Teacher says, every time you delete a sentence, that's one fewer sentence you'll have to revise in the next draft. That's right, Zuzu! That's right!

First Draft: Do whatever you want to me! All I have to do is exist! Second Draft: Make me perfect, asshole.

It would of been a good novel if it had been somebody there to rewrite it every minute of its life.

Just turned to Holiday Traditions on SiriusXM to combat the 89-degree weather on Oct 2.

God willing, next year will mark 40 years of the rhythm not getting me.

Writing: C+ Rewriting: A

An oral history of how an AV cart was wheeled into the gymnasium playing a VHS tape of music videos from the Born in the USA album one Saturday afternoon while we waited for judges' scores on our 8th-grade science fair projects.

Let's not hear it for the boy and say we did.

RIP Dennis Haskins, aka Principal Belding, who was apparently only 38 during the first season of Saved by the Bell and I have never felt so old.

They say to write the novel you would want to read, but they forget to tell you how many times you'll be reading it.

In my teaching days, I once had this kid who punctuated a good percentage of my sentences with the phrase "big facts." A. I think about that kid often. B. I have the opposite of that kid in my brain while I'm writing.

Parasolcial relationship, or the illusion of intimacy with someone holding a decorative umbrella

Was at an agency gathering/celebration this week and an editor I'm acquainted with described We Lived On The Horizon as an "anti-capitalist manifesto" and she wasn't wrong. If you're feeling a way about things, may I suggest my book? bookshop.org/p/books/we-l...

We Lived on the Horizon: A Novel

A bio-prosthetic surgeon and her personal AI are drawn into a revolution in this “haunting, suspenseful, and nuanced look at the future we may already be barreling toward” (Esquire) from the author of...

bookshop.org

Confidence level: Have started emailing myself the file every few days, but haven't yet made a title page.

This is an especially helpful window into the submission process and the state of publishing in general. Highly recommend.

Eric Smith@ericsmithrocks.bsky.social · 2w ago

When a literary agent says their “list is full” what does that even mean? A little blip on what that is, why I’m closed to certain categories, and why it’s important to treat our colleagues as well as our clients. Take care of each other. ❤️ ericsmithrocks.substack.com/p/opening-to...

Good evening, #AfterDinnerWritingClub! Can we give ourselves a nickname? How about the Andes Mints?

All the Essays I Didn't Have the Emotional Energy to Write: A Memoir in Unwritten Essays

Empathy when it's convenient, comfortable, or doesn't challenge you to change isn't empathy.

Super duper glad GoodReads is giving folks the did not finish option because if there's one thing the world needs it's more ways to publicly insult writers.

I've found that evening and weekend writing is a lot like morning writing in that I always write more when I don't search Wikipedia for dead wrestlers and 1980s sitcoms.

Honored to have a story on this year's @wigleaf.bsky.social Top 50. And thanks to Monkeybicycle for giving it a good home. Congrats to everyone on the Top 50 and longlist as well 💙

Sudha Balagopal@sudhab.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Clang the bells! The @wigleaf.bsky.social Long List and Top 50 list is up www.wigleaf.com.🎈 Special thanks to Guest Selecting Editor, @andrewporter01.bsky.social. Gratitude also to our team who spent countless hours reading. And big 🙏 to Scott Garson without whom this list wouldn't exist! 🌷🌷

The worse the movie, the better the Kenny Loggins song.

My MFA is older than my new hairdresser. And both are less expensive than my old hairdresser.

RIP Duncan Sheik. If I had to gather 10 songs that felt like the 90s, Barely Breathing would be one of them. Then Spring Awakening. Talented dude.

A new issue of THE WRITER’S CHRONICLE means a new audiobook playlist from Libro.fm! Head there now to find your next great listen by contributors and authors discussed in August’s TWC.

The Writer's Chronicle Audiobooks Playlist for August 2026

libro.fm

Excerpts of Rae Armantrout's Safe Rooms have been published in the Writer's Chronicle! Check them out with a subscription in the #linkinbio. #writerschronicle #publication #saferooms

In August’s WRITER’S CHRONICLE, Maria Hummel dives deep into what makes a compelling villain in a work of fiction. Members and subscribers can read “My Antagonist” in full now.

My Antagonist

Maria Hummel investigates what makes a three-dimensional villain.

writerschronicle.awpwriter.org

In “The Boundary Between Self and Page: Cultivating Voice in Kidlit and Beyond,” Meg Eden Kuyatt explores the importance and complexities of crafting an authentic voice, and provides tips for doing so. Members and subscribers can read the full piece now in August’s WRITER’S CHRONICLE.

The Boundary Between Self and Page

Meg Eden Kuyatt examines what goes into an authentic, memorable voice.

writerschronicle.awpwriter.org

In every issue of THE WRITER’S CHRONICLE, members and subscribers can read sneak peeks of new and forthcoming releases. Take a peek now, and choose which ones to add to your TBR this fall! (And remember—“all” is always a good option.)

The Writer's Chronicle

August 2026 Writer's Chronicle issue

writerschronicle.awpwriter.org

Every rock star has a story about how they didn't even want to include a certain song on the album or totally hated how it came out and then it became their biggest hit & boy, it doesn't work that way with novelists, does it?