“Writing is a solitary pursuit,” said award-winning author Robin Hemley, explaining why he has “no patience” for belonging to a writer’s group. You might argue that Robin has reached a level in his career where he doesn’t need feedback from other writers. He is an accomplished writer of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. He directs the […]
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AWP Nugget: The Bubbling Debate over Self-Publishing
March 9, 2013 
33 Comments
BOSTON — The fireworks didn’t come during the panel session, which is a good thing, because every square inch of the floor was covered by attendees. Pyrotechnics in rooms violating fire codes never end well. But the figurative fireworks came that night, assisted with alcohol. I refer here to the third rail of our modern […]
Read moreNovelist Charlotte Rains Dixon on Her Experience with Indie Publishing
February 22, 2013 10 Comments
I have a special treat today. Charlotte Rains Dixon, author of the recently published novel Emma Jean’s Bad Behavior, has agreed to answer a few questions about her experience with the publishing process. Let me say I first discovered Charlotte more than two years ago through her fantastic blog. Let me also say that I […]
Read moreWhat Leads You to Choose the Next Book You’ll Read?
February 5, 2013 30 Comments
I’m grateful to The Washington Post for publishing on Saturday my letter to the editor. My beef was with the paper’s nonfiction book reviews. With novels, the reviewers break down both the story and the writing. But far too often, for nonfiction books The Post recruits an expert in the field, who then critiques the […]
Read moreMFA Nugget: An Entire Residency in One Tasty Bite
January 10, 2013 2 Comments
You may have been following along with me as I blogged from my fourth MFA in Writing residency at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. If you read every post–I’m looking at you, PJ Reece!–then feel free to move on. If you weren’t tuning in every day, here’s a recap: CRAFT AND OBSERVATION […]
Read moreMFA Nugget: Writing to the Reader, and More
January 4, 2013 19 Comments
MONTPELIER, VERMONT — “Who is your audience?” Ah, the age-old question. Vermont College of Fine Arts instructor Larry Sutin said in his lecture here at our MFA in Writing residency that he hears that question asked all the time, adding with his usual dry wit, “enough times that it must be a very important question.” […]
Read moreWhat Would You Like to See on The Artist’s Road?
December 20, 2012 28 Comments
This is your chance, dear readers, to weigh in on the types of posts you’ll see over the next year on The Artist’s Road. I’ve arranged below a list of categories into which Artist’s Road posts could most comfortably be fit. It’s a bit of a challenge, because while this blog has a theme–living the […]
Read moreHow Do You Define an Artist?
December 14, 2012 14 Comments
Here in Washington, D.C., we are all swept up in amazement and wonder with the Redskins’ rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. He is as flawless off the field as he is on. It becomes difficult after a while for writers to find new ways to describe how amazing he is, but in yesterday’s Washington Post, […]
Read more3 Steps For Creative Writers to Tell it Slant
December 10, 2012 20 Comments
Who’s up for a little creative insight from Emily Dickinson? Tell all the Truth but tell it slant Success in Circuit lies too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind When I started my […]
Read moreStruggling with the Supposed Distinction of Literary vs. Commercial
December 4, 2012 13 Comments
In three weeks I will drive to Montpelier, Vermont, to begin my final semester in an MFA in Writing program. Over the last few weeks I have devoted every spare minute to polishing the first draft of my work-in-progress–a travel memoir–so that I can hand the manuscript to whichever faculty member I am paired with […]
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