Last month I wrote a post called Sex, Lies and Literature in which I took a look at the why sex has been such a popular theme throughout literary history.

Today, I came across an interesting blog post on the Guardian Unlimited The Blog Books section that got me thinking about this subject again. But instead of asking the why question, I’m more interested now in the how question. More specifically, is it possible to write a sex scene in a literary piece of fiction without blowing it (pardon the expression)? To get you thinking about this, here’s what Lee Rourke said in his post Literary sex is such a turn-off:

When novelists try to make their sex scenes literary, when they try to orchestrate each moan and groan into the book, wasting all that time trying to create the perfect scene, trying to make it seem believable, they fail miserably. The literary approach to writing a decent, believable sex scene is the most embarrassing thing about contemporary literary fiction today.

I do agree with Mr. Rourke that when novelists try to describe "each moan and groan" it can become a bit much. I often find myself flipping through the pages to find where the scene finally ends hoping to get on with the novel.

Continue Reading

If you write science fiction, then you can ignore this post (although you can still read it, I don’t mind). But not too long ago, I saw something that got me thinking about something my own fiction really lacks: Technology. My characters don’t seem to make heavy use of the internet, cell phones or any other cool gadget that one can think of.

Are my characters technophobic? I honestly don’t know. If they are technophobic, they certainly don’t get it from me. I’m a proud iPhone user and recently purchased a GPS device for my car so I can drive to work each day knowing which street is coming up (and maybe get occasional directions). I also own a Sony Reader which is filled with ebooks I haven’t had time to read yet.

My characters, however, don’t use any of this wonderful technology. Maybe they don’t need a GPS device or a fancy cell phone/mp3 player/organizer/internet device. If I really think hard, I can probably recall a few short stories where a character brought out a cell phone. But it certainly didn’t stand out in the story.

Continue Reading

Back in the days before the internet gained steam and became the powerhouse of information that it is today, I remember having to beg for a ride to the local library so I could research whatever topic interested me and make photocopies of the articles that I was able to find. Needless to say, one had to really be specific in their search, or they’d be at the library forever.

Today is different. You just type in the topic you’re looking for in Google and away you go! But this can also be overwhelming. My blog subscription on Google Reader, for example, keeps growing by the day and I’m finding it harder and harder to get my reading done. Thus I have turned to the wonderful world of podcasts!

Using podcasts as a resource

Are you a writer that wants to learn more about your craft? Do you lack the time to read endless books and blog posts? If so, then you should really give podcasts a try. Many professional writers (and even amateurs who podcast about their experience trying to break into publishing) have set up podcasts that can be listened to in the car during your commute, or even at home loading the dishwasher (as I did last night).

Continue Reading

Last week I tackled the topic of writing non-fiction (5 Tips for Writing Stellar Non-Fiction). Actually, I really didn’t "tackle" anything, I just sort of glossed over a few tips about writing non-fiction pieces, and then pretty much left it at that.

Today, however, I came across a post from one of my favorite blogs, The Writing Life, written by Terry Whalin. In a recent post he talks about the value of publishing experience. Mr. Whalin points out that non-fiction outsells fiction by a large margin. He then says:

Overall there are less fiction slots than nonfiction and many more people trying to write fiction than nonfiction. If you choose to write only fiction, then you are intentionally targeting the most crowded area of the marketplace within traditional publishing. That’s my case for nonfiction in books…

Great point! Everyone wants to write fiction. Everyone wants to get their fiction published and be the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. Well, maybe not everyone, but enough are trying that publishing fiction (via the traditional route) is extremely competitive these days.

Continue Reading

Back in August 2007, I wrote a post (In China, internet propels novel popularity) about people in China embracing internet technology to produce and consume literature. I presented a fairly optimistic view of China’s infant literary scene.

However, there are still many problems in China for writers, especially concerning censorship. According to an article published in the Guardian Unlimited, censorship still exists, but the line that separates what is considered appropriate and what is taboo has been blurred:

"Censorship’s not quite the blunt instrument it used to be," says the Beijing-based journalist and translator Eric Abrahamsen. "Writers can publish books, but then there’s pressure exerted on publishers not to reprint them, or media organisations not to cover them."

