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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

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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.

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  • 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

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