John Busbee’s Culture Buzz Interviews with Grant Faulkner

Who is Grant Faulkner? “As a boy, I spent my allowance on all sorts of pens and paper, so there was never much question I would become a writer. I received my B.A. from Grinnell College [Iowa] in English and my M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.

“It seems like I should have other degrees, such as an MFA in Novels about People Doing Nothing But Walking Around, a PhD in Collages and Doodles and Stick Drawings of Fruitless Pursuits, or a Knighthood in Insomniac Studies, but I don’t.”

Faulkner just retired as Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story.

He has published collections of short stories, plus three books on writing: The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story; Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo; and Brave the Page, a teen writing guide.

Pep Talks for Writers: Every writer knows that as rewarding as the creative process is, it can often be a bumpy road. Have hope and keep at it! Designed to kick-start creativity, this handbook from the executive director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) gathers a wide range of insights and advice for writers at any stage of their career.

From tips about how to finally start that story to helpful ideas about what to do when the words just aren’t quite coming out right, Pep Talks for Writers provides motivation, encouragement, and helpful exercises for writers of all stripes.

My take on Pep Talks: This one’s a keeper! Rich writing and loads of encouragement all the way through. I’ll return to it again and again for pep talks.

John Busbee’s interview with Grant about Pep Talks for Writers.

Their interview about NaNoWriMo.

The Art of Brevity: With increased compression, every word, every sentence matters more. A writer must learn how to form narratives around caesuras and crevices instead of strings of connections, to move a story through the symbolic weight of images, to master the power of suggestion.

With elegant prose, deep readings of other writers, and scaffolded writing exercises, The Art of Brevity takes the reader on a lyrical exploration of compact storytelling, guiding readers to heighten their awareness of not only what appears on the page but also what doesn’t.

John and Grant’s interview about this book.

Find out more about John Busbee here, and Grant Faulkner on his website.