The Geek’s Guide to the Writing Life : An Instructional Memoir for Prose Writers

The desire to create, to write, to fulfil our artistic dreams is a powerful human need. Yet the number of people who make a living solely by their pen is actually quite small. What does that mean for the rest of us, the self-described writing geeks, who are passionate about writing and who still want to sustain successful literary lives? What does it really mean to find time to build a rewarding writing life while pursuing a career, being a partner or raising a family, in the distracted, time-deprived, 21st-century? In __The Geek's Guide to the Writing Life__, based on her __Huffington Post__ blog of the same name, Stephanie Vanderslice shares the secrets and tools to developing a successful, rewarding writing practice in a way that inspires the reader to persevere through the inevitable lows and even the highs of a literary life, so that anyone can pursue the path to realizing their artistic dreams. Cover page 1 Halftitle page 2 Series page 3 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction: The geeks and the cool kids 10 On having what it takes 18 Before we head off 29 Notes 32 1 Making the commitment 34 Life partners 38 Financial planning 42 Family planning 43 Mind-altering substances 46 It’s a marathon, not a sprint, redux 48 2 Doing the work (and, sometimes, not doing the work) 50 Finding the time 50 What writing does come before 56 Hobby-free zones, messy houses, and appointments: More tricks of the trade 58 The secret code 62 OK, I showed up at the desk: Now what? 64 Self-challenges 69 Bribes and other psychological techniques 69 Finding sustained time: Get thee to a writers’ colony 70 Write what only you can write: Or, stalking the competition never works 72 3 Connecting with readers: Publishing 76 First things first 77 Connect locally, regionally: Start small and build 79 Know what’s going on in literary culture: Read, read, read 79 Cast a wide net, work your way up; thicken your skin 81 Interpreting rejection 84 Narrowing the fi eld: Anthologies and themed issues 85 Writing contests 85 Be thankful 88 4 Writing geeks unite: Finding your tribe 90 Reach out 92 Attend readings and literary events in your area 94 Form or join a writing group 94 Found a literary magazine or press 95 Note 96 5 Continuing your education: What makes sense for you? 98 Undergraduate programs 99 Master of Fine Arts and Master of Arts programs 100 How to write an MFA think piece: A brief introduction to the genre 104 Ph.D. programs 107 Community schools, workshops, writing centers 110 Writers’ conferences 110 Independent learning 111 6 Making a living: Careers that support the writing life 114 The starving artist is a myth 114 Editing and publishing 117 Libraries 118 Bookstores 119 Teaching 119 Web content 121 Technical writing 121 7 Being teachable 124 The one thing that matters more than talent 124 The field guide to the workshop egotist 125 Notes 131 8 Writing 2.0 or, platform-building can be fun 132 9 Traditional book publishing today: Finding and working with an agent 138 Why should I find an agent? 139 So how do I get one? 139 What you need to do 140 When you get “the call” 144 10 Making the show: They said “No.” Now what? Or, they said “Yes!” Now what? 146 They said “Yes!” Now what? 150 They said “No.” Now what? 152 Small consolations 154 Note 158 11 Non-traditional book publishing: What you need to know 160 Self-publishing and publishing-on-demand 160 Other options: Smaller indie presses, hybrid presses 163 Finally, don’t give up! 165 12 Before you go: Why we do this 166 “Cool” Things I Have Never Done 166 Very Uncool Things I Have Done 167 Appendix 172 Index 178 "Based on her Huffington Post blog of the same name, [the author] shares the secrets and tools to developing a successful, rewarding writing practice in a way that inspires the reader to persevere through the inevitable lows and even the highs of a literary life, so that anyone can pursue the path to realizing their artistic dreams"-- Provided by publisher