M. Harmon Wilkinson 10/6/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 10/6/18

Routine

My goal is 1000 words per day, but editing tears me away from it.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 9/14/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 9/14/18

(Im)patience

Waiting—and editing—but still, waiting.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 8/31/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 8/31/18

Editing: Under Shōko's Bed II

Editing is a painful process. It hurts to erase words that feel emotionally invested. But then you read it again, and the benefit shows. Under Shōko’s Bed is nearly complete.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 8/17/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 8/17/18

Editing: Under Shōko's Bed

If I want Under Shōko’s Bed to touch people, they have to read it, and my editor reinforced that the plot has to move, the tension has to increase and the pace has to quicken as the novel approaches its climax, and then it needs to end promptly.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 8/3/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 8/3/18

Books on writing: William Strunk Jr.

William Strunk Jr.’s The Elements of Style, a classic reference for writers, brims with useful advice, but at 100 years old, is any of it archaic?

M. Harmon Wilkinson 7/20/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 7/20/18

Books on writing: Sol Stein

I enjoy writing dialogue. It feels alive. I have learned more from Sol Stein than from anyone else about writing dialogue that moves the story along.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 7/6/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 7/6/18

Don't abuse the muse

If you are blessed with someone who inspires you and works with you to make your writing better, be sure to keep her happy. You'll regret it if you don't.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 6/22/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 6/22/18

Books on writing: Stephen King

I recently reread one of the best books for authors, Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, which offers marvelous advice and is exceptionally well written.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 6/8/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 6/8/18

Capturing life in Japan: Language

In capturing life in Japan in writing, language is a challenge: 1) how to handle the imperfect language of nonnative speakers, 2) how much Japanese to include, and 3) how to provide translation of the Japanese.

M. Harmon Wilkinson 5/25/18 M. Harmon Wilkinson 5/25/18

The idea: Neyuki

I was working at a small university in rural Japan. The faculty were a terribly dysfunctional lot. It was really quite disturbing. So I started writing a novel as a sort of self-therapy to deal with all of the craziness.