What struck me was how each began with a similar premise for the protagonist: a moment in ...

As The Writer Turns: Episode # 3 “You’re Still Using AOL?”

By Laura Zigman Today, on Beyond the Margins’ soap opera, our heroine gets mocked by her frenemy for continuing to use her AOL email. Yes, once again, these are the days of our writing lives. Will she crumble under his rolling eyes or will she go to gmail with the ...

Substance vs. Style: Fanfare for the Common Word

By Julie Wu There was a flurry of rustling as we all took out our Graham Greene essays for Freshman English. “Now,” Mrs. B said, “Look through your paper and circle your favorite word.” I scanned my words, hand written on blue-lined paper. The best I could come up with ...

From the Lit Mag O’Sphere: Industry Changes

  Welcome to the weekly round-up of all the news in literary magazines, brought to you by The Review Review.        Greetings Lit Lovers, In the time-honored tradition of homies everywhere, it’s time to spill the first sips of our frothy beers onto the pavement, paying tribute to lit ...

When Can I Call Myself a Writer?

Guest Post by Carolyn Roy-Bornstein. [Photo by Dylanfm] “Are you a writer?” These were the first words uttered by our Advanced Fiction-Writing instructor at the Harvard Extension School one autumn evening several years ago. We students looked around at each other sheepishly. Shyly, we sized each other up. This was ...

Interview With My Muse

INTERVIEW WITH MY MUSE by Chris Abouzeid [Transcript of original FAUX-TV broadcast. All rights reserved.] ME: Our guest today is one of the true beating hearts of the literary body—a mysterious, haunting, passionate, fickle, dedicated, elusive figure. Give it up, please for….my Muse! [Enter guest stage left. Applause.] MUSE: Thanks, ...