Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
by Ruth Harris Style was once described as “looking like yourself on purpose.” I don’t know who said it but the words and the idea behind them always made sense to me. Certainly Barbra Streisand, Audrey Hepburn and Tilda Swinton are examples. So are Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol. They don’t look like anyone else and are instantly […]
Writing advice to keep the turkeys from getting you down. by Ruth Harris Helpful writing advice— “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” — Somerset Maugham “Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, […]
by Ruth Harris I wrote this post on writing a great first sentence as a companion-piece to Anne’s recent post on writing a great first chapter. With apologies to Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged, at least by writers and certainly by agents and editors, that no matter what genre, your first […]
Success comes from patience, practice, and persistence. by Ruth Harris We’re living in a world where everything—pizza, groceries, shampoo, a barre class, hot sex (or, in these days of Covid-19, a sex toy discreetly wrapped)—is a click away. Even in the midst of a shelter-in-place pandemic, everything anyone—including writers—could want is at our fingertips. We’ve […]
Romancing your new book idea: when to give in—and when to give up. by Ruth Harris Falling in love is easy. We’re swept away, starry-eyed, giddy with possibility. This time it’s different. Really! But is it? The Old Book Blues. You’ve done it. Again! You’ve written yourself into a blind alley. You’re stuck, blocked, out […]
by Ruth Harris We all know the pleasure of getting lost in a book. We have all experienced that compulsion to turn the page to find out what happens next. In fact, that irresistible urge to keep reading—to turn the page—might be one of the reasons we wanted to be writers. Just one more. Just […]
by Ruth Harris No. Non. Nein. Nyet. No effin way. And, in case you haven’t suffered enough: لا (That’s Arabic for “not right for us.”) And it’s not just you. If you’re a writer, you will be rejected. And you will be dissed. Period. Comes with the territory. (Sorry about that.) Kathryn Stockett ’s The Help (on the New York Times bestseller list for over 100 weeks, with sales of several million […]
This Thanksgiving, we’re offering some inspiring writing quotes from some of our favorite authors. (Plus some anonymous funnies.) by Ruth Harris Editing, revising and rewriting— “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.” — Oscar Wilde […]
Rejection and failure make you think of quitting? Be like Thomas Edison instead. by Ruth Harris Rejection can make us want to cry and/or break things but rejection is almost never personal and often has nothing to do with your book, either. The sting of rejection can be bullied into submission with a can-do, eff-you […]
Burnout can hit the most motivated writers and Type A high-achievers by Ruth Harris We’re writers and we don’t need no lousy bosses to crack the whip. We can do it to ourselves–create the frazzle, the frustration, the deadlines, the endless to-do lists, negative feedback, and the conviction that we’re not doing enough fast enough. […]
How to get out of your own way and build resilience. By Ruth Harris Writers, they’re out there and they’re waiting for you. Inhibitions Hang ups Glitches Gotchas Snares and snags Roadblocks No go zones Flops and fizzles The reasons (excuses?) for not writing/not beginning (or finishing) your book/not allowing enough time and energy for […]
