• Home
  • Reviews
  • Services
  • About
  • Better Writer Blog
  • Contact
  • Stories
Menu

Live Your Literary Life

39 Jady Hill Ave
Exeter, NH, 03833
Phone Number

Your Custom Text Here

Live Your Literary Life

  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Services
  • About
  • Better Writer Blog
  • Contact
  • Stories
6a0112791cb10528a40133f31b39d1970b-550wi.jpg

Better Writer Blog

Elephant Journal

June 3, 2015 James Buchanan

I love Elephant Journal and what they try to do for people and am now proud to be part of what they do. You can find my piece here: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/06/anxiety-the-writer/.

In My Stuff Tags Elephant Journal, anxiety, writing, subconscious
← Maxine Kumin, Garrison Keillor and The Writer's AlmanacPablo Neruda + Chickens = A Certain Weariness →
  • agents
  • art
  • characterization
  • description
  • fiction
  • interview
  • memoir
  • music
  • narrative
  • narrative nonfiction
  • nonfiction
  • on writing
  • poetry
  • publishers
  • publishing
  • quote
  • writing
  • writing advice

Your Monthly Mentor

Sign up to receive a monthly newsletter with links to the best writing advice on the Web and news on grants, literary journals, writing conferences, and publishing opportunities.

You may also submit your own news, blog posts, announcements, etc. for the newsletter by emailing me at james@orchardwriting.com.

We respect your privacy. Your email address ABSOLUTELY will not be shared or sold or broadcast.

Thank you!

