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I've been thinking about some of the conversations we've had lately re editing, linked stories and so on, and I'm thinking we might talk further about the play of details and generalizations. This is roughly related to questions of abstract and concrete, which we've dealt with before, but it also goes to style and, of course, the writer's individual sensibility.

I hope to see you all there!

(This is Dave. I don't know why the padlet persists in maintaining my anonymity, no matter how often I sign in.)

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Hi, folks--

As suspected, I will be taking my great niece on a college trip on Monday, and though there's a possibility I'll be back in my lair by 5pm, it's not guaranteed. So I won't be online on Monday but look forward to seeing all of you a week later, on the 24th.

Happy writing!

DK

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We haven't done one of these in a while, so let's hear what you're working on. Email me with questions or to be first in line--or just show up!

Looking forward!

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Here's a pdf of "Rivers," the John Keene story mentioned by Laura and others. (It's a pre-Percival Everett take on Huck Finn.) We discussed this in depth in February of 2025, so we won't be doing another session on it, but some of you may be interested. Enjoy!

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A couple of years ago, we discussed Keene's "Rivers, a radical revision of Huckleberry Finn from his collection Counternarratives. I thought we might circle back to Keene again, this time with "Blues," which once again revisits a cultural realm we already know--though possibly the departures are less radical this time.

Among other things, I'd like to talk about the question of what the reader brings to the experience vs what the writer is obligated to provide. Also, of course, the punctuation...

See you there!

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On Monday, let's talk about that peculiar hybrid phenomenon, the collection of linked stories. Why do them? What is the gain for the reader? The risk for the author? And so on!

See you there!

--Dave

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Monday, July 20: Missed our flight outta Rome!

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Monday, July 20: Missed our flight outta Rome!

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Hi folks,

Interesting discussion Monday--so many disparate views! Let's pick up the Updike at the top of page 60, when Richard and Joan are at the Piazza Venezia. I'm particularly interested in thoughts on Updike's ornate imagery and '60's-style sexual politics, but anything you bring to the table is fine. A pdf is reuploaded in case you don;t already have it.

As I mentioned, we're building to a conversation about linked stories the following week.

Ciao!

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Monday, July 13: Updike, "Twin Beds in Rome"

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Monday, July 13: Updike, "Twin Beds in Rome"

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Hi, folks! I hope you all are well and wrote like blessed angels while I was in Rome. Whether that means Renaissance or Medieval or Baroque angels is your call.

Does anyone still read Updike? He was such an essential literary figure during my coming-of-age, and yet I rarely go back to his works now. But one book that does repeatedly draw my attention is Too Far to Go: The Maples Stories, which is a 1979 compilation of the linked stories Updike wrote over twenty years and published in an obscure publication called The New Yorker. The stories feature the middle-class couple Richard and Joan Maple and describe the state and decline of their marriage. The first appeared in the New Yorker in 1956, the last in 1976, and this one, "Twin Beds in Rome," is from 1964.

A pdf is attached. I look forward to your thoughts. 5pm Monday (or 11pm Rome time). See you there!

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Ciao, scrittori!

I'll be in Italy for the next two weeks, so I won't be officially holding craft sessions. I'll miss you!

However, several of you have suggested that you'd like to continue meeting during the Monday 5-6 slot for informal talks, open mics, hand-holding and so on. Sounds like a great idea to me. If you know you'll be here, you might consider adding a response below just to let others know, but I'm sure it's also fine to just show up and see who's hangin' in the Lounge.

I'll be back on July 13, and we'll discuss a work of fiction, which I'll be sure to post at least a week in advance.

Good writing to you all!

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Bring your best work. Or your worst!

Looking forward to seeing everybody.

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Just a note to say that I will be overseas on June 29 and July 6 and will not be leading the group those evenings. There's been a suggestion that some of you might want to meet without me, and of course I support that.

I had planned to hold an open mic on June 22 but will hold off if it seems likely you'll be doing open mics while I'm away. Let's chat briefly about this on 6/15.

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On Monday let's continue thinking about revision. I'll be nominally working from the last third of the attached handout, but I'd also like to speak more theoretically: what kind of headspace is required to reimagine a text you've poured so much soul into? What kinds of things do each of us look for when we revise?

