One of the most thrilling moments in a writer’s life is receiving that long-awaited yes—an acceptance letter after dozens, maybe hundreds, of rejections. It’s the kind of moment that’s meant to be savored, a bright spark of validation in a career often defined by perseverance and uncertainty. But sometimes, even that joy can curdle. Recently,ContinueContinue reading “When an Acceptance Turns Sour”
Category Archives: networking
The Myth of the ‘One Piece of Advice’
To be succesful at writing, I’ve come to believe that its more your ability to juggle, than anything else that will help you. But there’s a peculiar myth that runs through popular culture—the idea that success boils down to one secret, one golden rule, one repeatable habit that will unlock greatness. Ask a Hollywood starContinueContinue reading “The Myth of the ‘One Piece of Advice’”
Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)
One of the biggest dangers for a writer isn’t failure—it’s silence. Life has a way of crowding out creativity. Maybe it’s a high-pressure job, a move, a tough parenting stretch, or the illusion that you’ll “get back to it when things calm down.” But here’s the truth: if you stop writing, the skills begin toContinueContinue reading “Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)”
How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues
A couple of people have asked me to write up some advice on this, so I thought ‘Why not!’…. When we think about writing for the speculative fiction community, we often think of short stories, novels, and poetry — the imaginative worlds that readers escape into. But non-fiction is just as vital to the field,ContinueContinue reading “How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues”
SFWA Guest Blog: “Successfully Talking to the Press About Your Art: Plot It, Don’t Pants It!”
I have been fortunate to write guest blog posts before for SFWA on writing realistic science in science fiction, and then another one on using the psychological science utilized in video games to help you meet your writing goals. I just published another piece with SFWA, this time on talking to the press. The linkContinueContinue reading “SFWA Guest Blog: “Successfully Talking to the Press About Your Art: Plot It, Don’t Pants It!””
Year In Review 2024
For the last two years in December, I have written a ‘Year in Review’ post, and here is this year’s. The main purpose of the original post was to convince myself that although I had not published my first novel, nor even got an agent, I had achieved something in the sphere of writing. ThisContinueContinue reading “Year In Review 2024”
Personal Reflections on ReaderCon 33
I attended ReaderCon again this year and, other than a few missteps with the registration/online check-in process the con appeared to go smoothly this year. I thought I would give a few of my lasting thoughts from it here. I started off attending a workshop on writing physical action. I think the main take awayContinueContinue reading “Personal Reflections on ReaderCon 33”
Creating Your Own DIY Writers Workshop
There are lots of different kinds of writers’ workshop. Some are intense 6 week in person retreats whereas others are an hour or two at a writers convention. Some are focused on novels, some on short stories, some on specific aspects of craft. And though there are many commercial versions (Clarion, Clarion West, Viable Paradise,ContinueContinue reading “Creating Your Own DIY Writers Workshop”
Navigating Writing Conferences as an Introvert
As I prepare to go to Readercon next week, this topic is heavily on my mind. Speaking personally, as an introvert, attending writing conferences can be both exhilarating and exhausting. They offer invaluable opportunities for learning, networking, and gaining insights into the publishing world. Here are strategies to make the most of a writing conferenceContinueContinue reading “Navigating Writing Conferences as an Introvert”
Handling Reviews and Critiques: Part 3 (Reviews)
When I originally wrote this blog post it ended up too long for a single post, so I have split it up into ‘groups’ as I think of them, and will post them in sequence. Today, Reviews. If you are going to write, then almost certainly at some point you are going to have toContinueContinue reading “Handling Reviews and Critiques: Part 3 (Reviews)”
Gideon P. Smith 