Category Archives: inspiration

December 13, 2013   Stacey   advice, creativity, inspiration, problem solving, psychology, Stacey, writing  
13

The psychology of writing

I have a very strong interest in psychology that goes back to when I minored in it in college. My list has been peppered with titles over the years that explore various issues in this area and I am always interested in seeing new ideas with a psychological bend.

I enjoyed this article in authormagazine.org by published author Jennifer Paros about the psychology of writing. She used her son as a jumping off point, describing how as a young teenager he decided he had an interest in writing. He was then hampered by a fear of failure, essentially. My 8 year-old has recently expressed a similar interest, so I told her the only way to become a writer is to actually write but when I ask her if she wants to, the answer is usually no. I’m  not yet sure where her reluctance is coming from, but I’m going to keep an eye on it and try to encourage her to keep working on it.

Ms. Paros talked with her son about what was holding him back to get him past his stumbling blocks and the writing became easier and more natural. Eventually the process of writing outweighed the insecurity of worrying about a possible negative reaction in sharing his work.

This is likely a common stressor for writers and everyone else. We all worry, some more than others, about what people think of us or if they will react negatively to something we’ve said or done. It’s the people who use their mental strength to overcome these fears that will likely have the most success in writing or anything else they choose to do, a topic generating a great deal of interest following my client Amy Morin’s recent piece about mentally strong people and things they avoid.

What’s your biggest fear as a writer? Have you been able to overcome your insecurities to find a successful path? Share your stories. There are lessons to be learned for all of us.

November 14, 2013   Stacey   advice, children's books, inspiration, reading, Stacey, why we are agents, words, writing, YA  
3

A book can change your life

The title of this post might be overly dramatic, but if you look hard enough you will find some pretty incredible stories about people whose lives were changed by books and reading.

One of those amazing stories comes from YA author Matt de la Peña, whose piece this week in NPR is well worth your time. He touches on so many moments in his own life that were altered by books, and then when he goes into talking about his dad and how his life was changed by reading, well, I was in tears by that point so that tells you what kind of piece this is. In simple prose, he taps into why words and books and reading matter, and how the power of the written word can literally change your life. And I believe almost always for the better.

A love of reading doesn’t have to start early, either. Matt’s life-changing moment came in his second year of college. And you know what else I love about this article? That teacher. That amazing teacher who saw something in this young man and knew he had potential and needed a nudge so she gave him a copy of The Color Purple and asked him to read it before he graduated and then come talk with her about it.

I’m sorry for the way things go for Joshua, a tough young kid profiled here with a secret writing habit, and I hope that de la Peña or someone else can help him find his way through his writing, and through books. When I read pieces like this, it’s so validating to think that the work that we are all doing can make a difference, and in some cases, all the difference.

Do you have any stories to share about how a book changed your life, or the life of someone you know? Please share. And pass this article on too. It’s a great read, and an inspiring one.

November 06, 2013   John   celebrity, inspiration, John, music, opinion  
1

Beginning to see the light

It’s been over a week now, but for me Lou Reed’s death has been lingering on like a pair of pale blue eyes. You know, man, when I was a young man in high school, I was a HUGE Lou Reed fan—not just the Velvet Underground, but the solo records, too. Even the bad ones–who remembers Mistrial? In fact, I first got the news about his death from a couple of high school friends, for whom my Lou fixation evidently made a bigger impression than I ever realized.

Anyway, I figured Lou would be a good subject for a blog post, since so much of his output had to do with books and writers. The literary connection got more explicit in his later years, culminating with The Raven and Lulu, both of which were based on other writers’ work. But from his earliest interviews, Lou talked about books and writers, claiming that he wanted to take what writers like William S. Burroughs, Hubert Selby, and Delmore Schwartz were doing in print and translate that to rock and roll. I know a lot of readers found their way to these authors through other rock stars, but I never would have dug Last Exit to Brooklyn without Lou.