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

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Monday, June 8: Memento Mori, by Jonathan Nolan

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Monday, June 8: Memento Mori, by Jonathan Nolan

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Ack! My apologies! I know I announced this story for June 1, and I remember posting it, but somehow it disappeared from this page--possibly because my internet was unstable--and only two of you showed up. So we postponed the discussion; mea culpa. I'll try to be more vigilant in the future.

In any case, on June 7, let's discuss Memento Mori. This will pick up on our discussion of repeating scenes and motifs, and we may also find ourselves looking at how the story was translated into Christopher Nolan's celebrated film Memento.

See you here!

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Are people planning to show up on Monday, or will you all be occupied with backyard barbecues and games of quoits and so on?

Feel free to let me know...

If we are meeting (and I'm happy to), let's continue with the revision techniques discussion we began on May 18.

Happy holiday!

Also, to access the doc, click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner of this post. You should see a link to download it to your device, and then you'll be able to print it.

Or email me, and I'll email it back to you.

Or throw a shoe at my head.

UPDATE: We are on for Monday! See you then!

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Handout for 5/18/2026 session

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Monday, May 18: Mr King said he would revise the manuscript himself

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Monday, May 18: Mr King said he would revise the manuscript himself

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This is a topic we've looked at before, but there's been a request that we dig into it again. So on Monday, let's talk about strategies for moving beyond the first draft: revision, reconsideration, cuts, additions and so on.

See you there!

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Discuss Mrs. Dalloway in a two-week Gam.

Post readings, info, ideas or anything else of relevance to the Fast & Loose board

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Sign up to read a thousand words by adding your name to a date, below

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Sign up to read a thousand words by adding your name to a date, below

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Hello, everyone,

Just a reminder that I won't be hosting a meeting today, May 4, due to an end-of-the-academic-year commitment. I hope your writing continues to go well!

On Monday, May 11, let's hold our monthly discussion of a work of literature. This month's text will be Jorge Luis Borge's "Pierre Menard, Author of Don Quixote." I look forward to your thoughts!

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I suggest:

Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford, admittedly a bit long (596pages)

The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner,

Bleak House, by Charles Dickens,

The House in Paris, by Elizabeth Bowen,

American Woman, by Susan Choi,

The Power and the Glory, by Graham Greene.

Annick

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Let's have an open mic on Monday the 27th. 1000 words is generally the recommendation, but we're a blessedly forgiving group. Email me if you want to get on the list--or just show up with a manuscript clasped in your fist!

On Monday, May 4, I have an end-of-the-year academic commitment and won't be able to host. So we'll do our monthly reading on May 11.

Happy writing, everybody!

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I have an academic commitment on the 13th and probably won't be free until after 5pm, so I won't be hosting that day.

On April 20, let's revisit Amy Hempel's "The Uninvited" for the session's first ten minutes or so. (A pdf is on the schedule for 4/6/2026.)There was some disagreement about the timeline and certain technical authorial choices, so the panel agreed to reread the piece and briefly convene.

After that, let's talk about foreshadowing: when is it appropriate, how the hell do you do it, why is it useful? Or whatever. We've talked a significant amount about flashbacks and jumps in time, but this seems to be a somewhat different concern conceptually.

Unless you have to wash your hair, I'll expect to see all of you punching the clock promptly at 5pm on the 20th. Happy writing!

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Monday, April 6: Amy Hempel, "The Uninvited"

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Monday, April 6: Amy Hempel, "The Uninvited"

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Some time ago we discussed Amy Hempel in relation to Carolyn Forche and Heather McHugh, and we've often spoken of her particularly tight editing and what it asks of the reader.

But Hempel did write one book, The Dog of the Marriage, in which she explored longer forms. On Monday, let's discuss this example of that work. I look forward to seeing you there!

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Monday, March 30: Description, objective and subjective

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Monday, March 30: Description, objective and subjective

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Something interesting came up glancingly last week in our discussion of flashbacks: the question of how much description is too much--and how to couch descriptive passages within an ongoing narrative. Let's talk about ways of handling such things when we meet on Monday.

