grin and bare it
A blog by Matthew Dicks
Much improved
Just after complaining about my ability to write dialogue, I receive an email from a friend who just finished reading a draft of UNEXPECTEDLY, MILO. Finished the book last week. It’s a good story –…
Read MoreNew Yorker insider
Dan Baum has been twittering about his brief career as a staff writer at the New Yorker, and it is fascinating for anyone interested in the literary world and learning more about how freelance writers…
Read MoreTwo. Period.
In the recent debate over how many spaces should come after a period, I unequivocally come down on the side of two. In the words of this blog’s author, “Taking the extra space away from…
Read MoreBad dialogue
Each time I sit down in front of the laptop, one of my goals is to craft dialogue that is crisp, well paced, realistic and original. A daunting task depending upon the day. I’m much…
Read MoreAbbreviated
Another amusing Twitter application: Converting classic novels into 140 character tweets. From the Guardian comes an article about this new medium and this treatment of Pride and Prejudice, one of my wife’s favorite books: Woman…
Read MoreThe good and the bad
I think it’s important for writers to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Awareness allows the writer to take advantage of his or her strengths while mitigating the weaknesses. In this spirit, here are my three…
Read MoreFiction set in real life
I read a piece in The Guardian about Project Bookmark Canada, an organization that’s mission is to “place permanent markers displaying text from stories and poems in the locations where they take place.” What a…
Read MoreIn good company
A while ago, I wrote about TIMEQUAKE, the last novel by Kurt Vonnegut that I have yet to finish. I’ve been purposely reading the novel at a snail’s pace for the past few years, in…
Read MoreI pity the publisher…
My agent, Taryn, informed me that after my fourth New York Times bestselling book, I’m allowed to write an entirely character-driven novel without any thought or concern for plot. This makes Taryn the perfect person…
Read More