Hawthorne was once a god. He was the father of the American novel, a plumber of our dark and terrible past…
Author: Richard Donnelly
Richard Donnelly lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Classic flyover land. Which makes us feel just a little… superior. He publishes a weekly column of essays on the writing life at richarddonnelly.substack.com
BOOKISH: Trouble in Paradise
All the signs are there, the embarrassment, the stammering, the dropped change, the needless tying and retying of scarves…
BOOKISH: The Myth of Good Writing
So stop trying to write better. Master the basics. Luckily, the basics are easily mastered…
BOOKISH: A Penny for Your Thoughts
Or, more like, three bucks…
BOOKISH: The Writer’s Audience
The customer is always right…
BOOKISH: Call It Courage
“Do you think all these writers are being honest?”
BOOKISH: Mr. Positive
“All you talk about is failure,” Emily said…
BOOKISH: Writers, Take Note… or Not
We are told writing is sacred. All writing, but especially our writing…
BOOKISH: Those Darn Kids
They want to be writers. They talk about being writers all the time, and I want to be clear, this is okay…
BOOKISH: The Little Guy
This is why it’s not so bad to be the little guy. Besides the money of course…
BOOKISH: The Writing MFA
There are newly-minted MFA programs every year. Some have gone online, saving the student money…
BOOKISH: Writers of the World, Unite!
We have nothing to lose but our chains…
BOOKISH: Consult the Experts
Emily is short and dark. Such women are dangerous. Everything is compressed into a small package…
BOOKISH: Writers and Podiums
I don’t know why they make students do this, stand at a podium and recite their unfinished work. Everyone is terrified…
BOOKISH: Writers, Be Liked
“That’s not what they think in New York. And New York is where all the publishing decisions are made…”
BOOKISH: The Life of a Writer
Life has changed. Fundamentally. Irrevocably…
BOOKISH: Fiction and The Law
It’s all because of lawyers. Lawyers don’t trust anyone. They literally see dishonesty in everyone they meet…
BOOKISH: Novel Ideas
What I want are books that don’t confuse me. A confused reader is an angry reader…