There’s nothing better than listening to an author you enjoy read his or her own work — if that author knows how to read for an audience. I’m currently listening to Neil Gaiman’s M is for Magic on my MP3 player, and he really does bring his fiction to life. Gotta love that English accent, too.
If you’re a serious writer who needs help getting your craft to a publishable level, or even a professional writer whose career has stagnated, then you really should check out the workshops taught by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith here on the Oregon coast. Every few years, they do a slate of workshops, and they’re in one of those phases now. They’re pros, having made their living from their writing most of their adult lives, and so you’ll be learning from people who have actually walked the path. I can’t recommend them enough. Be forewarned, however: they’re not for the faint of heart. You should only consider attending if you’re serious about writing commercial fiction — and by commercial, I mean fiction aimed at reaching the widest audience possible.
Check out the The First Book blog. Sara Hantz is up with her book, The Second Virginity of Suzy Green. A snippet: “I’d been writing chick-lit for a couple of years, when in November 2005 I decided to try a teen-lit. After writing 3 chapters I did what you’re not meant to do and started to send it to agents, to test the water. Ooops!!! That’ll teach me. The story seemed to hit the right nerve because straight away five agents asked for the full manuscript and six for partials.”