  • Art
    • Dec 14, 2017 Cat Person and the Dormant Power of the Short Story Dec 14, 2017
    • Jan 20, 2017 Ugh, A Storytelling System Jan 20, 2017
    • Jan 10, 2017 Garrison Keillor & Lake Wobegon Jan 10, 2017
    • Feb 19, 2016 The Creation of Art Feb 19, 2016
    • Jan 10, 2016 Five Enlightening Resolutions For New Year or Anytime Jan 10, 2016
    • Jan 9, 2016 The Perfect Writing Space Jan 9, 2016
    • Jan 1, 2016 Art, Writing & The Heightened Perception of Reality Jan 1, 2016
    • Dec 1, 2015 Artist Studios and The Writer's Office Dec 1, 2015
    • Oct 10, 2015 Artists at Work Oct 10, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Royal de Luxe Marionette Jun 22, 2015
    • May 26, 2015 Intersection of Painting & Writing May 26, 2015
    • May 7, 2015 The Giant by NC Wyeth May 7, 2015
    • May 7, 2015 Max Richter Re-Imagines Vivaldi's Four Seasons May 7, 2015
    • May 4, 2015 John Irving on Plot, Narrative, Storytelling May 4, 2015
    • Apr 28, 2015 Learning from Writers Better than Me Apr 28, 2015
    • Mar 23, 2015 Writing is Art, So Be an Artist Mar 23, 2015
  • Book Proposal
    • Mar 6, 2015 Book Proposal: The Two Key Questions Mar 6, 2015
  • Business of Books
    • Nov 27, 2017 Book Sales 2017 Nov 27, 2017
  • Characterization
    • Jun 29, 2017 A Good Cafe & Creating Characters: An Exercise Jun 29, 2017
    • Jan 9, 2017 Photo Books and Character Details Jan 9, 2017
    • Nov 25, 2015 Revising for Show Don't Tell Nov 25, 2015
    • Nov 4, 2015 Dialogue and Cliche Dialogue Writing Advice Nov 4, 2015
    • Aug 10, 2015 Compulsion is Despair Aug 10, 2015
    • May 26, 2015 Intersection of Painting & Writing May 26, 2015
    • Apr 23, 2015 Desire vs Flaws Apr 23, 2015
    • Apr 3, 2015 Guest Post: Show Don't Tell Like a Writer Apr 3, 2015
  • Description
    • Jan 9, 2017 Photo Books and Character Details Jan 9, 2017
    • May 26, 2015 Intersection of Painting & Writing May 26, 2015
    • Apr 6, 2015 The Reader's Mind: A Closet of Characters and Scenery Apr 6, 2015
    • Mar 13, 2015 Description and Simile Mar 13, 2015
    • Mar 6, 2015 Telling vs Showing Mar 6, 2015
    • Mar 6, 2015 Scene, Setting, Character and Description Mar 6, 2015
  • Dialogue
    • Apr 13, 2016 The French and Conversation Apr 13, 2016
    • Nov 11, 2015 Very Good Dialogue Advice Nov 11, 2015
    • Nov 4, 2015 Dialogue and Cliche Dialogue Writing Advice Nov 4, 2015
    • Oct 20, 2015 Dialogue: A Few Rules Oct 20, 2015
    • Apr 3, 2015 Guest Post: Show Don't Tell Like a Writer Apr 3, 2015
  • Finding a Publisher
    • May 22, 2016 Queries, Stakes & Conflict May 22, 2016
    • May 5, 2016 Query Common Sense May 5, 2016
    • Apr 27, 2016 Does My Query Suck? Apr 27, 2016
    • Apr 18, 2016 Which Came First? The Agent or the Publisher? Apr 18, 2016
    • Nov 19, 2015 Great Interview of Agents: How to Attract an Agent Nov 19, 2015
    • Nov 19, 2015 On Publishing Nov 19, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Publishing and the Damn Platform Jun 22, 2015
    • May 15, 2015 Neil Gaiman and Finding an Agent May 15, 2015
    • Apr 2, 2015 A Friend and Mentor Apr 2, 2015
    • Mar 1, 2015 Rejection Mar 1, 2015
  • Finding an Agent
    • May 22, 2016 Queries, Stakes & Conflict May 22, 2016
    • May 5, 2016 Query Common Sense May 5, 2016
    • Apr 27, 2016 Does My Query Suck? Apr 27, 2016
    • Apr 18, 2016 Which Came First? The Agent or the Publisher? Apr 18, 2016
