Sometimes when I read Poets & Writers magazine, I come across an article that is so good that I must tear it out for safe keeping. I put it in a folder labeled “writing stuff.” In the latest issue, I tore out “Quieting the Mind” by Sarah Herrington. And then I promptly followed her on Twitter. In — Read More
Author: Kim Hooper
On “following your passion” (or not)
This post may sound contradictory to my last “push through rejection and keep writing” post, but I don’t see it that way. It could be a footnote to that post, or a part 2. If part 1 was “keep going,” part 2 is, “but don’t quit your day job.” When I was in my early twenties, I — Read More
On rejection
If someone told me they wanted to be a writer, I would say, “Ok, I hope you’re good with rejection.” It’s funny how writers are some of the most sensitive people and publishing is such a harsh, brutally blunt industry. Some fun facts: Robert M. Pirsig received 121 rejections of his book Zen and the Art — Read More
Why I can’t be “a writer”
Earlier this week, I saw this post on McSweeney’s: “27 Reasons Why I Can Never Be a Writer” by Michelle Webster-Hein. It’s hilarious. I highly recommend you click over (and then come back here because I’ll miss you). Her list inspired me to write my own. I am a fiction writer, for better or worse, but — Read More
Resolutions.
Yesterday, I went to a yoga class and the owner of the studio asked if I had any resolutions for 2015. I was stumped. I don’t really do resolutions. I kind of just tackle new goals as they come up. Maybe this relates to me having a hard time seeing the big picture, the proverbial forest — Read More
On reading (and why the book must not die)
I saw an article in my Facebook feed the other day titled, “Science Shows Something Surprising About People Who Still Read Fiction.” The “surprising” thing is that those readers have better relationships (you can read the article here), but I was more stuck on the title. STILL read fiction? The “still” makes it sound like reading fiction — Read More
Books I read in 2014
I read 26 books this year, or about 1 book every couple weeks. I would love to read 1 book every week, but I don’t see how to make that happen with my schedule. As it is now, I read for about 20 minutes on my lunch break (if I take one), and 20 minutes — Read More
Big news: I got a book deal!
It’s an almost-Christmas miracle, everyone! Actually, I’ve had the news for a while, but I was expecting someone important (my agent, my editor, my publishing house, God) to say, “JUST KIDDING, SUCKER!” That has not happened, yet, so I’m pretty sure this is real. How it all happened is both a short and long story. — Read More
MORE gifts for the writers & readers in your life
It’s beginning to creep me out how Facebook stalks me. I posted last week about gifts for writers and readers, and ever since then, I’ve been getting all these notifications in my feed with additional gift ideas. Some of them are pretty cool, so even though I’m creeped out, I will share. This company, Litographs, takes words from — Read More
Gifts for the writers & readers in your life
Now that the holiday madness has officially begun, I have a few gift ideas for those literary types you may have the good fortune of knowing. Shout out to my loved ones: I have not purchased any of these yet. This book features fifty photographs of meals described in famous books–ranging from The Secret Garden — Read More