The optimism of a new year is almost too sweet to ignore. The next few hundred days are full of possibilities, ranging from the positive and uplifting to the more sinister and grotesque. It is perhaps a fair assumption to…
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re at your computer or on your cell phone and you’re scrolling through what might be of interest as you wait for a bus to arrive or a delivery person to bring you some…
It’s hard to believe 2018 is almost over. Whether you’re hoping to get one last great read in before the start of the new year or plan for 2019, these recommendations from Hugo House teachers are sure to inspire and…
Chavisa Woods writes like everything is on fire because it is. This year, she was awarded the Shirley Jackson Award, the Kathy Acker Award, and received her third nomination from LAMBDA for her story collection Things to Do When You’re…
This fall, we’re introducing a new advanced program for writers: a place of experimentation and accountability that we’re calling the Book Lab. Designed to help writers reach the final draft of their book, Book Lab is for anyone with a…
As the saying goes: “Everyone’s a critic.” But bringing out your inner reviewer is a complex process. Writing a review is much more than just “criticizing.” In my upcoming class, Critical Thinking: Writing a Review, you’ll have the opportunity to…
My second novel, The Biographies of Ordinary People: Volume 2: 2004–2016, publishes this week. Or, if you want to be more accurate, self-publishes this week. I elected to self-publish both volumes of The Biographies of Ordinary People (a Millennial-era Little…
Writers always want to know what they can do to help facilitate publicity efforts for their books, especially during that unbearable wait between the last pen stroke and publication date. First, it’s important to get into the mindset of a…
Sometimes I feel the need to explain why so many of the readings I select for my classes are tinged with sadness. It’s what I’m drawn to as a reader, I say. I like stuff that is dark. As a…
Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979) was the consummate American poet of travel, writing and translating worldwide, and living for fifteen years in Brazil. Her “traveler takes a notebook, writes” about the mysteries of maps, the wonders of cultures and landscapes. In my…
It is often said that reading makes us better, kinder people. Many articles expound on how the act of reading benefits the mind and body by decreasing stress levels, teaching us about other people and cultures, and introducing us to…
Hinduism is an entire universe of gods, concepts, traditions, and philosophies. Just as you can practice any religion concurrently with being a Hindu, you don’t have to be a true believer to take advantage of Hinduism in your writing practice. Many of…
In the United States, women buy statistically more books than men—but publish fewer books, win fewer literary prizes, and get reviewed with far less regularity. Similarly, women account for only 10% of op-ed pieces that are published nationally. Why is…
Interested in dipping your (electronic) pen into the screenwriting well? Not sure where to start, who to study, how to think about the form? In my class Screenwriting for Fiction Writers we’ll take up these matters and more, looking at…
A sanctuary away from home and the distractions of daily life with time to work on your craft: every writer’s dream. If a writer’s residency is in your plans this year, we’ve rounded up resources and words of advice from…
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