And the more I think about it, Lou’s celebration of writers had as much to do with my getting into publishing as any actual writers or books, too. It basically boiled down to a syllogism: Lou is cool, Lou likes books, therefore books must be cool—and so when my dreams of a rock star faded in college due to a serious lack of faith in my talent (or, more likely, a serious lack of talent), something about publishing spoke to my rock n’ roll heart. In particular, kids’ books, which at the time had a serious us-vs.-them relationship with adult books. It got even better once I started at S&S and discovered how many uptight parents, teachers and librarians were banning Judy Blume and other kids’ book authors who wrote about real life like a certain rock musician…

So, any Lou Reed fans out there in blogland? Anyone see his influence in their writing? I’d love to hear your stories–hey, maybe we can get a New York conversation going (and have a real good time together)…

March 21, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, inspiration, Stacey  
3

Thoughts from Ann Patchett

I’m a big Ann Patchett fan. Her books are always so good. She is a one-of-a-kind talent who writes nonfiction as well as fiction, a rare accomplishment. And she is also someone who has mindfully decided to refrain from social media and even television, making her success in this market that much more notable (although it’s also worth noting her success came long before social media).

So I’m always happy to discover an article by or about her. I came across this recent interview from denverpost.com where Patchett shares candid advice about her own reading and writing habits. It’s short but there are a few golden nuggets of takeaway in there. Like the fact that she doesn’t have a regular writing routine and it’s ok, her favorite book last year and one she learned about novel writing from was J.K. Rowling’s A Casual Vacancy, and that she doesn’t care about how people read or what they read, only that they are reading. Her last line: “I’m all for trash” to illustrate her point made me laugh out loud.

Enjoy this piece, and hope it’s useful as you think about your own writing style and inspiration.

March 18, 2013   Jane   ideas, inspiration, Jane, writing  
4

Where do those ideas come from?

Last week, one of our movie colleagues from the west coast came into the office for a meeting and, before we began discussing various projects, she mentioned that whenever she is in a new city, she immediately goes to the local news to find out a little more about what is “happening” there.  (We actually began by talking about our mayor Bloomberg trying to ban those huge bottles of soda.)

That discussion got me to thinking about ideas and where they come from—in particular the ideas that form the basis of novels.  I know that many first time novelists take their ideas from their own lives and experiences and that is totally natural.  Our longtime client, Gus Lee based both CHINA BOY and HONOR AND DUTY on his life, for instance.  But after that, what happens?

Some, I know, turn nonfiction stories into fiction—we see this especially with television series  like Law and Order; some use the events of history as the basis of their novels. Another of our clients, Mary Doria Russell, has based her last novels on Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. And in his new novel, MURDER AS A FINE ART, our bestselling author David Morrell goes back to the 18oos and the works of notorious opium eater Thomas De Quincey  to create his story.

And so I thought I would ask you writers who I hope are reading this blog where your ideas come from, your own or other peoples’ lives?  I look forward to reading your responses.

March 06, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, inspiration, Stacey, writing  
7

The moment you became a writer

I like learning about writers and their lives outside of their work. It’s always interesting to read about how a writer whose work we love got started and what compelled them to begin writing. When I came across this lovely essay from the incredibly talented author Ron Rash, not only did I order his book Serena, which sounds amazing, but I felt the need to share his words of wisdom with our readers. It also follows my recent post about Quiet and I am once again reminded of the power in observing and listening in our daily lives.

Rash’s story is so personal, but I think there is a focus on looking at things in a different way, as a writer, that also got me to thinking about life-changing moments. Do you remember the moment when you decided you would become a writer? Was it never a question, but rather instinctual? Or did something happen that took you on the road to writing? Please share with us your thoughts on your own gift of storytelling. And I hope you find some inspiration from Rash’s story.

 

February 13, 2013   John   fun, future of publishing, inspiration, John, opinion  
3

Taking her time

A little post on New York Magazine’s Vulture Blog caught my eye. It seems that after 11 years after The Little Friend, Donna Tartt is coming out with a new novel this fall—which is just about the same gap as between The Little Friend and her famous debut, The Secret History.

Doubtless the anticipation for the new book, entitled The Goldfinch, will heat up when it gets closer to its October publication date. But I was tickled that even the initial Amazon listing merited attention, because it highlights one of the things I love about the book biz—that readers are willing to wait, and in Tartt’s case, to wait a loooong time.