As always, I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

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Many of us are working in modes that straddle some primary time frame and also a parallel past or future timeline. So on Monday, let's talk about how writers use verb tense: what it achieves and what are the risks?

As always, I look forward to seeing you there.

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Bring your best stuff, or bring something you're struggling with and need to hear read aloud. But bring it! Let's hold an open mic next Monday.

Feel free to reach out at davekingwriter@gmail.com if you want to get on the list. Looking forward!

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Monday, March 9: Goldilocks visits the writers' room

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Monday, March 9: Goldilocks visits the writers' room

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On Monday, let's talk about some issues I've been wrestling with lately: moderation, overstatement, understatement, heavy-handedness, failure to deliver and so on. If Goldilocks were to lie down on your work in progress, would she pronounce it "too hard," "too soft" or "just right?" And how would you adjust it to suit Goldilocks' needs (assuming you value the judgment of a youngster who breaks into your home and eats all your porridge)?

See you all Monday!

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Monday, March 2: Grace Paley: "A Conversation With My Father"

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Monday, March 2: Grace Paley: "A Conversation With My Father"

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For our March selection, let's look at this highly celebrated story by Grace Paley.

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We've spoken about sex and love from time to time, but other relationships among characters may be hard to capture. On Monday, let's discuss how a writer captures the nuances of friendship--as well as other interpersonal relationships. If we fall in love, that's okay, but not the primary goal.

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Monday, February 16: Put yourself on the line

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Monday, February 16: Put yourself on the line

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Robert Rauschenberg said, "Anything you do will be an abuse of somebody else's aesthetics." With that in mind, let's hold an open mic on Monday. Feel free to email me at davekingwriter@gmail.com if you want to get in the cue, and as a reminder, a soft 1000 words is generally recommended.

I look forward to hearing what everyone's been working on!

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Monday, February 9: That was before the plot even began!

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Monday, February 9: That was before the plot even began!

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On Monday, let's talk about backstory: given that books have limited pages, how does an author decide how much past life to include? And what are some tricks for tucking the past seamlessly into a nicely propulsive ongoing narrative?

Like everything else, this is highly subjective terrain. No firm rules! So bring your stories, your frustrations, your discoveries, and we'll figure it out together. It'll be kind of like a group ayahuasca healing session--but for writers.

(PS. This idea was prompted by Grace Paley's interesting deployment of time in "Samuel," the story we read for February 2.)

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Monday, February 2: The great Grace Paley

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Monday, February 2: The great Grace Paley

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Let's look at a pretty short piece this month, Grace Paley's "Samuel." I'm sorry the scan isn't better, but it does seem readable at least.

See you all Monday!

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Here's a scan of the piece I mentioned Monday. It's from Francine Prose's book Reading Like a Writer

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"What are you planning to talk about on Monday?

"Well, it's not all me talking. I mean, plenty of other folks jump in. We've got a very engaged group."

"That's not what I asked."

"Oh. Okay, sorry. Well, the actual topic... So I thought we'd talk about dialogue. You know, like what it achieves in terms of plot and character development and so on, how to make it sound--"

"Didn't you do that already"

"Well yeah. But it's been a while, and it never hurts to review. We're working writers, after all, and we've learned stuff. Our perspectives have changed. There's still more to say."

"Huh."

"And anyway, dialogue is paradoxical. It's not just a transcript of whatever people say. It's more of a--"

"Is that so."

See you there!

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/ItGh3rX1goafIHu__OGaEvOXlRy3O_bc0aaoplDKhi7eEC4ldkuVxU7IJ5HAHcD3.QLqrKmhZ6aVIgztO

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Click to join.

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Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

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There's been a request that we talk about work methods: how do we begin, how do we continue, how do we see clearly enough to revise what we've got? This is a bit of an anecdotal subject, so please bring your anecdotes!

Along similar lines, there was a suggestion that we fold in Murakami's book "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running," Which evidently includes writing insights as well as athletic braggadocio. I won't have time to read it before Monday, but I welcome any insights others have gained.

(There are actually a fair number of quite good books about writing. What are some of our favorites?)