    • Apr 18, 2016 Attracting the Eyes of an Agent Apr 18, 2016
    • Feb 22, 2016 Agents Can Be... Well... Painful to Deal With Feb 22, 2016
    • Nov 19, 2015 Great Interview of Agents: How to Attract an Agent Nov 19, 2015
    • May 15, 2015 Neil Gaiman and Finding an Agent May 15, 2015
  • Funny
    • Apr 13, 2016 The French and Conversation Apr 13, 2016
    • Sep 25, 2015 Bloom County and the Madness of Two Spaces After a Period Sep 25, 2015
    • Apr 23, 2015 Internest Apr 23, 2015
  • Good Writing and Writers
    • Feb 19, 2018 Jules Renard on How to be a Great Writer Feb 19, 2018
    • Nov 28, 2017 Vacationland and John Hodgman Nov 28, 2017
    • Jan 10, 2017 Garrison Keillor & Lake Wobegon Jan 10, 2017
    • Apr 9, 2016 Maxine Kumin: The Pawnbroker's Daughter Apr 9, 2016
    • Feb 4, 2016 Great Opening Lines: Make a Big Promise Feb 4, 2016
    • Oct 28, 2015 Anais Nin Audio Interview: Why I write Oct 28, 2015
    • Oct 27, 2015 Anthony Doerr and the Home MFA Oct 27, 2015
    • Sep 8, 2015 More Jeffrey Eugenides Sep 8, 2015
    • Sep 2, 2015 Jeffrey Eugenides: On Writing as Work Sep 2, 2015
    • Aug 31, 2015 Ann Beattie: Rock by Rock Aug 31, 2015
    • Aug 14, 2015 Maya Angelou: Love Liberates it Does Not Bind Aug 14, 2015
    • Jul 30, 2015 Toni Morrison: On Writing The Bluest Eye Jul 30, 2015
    • Jul 15, 2015 Berkeley Breathed & Opus Jul 15, 2015
    • Jun 30, 2015 Memoir and Storytelling Jun 30, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Jun 22, 2015
    • May 22, 2015 William Zinsser Has Passed May 22, 2015
    • May 18, 2015 Wendell Berry: How to be a Poet May 18, 2015
    • May 1, 2015 Mary Karr on Character Transformation May 1, 2015
    • Apr 20, 2015 Grace Paley & The Art of Brevity Apr 20, 2015
  • Guidance
    • Feb 19, 2018 Jules Renard on How to be a Great Writer Feb 19, 2018
    • Nov 27, 2017 Book Sales 2017 Nov 27, 2017
    • Jun 29, 2017 A Good Cafe & Creating Characters: An Exercise Jun 29, 2017
    • May 26, 2017 You Won't Fucking Believe This... May 26, 2017
    • Jan 24, 2017 Very Jan 24, 2017
    • Jan 24, 2017 Things I saw on Pinterest Today Jan 24, 2017
    • Jan 20, 2017 Ugh, A Storytelling System Jan 20, 2017
    • Jan 9, 2017 Photo Books and Character Details Jan 9, 2017
    • Apr 27, 2016 Does My Query Suck? Apr 27, 2016
    • Feb 4, 2016 Great Opening Lines: Make a Big Promise Feb 4, 2016
    • Jan 1, 2016 Art, Writing & The Heightened Perception of Reality Jan 1, 2016
    • Dec 28, 2015 More Mary Karr Dec 28, 2015
    • Dec 14, 2015 Truth, Facts and Narrative Nonfiction Dec 14, 2015
    • Nov 25, 2015 Revising for Show Don't Tell Nov 25, 2015
    • Nov 19, 2015 How People Buy Books Nov 19, 2015
    • Nov 11, 2015 Very Good Dialogue Advice Nov 11, 2015
    • Nov 4, 2015 Dialogue and Cliche Dialogue Writing Advice Nov 4, 2015
    • Oct 27, 2015 Anthony Doerr and the Home MFA Oct 27, 2015
    • Sep 24, 2015 The Writer's Achilles Heel: Find it and Edit it Out Sep 24, 2015
    • Sep 21, 2015 Jane Smiley on Writer's Discipline Sep 21, 2015
    • Sep 8, 2015 More Jeffrey Eugenides Sep 8, 2015
    • Aug 31, 2015 Ann Beattie: Rock by Rock Aug 31, 2015
    • Jul 15, 2015 Palahniuk: Let Yourself Not Know Jul 15, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Publishing and the Damn Platform Jun 22, 2015
    • Jun 15, 2015 Know When to Stop Jun 15, 2015
    • May 22, 2015 I Don't Know May 22, 2015
