8 ratings | 3 reviews | avg rating:4.12

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Jem Matzan

Goodreads Author

Born

in Fairport, NY, The United States

Website

http://www.jemmatzan.com

Genre

Fiction, Humor and Comedy, Nonfiction

Member Since

January 2013

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Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Jem Matzan If I'm writing something work-for-hire, I have a list of topics or an outline to work from, so I don't get writer's block with those projects. If I've…moreIf I'm writing something work-for-hire, I have a list of topics or an outline to work from, so I don't get writer's block with those projects. If I've covered the topic sufficiently, then it's done. If there are topics or items that I can't get enough information for, then I'll remove them from the project until the resources are available. I think a lot of fiction writers do the same thing; they create an outline and fill in the blanks. I don't outline my fiction, though.

I have a lot of tactics for overcoming writer's block with fiction. If I feel intimidated by starting where I left off, I'll go back a few hundred words and read and revise, and by the time I get to the end, I often have the momentum to continue. I might also go back to the beginning and read and revise from there. Or I'll consult my notes file for ideas; it contains a list of ideas, lines of dialogue, character summaries, and revision goals.

I think we write stories to -- consciously or not -- solve some kind of problem or answer an internal question. The story uses elements from our experience to help us subconsciously develop solutions. So if you are truly at an impasse in your writing, then you need to fuel the fire by doing new things with your life. Even if it's going to a different grocery store, or finding a new route to the office, it's going to help you form new connections that will spur your creativity.

There is more to creating a book than writing the manuscript, though: marketing plans, internal and cover art, ancillary content (synopsis, pitch, promotional articles, etc.), character summaries, notes for revision. There is always some effort you can put into the project to drive it forward on those days when you just don't have the mental clarity to write in the manuscript.(less)

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Who is your favorite fictional couple, and why?

Jem Matzan Until this question came up here, I didn't think much about this topic, and now that I've considered it, I don't really like fictional couples. I tend…moreUntil this question came up here, I didn't think much about this topic, and now that I've considered it, I don't really like fictional couples. I tend to write about people who are uniquely alone; their relationships are short.

When I think of other people's stories, no particular couple stands out because I just don't get much enjoyment out of reading about other people's relationships, real or not.

In terms of audiobooks I've narrated, I'm going to go with a non-standard answer: Murray and Tommy from Tropical Depression. They're not lovers, but they have a unique bond through friendship. It's one of those great rare human experiences: being friends with someone who could not be friends with anyone else.(less)

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Jem Matzan’s books

Average rating: 3.41 · 58 ratings · 32 reviews · 27 distinct works

	Tropical Depression (Key West, #4) by Laurence Shames (Goodreads Author), Jem Matzan (Goodreads Author) (Narrator) 4.06 avg rating — 1,174 ratings — published 1996 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Firsts by Rosalie Stanton (Goodreads Author), Jem Matzan (Goodreads Author) (narrator) 3.57 avg rating — 1,237 ratings — published 2009 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Hero 3.54 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 2002 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Try Catch Finally 2.80 avg rating — 5 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	SUSE Linux 10.1 Kick Start it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2006 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Openbsd 4.0 Crash Course did not like it 1.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2007 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tales from the Twentieth Century 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2000 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Search for the Emerald Blackbird 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2003 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Suse Linux 10.1 Kick Start 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Freebsd 6.2 Crash Course 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Jem Matzan's Blog

Reviewers wanted

Would you like to review Try Catch Finally? If so, you can get a review copy on these sites:

Netgalley: http://netgal.ly/TL6M49
Booksprout: https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review...

Negative reviews are welcome so long as they're reasonably detailed. Read more of this blog post »

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Published on November 21, 2022 13:39

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Jem Matzan wrote a new blog post Reviewers wanted Would you like to review Try Catch Finally? If so, you can get a review copy on these sites: Netgalley: http://netgal.ly/TL6M49 Booksprout: https://book Read more of this blog post »
Nov 21, 2022 01:39PM · like
Jem Matzan made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Several books wrongly attributed to one author topic " I'll fix these myself if someone will grant librarian access. ...more "
Sep 07, 2021 11:11AM

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Quotes by Jem Matzan (?)

“No back doors! I had a back door, but every fucker who thought he was bad wouldn't use the front door because everyone knows that if you're bad, you slip out through the back. I boarded it up - use the front door like everybody else.”
― Jem Matzan, The Hero

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“You killed a horse!"
My voice was still rough and low. "Well... he shouldn't 've been carrying you.”
― Jem Matzan, The Hero

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“Halleck hated being called 'sir.' It was one of many instances in American culture where what was formerly known as good manners was now actually bad manners. Being called 'sir' was Anand’s ostensibly polite way of calling Halleck a regular asshole who habitually demands things that he is not entitled to receive.”
― Jem Matzan, Try Catch Finally

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Jem’s Quotes

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“Thousands of software click-wrap license agreements and website privacy policies had made Halleck numb to the injustice of forced consent in trade for necessary access.”
― Jem Matzan, Try Catch Finally

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“Halleck is not an Israeli name, it’s an American name. Well, I mean if some woman in Israel happened to name her kid Halleck at some point in history, then I guess the argument for being an Israeli name could be made on a technicality, but it’s not ethnically Jewish. It’s a made-up name. It came from nowhere and means nothing. You can’t possibly get more American than that.”
― Jem Matzan, Try Catch Finally

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