See you Monday!

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Following a superstimulating discussion on Jan 5, let's look at the second half of Haruki Murakami's "The Elephant Vanishes. This is one of those stories that breaks pretty interestingly into two parts. (Another is Joyce Carol Oates' "Where Are You going, Where Have You been?" which we looked at in June of 2024.

Things I'm particularly interested in discussing:

• The movement to a conventional scene after the interiority of the first half

• Similarly, the shift from a somewhat dour assessment on page 318

• The question raised by Marina: is the elephant a symbol? If so, of what?

• Annick's provocative point about our narrator's withholding of crucial info: is this the clever deployment craft or just Murakami playing with us?

• Is the story satisfying?

• Or, of course, whatever you want to talk about.

See you there!

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Jan 5, 2026: Haruki Murakami's "The Elephant Vanishes"

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Jan 5, 2026: Haruki Murakami's "The Elephant Vanishes"

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For our first deep dive of the new year, let's look at one of Haruki Murakami's most famous stories. This was my first encounter with Murakami, when it appeared in the New Yorker several decades ago.

As an extra treat, check out Jon's report (with accompanying soundtrack) on seeing Murakami at NYC's Japan Center in mid December. That's on the group WhatsApp chat called The 24-Hour Room.

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12/29: Building continuity, suspense, and narrative connective tissue

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12/29: Building continuity, suspense, and narrative connective tissue

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While Dave's away, let's discuss the way a story can be strengthened with the technique of leaving narrrative threads hanging and picking them up not immediately but at a carefully choreographed later time. I find I can clearly see the virtues of this strategy through the lens of textile construction or or bookbinding.

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Engines of Narrative | Craft Notes from The 24-Hour Room

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I'll be out of the country the last two Mondays of 2025, so the thrilling Elizabeth Gaffney will lead those two sessions. (I hope she'll do so in a grey moustache.)

I expect to be back by January 5 for our first-Monday reading chat. Please see the other post for that info.

Happy holidays, all!

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Dec 15: What we talk about when we talk about love

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Dec 15: What we talk about when we talk about love

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As most of you know, my approach is largely strategic: what does this particular decision do; how can we get the most out of this other choice? Writing about emotions doesn't always fit squarely into this agenda--they can feel more like a byproduct of scene, action and metaphor--but for some time I've been wanting to explore the many ways a writer will capture that most ineffable of emotions.

So please bring your thoughts about writing about love. Romantic love, of course, and desire (how are the two different?) but also filial love, unrequited love, deep overweening friendship and so on.

See you there. I'll have my heart on my sleeve.

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We haven't had a Monday open mic in some time, so let's hear what people are up to. Email me at davekingwriter@gmail if you want to get on the list!

Roughly 1000 words, though who's counting?

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Monday, December 1: "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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Monday, December 1: "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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For our December reading, let's look at this short story with a long name.

See you there!

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A month ago we were scheduled to discuss beginnings and endings but never got past the beginnings. That's so like us!

This week, let's continue revving our motors and talk about some ways a writer might kindle a plot at the narrative's start. I know, I know! Many of us don't really care about plot and just want to write pretty sentences that show off our puckish humor. But let's pretend for an hour...

See you there.

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While Dave's busy, let's hold a Monday open Mic. I have my Novel Workshop at 6, so we'll end a tiny bit early.

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Monday, November 17: No Dave in the room (but see above, for Brooklyn in the House)

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Monday, November 17: No Dave in the room (but see above, for Brooklyn in the House)

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Hi, folks,

I have to give a talk at my job on Monday night, so I regretfully cannot see you here via zoom. I'm looking forward to November 21, though!

Happy writing--

DK

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On November 3 we dug into this story's interestingly slippery narration style; the possibility of an individual's story being a stand-in for the larger immigration experience; whether the term "dirtbag" justly applies to the protagonist; and a host of other interesting topics.

This coming Monday let's unpack the intriguing ending and the reemergence of the Diaz's narrator, Yunior.

Not to be missed!

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Monday, November 3: "Negocios" by Junot Diaz

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Monday, November 3: "Negocios" by Junot Diaz

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For our November reading, let's look at this essential story by Junot Diaz.