    • May 22, 2015 William Zinsser Has Passed May 22, 2015
    • May 18, 2015 Wendell Berry: How to be a Poet May 18, 2015
    • May 4, 2015 John Irving on Plot, Narrative, Storytelling May 4, 2015
    • Apr 28, 2015 Learning from Writers Better than Me Apr 28, 2015
    • Apr 23, 2015 Desire vs Flaws Apr 23, 2015
    • Apr 2, 2015 A Friend and Mentor Apr 2, 2015
  • Heart of Writing
    • Nov 6, 2017 Religion and Losing the Golden Rule Nov 6, 2017
    • Oct 25, 2017 A Lovely Bookstore Oct 25, 2017
    • Jan 20, 2017 Ugh, A Storytelling System Jan 20, 2017
    • Jan 10, 2017 Garrison Keillor & Lake Wobegon Jan 10, 2017
    • Nov 10, 2016 Trump & What a Writer Does Nov 10, 2016
    • Apr 26, 2016 Resuscitating The Short Story Apr 26, 2016
    • Apr 26, 2016 Short Story is Dead, Long Live Short Story Apr 26, 2016
    • Feb 18, 2016 Arcade Fire Tunnels Feb 18, 2016
    • Feb 4, 2016 Great Opening Lines: Make a Big Promise Feb 4, 2016
    • Jan 10, 2016 Five Enlightening Resolutions For New Year or Anytime Jan 10, 2016
    • Jan 9, 2016 The Perfect Writing Space Jan 9, 2016
    • Jan 1, 2016 Art, Writing & The Heightened Perception of Reality Jan 1, 2016
    • Dec 14, 2015 Truth, Facts and Narrative Nonfiction Dec 14, 2015
    • Oct 28, 2015 Anais Nin Audio Interview: Why I write Oct 28, 2015
    • Oct 27, 2015 Anthony Doerr and the Home MFA Oct 27, 2015
    • Oct 10, 2015 Artists at Work Oct 10, 2015
    • Sep 9, 2015 Our Chapels: Bookstores Sep 9, 2015
    • Aug 14, 2015 Maya Angelou: Love Liberates it Does Not Bind Aug 14, 2015
    • Jul 28, 2015 Set-Pieces and Plot Points & Boo Radley, Ewell, Atticus and Scout Jul 28, 2015
    • Jun 30, 2015 Memoir and Storytelling Jun 30, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Jun 22, 2015
    • May 4, 2015 John Irving on Plot, Narrative, Storytelling May 4, 2015
    • May 1, 2015 Mary Karr on Character Transformation May 1, 2015
    • Apr 22, 2015 Hemingway On Worry Apr 22, 2015
    • Mar 26, 2015 Comfort vs Meaning Mar 26, 2015
    • Mar 25, 2015 Chuck Palahniuk Mar 25, 2015
    • Mar 16, 2015 One True Sentence Mar 16, 2015
  • Interview
    • Oct 28, 2015 Anais Nin Audio Interview: Why I write Oct 28, 2015
    • Sep 2, 2015 Jeffrey Eugenides: On Writing as Work Sep 2, 2015
    • Aug 14, 2015 Maya Angelou: Love Liberates it Does Not Bind Aug 14, 2015
    • Aug 14, 2015 Alice Walker Interview Aug 14, 2015
    • Jul 30, 2015 Toni Morrison: On Writing The Bluest Eye Jul 30, 2015
    • May 22, 2015 William Zinsser Has Passed May 22, 2015
    • Apr 21, 2015 Paris Review Interview: Grace Paley Apr 21, 2015
  • Life
    • Nov 6, 2017 Religion and Losing the Golden Rule Nov 6, 2017
    • Oct 11, 2017 Garrison Keillor, Regrets, and Asperger's Oct 11, 2017
    • Jan 20, 2017 Journalists Get Trump Jan 20, 2017
    • Nov 10, 2016 Trump & What a Writer Does Nov 10, 2016
    • May 9, 2016 The Mediagenic Author May 9, 2016
    • Jan 6, 2016 Wintertime Koselig (Coziness) Jan 6, 2016
    • Aug 25, 2015 Detach: Shut Off the God Damn Cell Phone (and email, too) Aug 25, 2015
    • Jul 20, 2015 Is Kindness A Forbidden Pleasure? Jul 20, 2015
    • Jun 26, 2015 Love is Now a Universal Right in the U.S. Jun 26, 2015
    • Jun 24, 2015 A Writer's Office: Atmosphere and Quiet Jun 24, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Royal de Luxe Marionette Jun 22, 2015
    • May 20, 2015 When All Else Fails: Oatmeal May 20, 2015
  • Music
    • May 9, 2018 Yes, Women Can Shred a Bass May 9, 2018