I mean, what other media or cultural event can sustain that kind of lag time anymore? I suppose there’s a lot of excitement out there for Star Wars VII right now, but there have been a ton of other Star Wars material to keep the franchise relevant since the last movie back in 2005. On the other hand, the band My Bloody Valentine just released their third album after a 22-year wait, and while the band’s fame and influence has exponentially increased over that time, from what I can tell the reaction has been muted, at best.

What’s especially heartening about the Tartt news is that with the rise of ebooks, we’re constantly told that content is king, and that you need to produce new work continuously or else the world will pass you by. And yet, an author like Tartt can wait over a decade to publish a new novel, and it still makes headlines—and better yet, gets readers excited.

Are YOU excited for The Goldfinch? What other authors have you been waiting on for a long time now?

January 29, 2013   Yassine   book ideas, fun, inspiration, journal, Yassine  
10

Where do you keep your ideas?

This past weekend, I came across the only journal I have ever possessed. I penned the first entry at the tail end of the summer of 2009, when this journal was freshly purchased on a Glasgow high street. Now it had resurfaced all dog-eared and dusty in a Brooklyn apartment. Having mostly lived in boxes during apartment moves in New York, I had not written anything down for quite a while, nor leafed through past entries. So I delved in, to be reacquainted with my past self.

A thoroughly underwhelming experience. From what I could make out from the barely legible passages, I had not done much but make endless grocery lists and write down school timetables. Coincidentally, I came across this piece on Flavorwire on authors who kept journals and used them as a reservoir of observations that they felt might inspire them in the future.

It got me thinking about where author’s ideas come from. Is it necessary to record these things in the moment? Or leave them to your memory to recall them at the time of writing? Some of the authors in the article contend that they use a diary or journal as a means of having a second life or opening up.

Do you, as writers, have a similar vehicle to expend your creative energies? Or do you have highly tailored or ingenious ways of coming up with great new ideas for your writing?

 

January 04, 2013   Rachel   fun, inspiration, optimism, Rachel S.  
5

All the resolve in the world.

You know, I never think about making New Year’s resolutions until a few days into the new year. And then, when everyone else is talking about all the positive and life-affirming things they are going to start doing (or all the horrible, bad for you things they are going to stop doing), it clicks in my head that this is a new year and there’s a reason that people get so excited about changing things up. The whole blank calendar in front of you, just waiting for you to fill it up with triumphs and screw-ups (more of the former, hopefully, but if it was the latter last year, then you can totally erase all of that now, too!).

In any case, I’ve decided that my biggest goal for this new year is organization. You know, I’m not too bad at it. I’m timely, I know where things that I need are and I know when I’m going to need them. I love alphabetization and sorting things by color or size. However, there’s got to be room for improvement. There’s got to be a reason that sometimes it’s midnight and oh my goodness where did the time go and I’ve still got all of these pages I want to read before tomorrow!

Luckily, not only is the low number on the calendar page a good impetus, but have you seen the weather out there? It is cold. Who wants to go outside gallivanting, throwing organization out the window when all we really should be doing is keeping that darn window closed, it’s windy, I’m cold, my papers are blowing everywhere.

So, what I want to know is hardly original, nor am I probably the only one asking, but it’s certainly interesting nonetheless (why would everyone ask the question otherwise?): What are your New Year’s resolutions? Whether they relate to writing, reading, or other literary ventures or not, it does not matter. Any sort of determination and willingness to sit down and really think about what you want and what you don’t need is an exercise that can be applied to all aspects, creative or otherwise. Go ahead, I want to know!

December 18, 2012   Yassine   community, fun, inspiration, libraries, Yassine  
4

Rallying round

I came across this interesting piece today about a group of squatters who had settled in a public library that had been shut down by the local council. Before they were finally evicted, the squatters-turned-librarians had endeavored to re-stock the library with books that were donated by the local community, amassing 8,000 books. Not only were the once empty shelves replenished, the commandeered library held events for children and authors and are set to have a pot luck style event this Christmas Day.

I was really taken by the sense of harmony and community in this story. And it was reassuring to know that in a world where we have a myriad forms of entertainment thrust in front of us, there is still such a strong affection for books, not just individually but collectively as well.

If you were a part of this community, which one of your books would you donate?

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