See you there!

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Monday, October 27: Once upon a time they lived happily ever after.

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Monday, October 27: Once upon a time they lived happily ever after.

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With the absolute understanding that writing is a realm of flexible rules, let's talk a little about beginnings and endings, whether of novels, stories, memoirs or whatever. I'm interested in hearing what you seek in the starts and finishes of literary works--maybe what kinds of beginnings/endings you find ideal--but I'm equally interested in hearing about your own techniques for revving a narrative up and then shutting it down.

See you in the lounge at 5!

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Monday, October 20: Sources of inspiration

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Monday, October 20: Sources of inspiration

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There's been a request that we talk about our writing models, so for Monday's session, please bring a very brief text to share. This should be a short passage not by you but by some other writer that somehow inspires you. The inspiration can take many forms: humor, irony, incisiveness, flow, or, of course, beauty. Or something else.

I'm thinking a paragraph or so, so we can get through everyone.Or even just a sentence.

See you there!

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Monday, October 13: Still rising, still converging

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Monday, October 13: Still rising, still converging

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On Monday, let's continue our discussion of Flannery O'Connor's story "Everything That Rises Must Converge." In particular, let's think about ways the cataclysmic final scenes feel both pre-ordained and very surprising. And if there's time, a small discussion about endings.

Ride the bus with the super cool 24-Hour gang!

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Monday, October 6: O'Connor, "Everything That Rises Must Converge"

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Monday, October 6: O'Connor, "Everything That Rises Must Converge"

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Is it going to feel old-fashioned and academic if we talk about Flannery O'Connor? If it does, I'll take the blame.

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Dave's away ... the mice shall play. Let's take this hour to launch a new "weekly+" gathering to talkj about our work. (See new column to the right.)

Meeting weekly on Fridays with EG, but I encourage others to convene additional sessions anytime!

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Beginning October 8 I'll be teaching an online writing workshop through the 24-Hour Room. The course will run nine Wednesdays, 6-8:30pm NYC time and is open to writers at all levels. Please spread the word if you feel like it.

As in most writing workshops, the primary texts will be works in progress by course members: novels, stories, memoirs and so on. Each writer will submit two or three times, roughly 15-30 pages each time--though I tend not to be strict about that type of thing. Our emphasis will be on constructive but thoughtful criticism as well as broader issues of craft, structure, aesthetics and so on. The goal is to help writers revise current work and move forward with all their projects.

The course runs 9 sessions, 10/8-12/17 (with no meetings on 10/15 and 11/26). Space is limited. For more information, please visit https://www.the24hourroom.org/store/p/engines-of-narrative.

As some of you know, I’ve taught literature and creative writing at NYU for the past eighteen years and was at Baruch before that. I’m the author of a best-selling novel and the winner of a number of awards, including the Rome Prize for Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and an O. Henry Prize.

Thanks!

DK

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Okay, this is kind of a weirdo topic, entirely from left field, but for some time I've been wanting to talk a bit about punctuation. How we use it more subjectively in creative work than in, say, reportage; what it feels like when we "misuse" it; how punctuation colors (or maybe doesn't) tone and readerly experience.

So what do you say? Shall we give this odd topic a go? We may find that the conversation leads us to thinking about structure, metaphor and other notions; or it may fall dead at our feet. Who knows?

I hope to see you there!

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Monday, September 15: A Hand Continues to Guide me

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Monday, September 15: A Hand Continues to Guide me

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On 9/8 we talked extensively about the pacing of David Gates' story "A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me." The first half of the story is largely exposition, and there was a lively discussion of how Gates established the characters and situations and maintained reader interest without the use of a conventional plot

But the second half of the story does have plot, and many of the characterizations are deepened through Gates' remarkable dialogue. Let's pick at that dialogue with all the acuity and courteous disagreement that so characterizes these sessions. See you there!

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Mondays September 1 & 8 and David Gates' "A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me."

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Mondays September 1 & 8 and David Gates' "A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me."

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I'm going to take Monday, Sept 1 off. It's Labor Day and also my birthday, so I wish you all happy holidays, strong unions and good benefits for every writer, published or not.