    • Apr 9, 2016 Yo La Tengo: Softer Side Apr 9, 2016
    • Feb 18, 2016 Arcade Fire Tunnels Feb 18, 2016
    • Jan 5, 2016 The Wild Reeds Jan 5, 2016
    • Dec 23, 2015 Music for Writing Winter Scenes Dec 23, 2015
    • Dec 19, 2015 Aoife Donovan, Sarah Jarosz & Sara Watkins Dec 19, 2015
    • Nov 19, 2015 And Now for Something Completely Different: Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony Nov 19, 2015
    • Nov 12, 2015 Sarah McLachlan: Your Love is Better than Chocolate Nov 12, 2015
    • Nov 9, 2015 Elephant Revival "The Pasture" Nov 9, 2015
    • Oct 2, 2015 Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond & Take Five Oct 2, 2015
    • Sep 25, 2015 Danny Kaye and Louis Armstrong: How Can You Say No Sep 25, 2015
    • Sep 21, 2015 The Who: Sometimes You Just Have to Be LOUD Sep 21, 2015
    • Sep 14, 2015 All Along The Watchtower Sep 14, 2015
    • Sep 9, 2015 Nina Simone Sep 9, 2015
    • Sep 8, 2015 And Iron & Wine Sep 8, 2015
    • Sep 8, 2015 Three Great Female Singer-Songwriters Sep 8, 2015
    • Aug 31, 2015 Lake Street Dive: What I'm Doing Here Aug 31, 2015
    • Aug 21, 2015 Dave Matthews: Proudest Monkey Aug 21, 2015
    • Aug 21, 2015 Blues Traveler Live and Jammin' Aug 21, 2015
    • Aug 17, 2015 A Fun Piece of Music Aug 17, 2015
    • Aug 17, 2015 City of Refuge: Abigail Washburn Aug 17, 2015
    • Jul 28, 2015 Hot Club of Cowtown: Reunion Jul 28, 2015
    • Jul 28, 2015 Louis Armstrong can Jam Jul 28, 2015
    • Jun 12, 2015 Sarah Jarosz: Ring Them Bells & Annabelle Lee Jun 12, 2015
    • May 28, 2015 Lady Gaga, Tap Shoes, and The Great Gatsby May 28, 2015
    • May 7, 2015 Max Richter Re-Imagines Vivaldi's Four Seasons May 7, 2015
    • Apr 21, 2015 Music: Leonard Cohen Anthem Apr 21, 2015
    • Apr 17, 2015 Patty Griffin: Making Pies and Be Careful Apr 17, 2015
    • Apr 3, 2015 Iron & Wine: Trapeze Swinger Apr 3, 2015
    • Apr 1, 2015 Falling Slowly Apr 1, 2015
    • Mar 21, 2015 Music Mar 21, 2015
    • Mar 17, 2015 Parker Millsap Mar 17, 2015
    • Mar 17, 2015 The Heart of Gong is Gone Mar 17, 2015
  • My Stuff
    • Nov 30, 2017 My Piece At Rebelle Society Nov 30, 2017
    • Feb 22, 2016 Agents Can Be... Well... Painful to Deal With Feb 22, 2016
    • Jan 30, 2016 Good Reviews for The Painting & The Piano Jan 30, 2016
    • Jan 12, 2016 Why Does Internet Service in the U.S. Drive US Nuts? Jan 12, 2016
    • Sep 25, 2015 Bloom County and the Madness of Two Spaces After a Period Sep 25, 2015
    • Aug 25, 2015 Detach: Shut Off the God Damn Cell Phone (and email, too) Aug 25, 2015
    • Aug 10, 2015 A Good Cabin Aug 10, 2015
    • Jul 15, 2015 Berkeley Breathed & Opus Jul 15, 2015
    • Jul 13, 2015 My Son the Flying Nut Jul 13, 2015
    • Jun 26, 2015 Oh Dear God, A Peanuts CGI Movie! Jun 26, 2015
    • Jun 3, 2015 Elephant Journal Jun 3, 2015
  • Photos
    • Feb 12, 2016 Dreaming of a Retreat Feb 12, 2016
    • Dec 1, 2015 Artist Studios and The Writer's Office Dec 1, 2015
    • Sep 9, 2015 Our Chapels: Bookstores Sep 9, 2015
  • Platform
    • Nov 30, 2017 George Witte of St. Martin's Press on Platforms Nov 30, 2017
    • Nov 30, 2017 Writer's Platform: Way Too Crowded Nov 30, 2017
    • Nov 27, 2017 Book Sales 2017 Nov 27, 2017
    • Mar 20, 2015 The Platform Mar 20, 2015
  • Poetry
    • Jun 12, 2015 Billy Collins: The Lanyard Jun 12, 2015
    • Jun 6, 2015 Maxine Kumin, Garrison Keillor and The Writer's Almanac Jun 6, 2015