Continue Reading

Okay, so you’re not a famous author with a dozen published best-sellers under your belt. Why not fake it? You probably think I’m crazy. How do you fake being a well-published, best-selling author? That’s not quite what I’m talking about. Faking it as much about your mindset as it is about specific actions you take to prepare yourself for success. Allow me to explain further:

First, let me start off by saying that many entrepreneurs and freelancers follow the creed that until you make it, you should fake it. So what exactly does that mean? The statement means that just because you’re not a successful freelancer or entrepreneur doesn’t mean you can’t act like one.

In other words, you should treat your writing as if you are a published author. This means taking it seriously, setting goals and being diligent in getting your work out to editors, agents, publications or who ever else might want to buy your work. Because essentially, that is what you are doing, you are selling your work to someone else.

Continue Reading

Short fiction is one of the most under-appreciated art forms around in mainstream society (next to poetry, of course). Those who tend to consume short fiction are also those who produce it. This has caused a surge in MFA programs around the US and a large number of small, independent literary magazines have come into existence. But publications that feature short fiction don’t get a lot of attention, which is a shame.

Here’s a brief list of the top 5 reasons why I love short stories:

- Can read in one sitting: This is a big one! I often read novels over a period of a few weeks, so it’s very refreshing to be able to sit down and read a story from beginning to end in one sitting. I found I can usually get much more into the story this way.

Continue Reading

2008 is right around the corner. I can’t believe another year is gone. But 2007 was pretty amazing. This blog has really taken off and December marks the 1-year birthday of Brad’s Reader! My goal, however, is to grow and expand this blog even more in the next year.

My other goals for 2008 also include spending more time working on my own fiction, which has taken a backseat to blogging and my other projects. I even hope to dive a little deeper into poetry. But instead of boring you with my own goals, I want to read yours!

What are your goals?
What are your writing/literary goals for 2008?  It can be anything from finishing that novel to reading a certain book you’ve been putting off for a while. Leave a comment below with five (5) writing/literary goals you have for the upcoming new year, and you could win!

Continue Reading

2008 is closing in fast. Like it or not, the years tend to fly by, and with increasing speed the older you get. But the passing years isn’t all depressing. Just think back 10 years, which isn’t all that long ago. I was still in high school and I’m amazed how much things have changed since then.

One of my favorite blogs, Print is Dead, talks about this issue of change during the last decade in the context of publishing. Blogger/author Jeff Gomez recalls how helpless he felt because he wasn’t able to promote his book back then. While the internet did exist, it was still in its infancy:

And while the Internet existed in 1997, it was hardly the ubiquitous presence it is today. Back then, the Web was more about tech-savvy geeks and early adopters. Whereas, today, almost everyone has an e-mail address and surfs the web at least a few times a week (not to mention that more people than ever have their own website or blog).

Think about! Today, because of the power and reach of the internet, an unknown author can publish a book, promote it, and in theory, can do very well…just by using the internet. Yes, it’s easier said than done, but the technology that exists now has greatly leveled the playing field in the world of publishing.

Continue Reading

This post will wrap up my series on being a more prolific writer. I meant to have this up by Friday, or Saturday at the very latest, but other things distracted me. So I apologize for those of you waiting in suspense for the final post in the series.

Being a prolific writer means writing large quantities of material. To do that, one must be productive. To be productive as a writer, one must spend a consistent amount of time writing (notice I didn’t say "a large amount of time" or even "a lot of time", consistency is key). But as the week wore on, I began thinking "Does being a prolific writer really matter?" Then I narrowed it down to a matter of Quality Vs. Quantity.

During my last semester at college, one of my English professors told us that he would much rather have us write a killer essay that might be a page or so under the minimum requirement, then write a 30-page essay that is filled with fluff and constantly repeating the same points over and over again. This is a prime example of quality ruling over quantity. This isn’t to say, however, that you can’t start out with a 30-page essay and then cut it down to a focused and crisp piece of writing through editing and lots of hard work.

Continue Reading