Better Writer Blog — Live Your Literary Life

Live Your Literary Life

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Billy Collins: The Lanyard

PoetryJames BuchananJune 12, 2015Billy Collins, The Lanyard, poem, poetryComment

Maxine Kumin, Garrison Keillor and The Writer's Almanac

PoetryJames BuchananJune 6, 2015Maxine Kumin, poetry, Domesticity, poem, writingComment

Elephant Journal

My StuffJames BuchananJune 3, 2015Elephant Journal, anxiety, writing, subconsciousComment

Pablo Neruda + Chickens = A Certain Weariness

James BuchananJune 1, 2015Pablo Neruda, Greg Brown, Canned Goods, A Certain Weariness, poetry, phrasing Comment

Lady Gaga, Tap Shoes, and The Great Gatsby

MusicJames BuchananMay 28, 2015Post Modern Jukebox, Lady Gaga, writing, music, Jazz, tap danceComment

I Don't Know

GuidanceJames BuchananMay 22, 2015Schlok, bad writing advice, warningComment

William Zinsser Has Passed

Good Writing and Writers, Guidance, InterviewJames BuchananMay 22, 2015William Zinsser, On Writing Well, writing adviceComment

When All Else Fails: Oatmeal

LifeJames BuchananMay 20, 2015Oatmeal, writingComment

Robert Frost: The Draft Horse

PoetryJames BuchananMay 18, 2015Robert Frost, poetry, poem, The Draft Horse Comments

Wendell Berry: How to be a Poet

Good Writing and Writers, Guidance, PoetryJames BuchananMay 18, 2015poetry, poem, Wendell Berry, how to be a poet, writing advice Comment

Neil Gaiman and Finding an Agent

Finding a Publisher, Finding an AgentJames BuchananMay 15, 2015Neil Gaiman, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, finding an agent, getting published, publishers, agents, writing, fiction, nocel, nonfictionComment

The Sun: Best Lit Journal. Period.

James BuchananMay 11, 2015Comment

The Giant by NC Wyeth

ArtJames BuchananMay 7, 2015NC Wyeth, art, The Giant, creativity, writing Comments

Max Richter Re-Imagines Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Music, ArtJames BuchananMay 7, 2015Max Richter, Netflix Chef's Table, writing, art, creativity, fiction, nonfiction Comments

John Irving on Plot, Narrative, Storytelling

Art, Guidance, Heart of WritingJames BuchananMay 4, 2015John Irving, plot, narrative, story, storytelling, write for readersComment

Mary Karr on Character Transformation

Good Writing and Writers, Heart of WritingJames BuchananMay 1, 2015Mary Karr, memoir, storytelling, fiction, nonfiction, plot, character, protagonistComment

Learning from Writers Better than Me

Guidance, ArtJames BuchananApril 28, 2015Joan Didion, Paris Review, interviews, fiction, nonfiction, writing adviceComment

Desire vs Flaws

Characterization, GuidanceJames BuchananApril 23, 2015characterization, character flaws, Dilbert, desire, goal, challenge, reversalComment

Hemingway On Worry

Quotes, Heart of WritingJames BuchananApril 22, 2015Ernest Hemingway, worry, anxiety, quote, writing, fiction, nonfictionComment

Music: Leonard Cohen Anthem

MusicJames BuchananApril 21, 2015Leonard Cohen, Anthem, music, writingComment