    • May 18, 2015 Robert Frost: The Draft Horse May 18, 2015
    • May 18, 2015 Wendell Berry: How to be a Poet May 18, 2015
  • Quotes
    • May 5, 2016 Anne R. Allen: What it Means to be A Writer May 5, 2016
    • Jan 10, 2016 Five Enlightening Resolutions For New Year or Anytime Jan 10, 2016
    • Sep 8, 2015 More Jeffrey Eugenides Sep 8, 2015
    • Aug 21, 2015 Robert Stone on The Life of A Writer Aug 21, 2015
    • Aug 14, 2015 Faith & Reason Aug 14, 2015
    • Aug 12, 2015 Quote: Compulsion & Love Aug 12, 2015
    • Jun 30, 2015 Cheryl Strayed: The Universal Voice Jun 30, 2015
    • Jun 22, 2015 Jun 22, 2015
    • Jun 16, 2015 A Nice Joyce Carol Oates Quote Jun 16, 2015
    • Apr 22, 2015 Hemingway On Worry Apr 22, 2015
    • Apr 7, 2015 Great Quote Apr 7, 2015
  • Rants
    • Dec 14, 2017 Cat Person and the Dormant Power of the Short Story Dec 14, 2017
    • Nov 4, 2017 Portnoy's Complaint: Unrelenting Obscene for a Purpose? Nov 4, 2017
    • Jan 24, 2017 Very Jan 24, 2017
    • Jan 24, 2017 Things I saw on Pinterest Today Jan 24, 2017
    • Jan 20, 2017 Journalists Get Trump Jan 20, 2017
  • Reviews
    • Nov 4, 2017 Portnoy's Complaint: Unrelenting Obscene for a Purpose? Nov 4, 2017
    • Jul 2, 2015 Review: Luxi Xu's Vulnerability Jul 2, 2015
  • Sentence Structure
    • Mar 25, 2015 Don't Hedge Mar 25, 2015
  • Short Stories
    • Dec 14, 2017 Cat Person and the Dormant Power of the Short Story Dec 14, 2017
    • Apr 26, 2016 Resuscitating The Short Story Apr 26, 2016
    • Apr 26, 2016 Short Story is Dead, Long Live Short Story Apr 26, 2016
  • Structure
    • Aug 31, 2015 Ann Beattie: Rock by Rock Aug 31, 2015
    • Jul 28, 2015 Set-Pieces and Plot Points & Boo Radley, Ewell, Atticus and Scout Jul 28, 2015
    • Jul 15, 2015 Palahniuk: Let Yourself Not Know Jul 15, 2015
    • Jul 13, 2015 Five Act Outline: The Place to Begin Jul 13, 2015
    • Mar 27, 2015 Hooks Mar 27, 2015
    • Mar 27, 2015 Chapter Length and Joan Didion Mar 27, 2015
    • Mar 17, 2015 Don't Listen to Anne Lamott Mar 17, 2015
    • Mar 10, 2015 Narrator vs Story Mar 10, 2015
    • Mar 6, 2015 Great vs Good Writing Mar 6, 2015
  • The Lede
    • Apr 10, 2015 Open with a Big Promise Apr 10, 2015
    • Mar 9, 2015 Short Stories: Cut the First Third Mar 9, 2015
    • Mar 9, 2015 The BIG Promise Mar 9, 2015
  • True Experiences
    • Dec 14, 2017 Cat Person and the Dormant Power of the Short Story Dec 14, 2017
    • Aug 10, 2015 A Good Cabin Aug 10, 2015
    • Jun 26, 2015 Our Little Bull Durham Jun 26, 2015
  • Voice
    • Mar 18, 2015 Expository vs. Narrative and Dialogue Mar 18, 2015
  • Why I write
    • Oct 25, 2017 A Lovely Bookstore Oct 25, 2017
    • Nov 10, 2016 Trump & What a Writer Does Nov 10, 2016
    • Feb 22, 2016 Laura Pope: Why I Write Feb 22, 2016
    • Feb 15, 2016 Debbie Kane: Why I Write Feb 15, 2016
    • Feb 4, 2016 Meganne Fabrega: What Does It Mean to be a Writer? Feb 4, 2016
    • Jan 29, 2016 Lori Ferguson: Why I Write Jan 29, 2016
    • Jan 27, 2016 C. Hope Clark: Writing is me in its finest sense... Jan 27, 2016
    • Jan 25, 2016 K.M. Weiland: Why I Write Jan 25, 2016
  • Word Choice
    • Apr 6, 2015 The Reader's Mind: A Closet of Characters and Scenery Apr 6, 2015
Summary Block
This is example content. Double-click here and select a page to feature its content. Learn more
Featured
Latest Article

Powered by Squarespace