I can’t isolate a single ‘aha’ moment. I felt I was always going to be a writer.
I love when my conscious brain shuts off and I’m able to access a mysterious subterranean place. Later, I look back at what I’ve written with surprise.
I really love the challenge of responding in the moment to what I’ve just heard. I consider everything from macro issues (i.e. how does this relate to overall plot/character arc) to tinier tweaks or refinements. I love when we as a group become collaborators, pulling for each other. We’re invested in each other’s stories, and we feel eager to hear more as they evolve. We make suggestions for next steps in the plot, or we bring a new insight into a character or situation.
I’m reading Zoe Heller’s The Believers. I’m not as taken with it as I was with her earlier book, Notes on a Scandal; she’s know for writing “unlikable” characters, and yet I’m finding these protagonists a little too crusty. They are, however, complex and full-blooded, and Heller’s writing itself is nimble. I’m an anglophile, and I love all of her British-isms.
I admire the E.L. Doctorow image of writing as being like driving at night in the fog; you can only discern what’s immediately ahead of you. Personally, I’m not one for outlining, and I enjoy uncovering what my characters are going to do and allowing them to guide me.
By Liz Matthews Have you ever perused our website and noticed the initials “MS” next to some of our workshoptitles, and wondered what does that stand for? We are proud to offer workshops for writers of alllevels and all genres throughout the year. In many of our introductory workshops, our
Janae is a New York Times bestselling author who received her M.F.A. in Writing for Children from The New School (2010). Earlier in her professional career, she got an inside look at the publishing world while spending seven years working for Simon & Schuster. In 2020, she published her debut
