Posts Tagged ‘Richard Hacker’

I was reading a Writer’s Digest blog post recently about 3 Surprising Lessons about Publishing Today.  The third “surprising” lesson? Quality rules in the marketplace. I put surprising in quotes because as readers don’t we already know this one?  How many times have you picked up a book, jazzed by the cover or the blurb […]

Part of the work of a writer revolves around honing the craft continuously. Show me an author who’s stopped learning, knows it all, or is simply so brilliant they have no need for critique and I’ll show you writing which doesn’t grab a reader by the heart, the head and well, yes, the cajones. If […]

(Cue Willie Nelson) Funny how time just slips away… I took a blogging break in December and here it is February. I’m back! We’re in the “prep the literary contest submissions” season for writer conferences in the summer. I think I’m going to submit a short story to Pacific Northwest Writers Association called SWING THING. […]

Had a great crowd at the Austin book release for the paperback edition of TOXIC RELATIONSHIP. We had a great time together, I got to catch up with old friends and new, had some good food, did a few readings and signed books. Great fun! Thanks to everyone who joined us. Here are a few […]

Controlled Falling

Posted: 17th December 2012 by jazzdog in Creativity, Life, Writing
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Just like walking, living is an exercise in controlled falling.  We step out, falling with our weight in one direction, then we shift our weight, stepping with the other foot to control the fall. I’m a product of having worked much of my professional life as an independent contractor, charging by the day, usually traveling out […]

Rise of the Digital Book

Posted: 3rd December 2012 by Richard Hacker in Digital Media, Uncategorized
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I’m reading a book right now. Not so unusual, since I read all the time.  But what’s different for me in an unexpected way is I’m reading a book in its old five hundred year old format — paper, ink, binding, the whole enchilada.  I’ve read books all my life, from Tom Swift’s wonderful sci-fi […]

I draw on many sources for my novels from reading and research to life experience to imagination.  For the Nick Sibelius series, set in Central Texas, I tend to pull from well over thirty years of living in the area. The food, music, culture, weather, spirit of the place makes up a major part of […]

What is an effective critique process? The best critique process is the one your specific group agrees to do together.  There is no “right” way to critique, only choices. Number of group members: While two could work, a group of 5-6 allows for sufficient energy and variety of feedback in the group, as well as […]

I’m writing this blog just before the national election and it will be posted the day after. So as you read my words, some of us are pretty depressed, the world spinning toward its destruction, some of us are still dancing in the streets, the world having avoided destruction, and a think a good portion […]

Where do I find a critique group? Now that we’ve thought about what we want in a group and whether we’re looking for an online group on one meeting in person, the next question is where to look for your next critique group. I participate in two groups.  The online group is a genre group […]