Writers and the Need to Eat

I'm a little late to this party, but I still think it's worth posting about, especially for all three of you who read my journal and don't read Gaiman or Scalzi.

Let's start with a little history. Many famous writers have, on occasion, had to fall back on their writing and reputation to make a living in the world. The one that I teach the most often about is Mark Twain.

Twain was an entrepreneurial man, and quite frankly, it cost him. He went from being exceedingly rich to tragically poor. What did he do to pay the debt from his investitures that bankrupted him? He launched a world tour. He traded on his name and reputation, and embarked on a trip that would change his life. The Clemens family had honor, and wanted to make sure their debts with creditors were cleared.

Time wends its way to today. Unlike Mark Twain, through no fault of their own, Catherynne Valente and her fiance Dmitri are suffering tough economic times.

Many writers have been. Occasionally the writing community has asked for donations for individuals to save their homes, or help with medical expenses. Sadly, there have been many more of these requests in the last few months, as you might expect.

Valente is pulling a Mark Twain and a Charles Dickens.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

When the Midwest and Trolls Collide

Twenty minutes of grooming later, Grant tumbled down the wooden stairs, passing the family portraits on the wall. Stone giants smiled and waved at him from picnic tables, on top of tractors, in school plays.

He grabbed his coat from the hall stand, went through a doorway and crossed the plush carpet of the living room to the kitchen door. His mom flipped pancakes in a cast-iron skillet over a gas burner. Two miniature women in red bonnets stood on stepping stools, setting a taller than average oak table.

“Morning, Inga,” said Grant. “Morning, Helga.”

“Morning, Grant,” said one of the nisse. The other small woman giggled.

“Morning, Mom.” Grant kissed his mother on the cheek. “David’s on bowl patrol.”

***

And so it goes. Our goal for chapter two will be to build a small Midwestern town in which it's okay to have trolls on the basketball team.

5 / 56 words. 9% done!

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.