It’s not nosiness – it’s research

“I’m a gossipy person—I like looking at people and how they get along with one another.” -Jane Smiley Love these words by the brilliant novelist Jane Smiley. And I think this is an important trait for a novelist, after all, they are delving into the inner lives of the characters they create on the page.…

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The “perfection” of first drafts

“Every first draft is perfect. Because all a first draft has to do is exist. Jane Smiley Love these wise words from talented author Jane Smiley. It’s a new year, and you probably have been mulling over your writing goals (dare I call them resolutions?) for the year ahead. What a nice way to keep…

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Writing advice from Jane Smiley

“Writing is only one word at a time.” -Jane Smiley Is there any better advice for a writer? And even better coming from the talented novelist Jane Smiley. As writers know all too well, there are no shortcuts. It’s all about sitting yourself down in a chair and pounding out the words. Some days they’ll…

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Jane Smiley’s trilogy experimentation

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley was interviewed for the September 2015 edition of Writer’s Digest. In the interview, she discussed numerous topics, including her new trilogy, The Last Hundred Years. The three novels will follow the Langdon family and their five children for a period of 100 years. The saga begins on a farm in…

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