But on Monday September 8, let's roar into fall with a discussion of David Gates' "A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me." I look forward to your thoughts.

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Monday, September 29: EG WILL HOST A NEW INFORMAL CONVO ABOUT WRITING DURING DAVE's USUAL CRAFT CONVO TIME (See above ^)

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Monday, September 29: EG WILL HOST A NEW INFORMAL CONVO ABOUT WRITING DURING DAVE's USUAL CRAFT CONVO TIME (See above ^)

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I can't meet on the 29th as I will be out of the country. We'll return on October 6 for a discussion of a work of fiction, and I'll post that text soon.

Happy writing!

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There's been a suggestion that we talk about the choice of present or past tense when telling a story. What are the advantages of one mode or the other, and how does each function linguistically when we move, for example, into a flashback?

I think this is a great suggestion, and I'm looking forward to picking the topic apart. I might also fold in questions of first person/third person, etc, as these are also broad concerns that affect the sweep of a manuscript.

Bring your genius or bring your confusion, but bring it!

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Monday, August 18: The Anxiety of Influence

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Monday, August 18: The Anxiety of Influence

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For some time I've been thinking about books that evoke other books, whether by reimagining plot or supplying a sequel or something more subtle: theme, tone, whatever.

On Monday let's talk about how this is done technically but also talk about the writers who've influenced you. How important is it to you to bring those authors' voices and ideas into your own projects, and how are you approaching this?

As always, I look forward!

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Let's talk about physical action on Monday. A lot of our writing is comprised of description and verbal exchanges, but sometimes there are fistfights, avalanches, barn raisings. How is the strategy for such stuff fundamentally similar or different from other portions of the text?

See you there, I sincerely hope!

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Monday, August 4: James Salter, "Last Night"

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Monday, August 4: James Salter, "Last Night"

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For our August first Monday reading, let's take a look at James Salter's "Last Night." I welcome your thoughts!

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The George Saunders discussion prompted a request that we look at works that pointedly fence of individual POV's for a variety of effects. (Generally we're talking more about Faulkner's As I Lay Dying than about Dickens' use of omniscient 3rd-person narration.)

I have thoughts about ways this works or doesn't work for me, but hey, I'm just the moderator. Please bring your own ideas, queries, examples and so on. I look forward to seeing you!

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Why is it so cathartic to hear your work read aloud? It has a certain weird clarity we don't get sitting alone in our towers, rearranging commas.

On Monday please feel free to read something you're proud of, something you're struggling with, or just something you need to hear the sound of.

Email me if you want to get in the cue--or just show up! I'm looking forward already.

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On July 7 we discussed the beginning of George Saunders' story "Tenth of December." We spoke of the difference in language registers between the two point-of-view characters; of Saunders' interesting decision to reverse the chronology so as to create the most interesting entry point for the reader; and of his technique of talking about subsidiary characters before identifying who they were.

But we didn't get very far into the story, and there was an apparent consensus that we'd like to continue this coming week. I don't think I'll start where we left off (page 227) but let's look at the way Saunders handles the end of the story, especially with regard to misdirection, maintaining reader interest and so on.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

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Monday, July 7: George Saunders: "Tenth of December"

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Monday, July 7: George Saunders: "Tenth of December"

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For Monday, let's read and discuss George Saunders' very celebrated story "Tenth of December." I'll admit I had some misgivings about the choice, given that many of you may have read this one already. But in some ways that's almost a reason to give it a real cross-examination to nail down exactly why it's so astonishingly successful, moving and fresh!

(On a side note, the other candidate was Saunders' "Escape From Spiderhead," but on rereading it I feared that some might justifiably find it triggering. For those who are curious, however, I'm happy to provide a pdf. Just email me.)

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EG here, covering for Dave, today....

Forget war crimes, murder, betrayal and other major league mayhem, for a minute. How do writers use small-scale problems and incidents, from the cat bite in Paula Fox’s Desperate Characters to the social anxiety that plagues Clarissa Dalloway, to drive big stories?

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Monday, June 30: Guest host Elizabeth Gaffney

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Monday, June 30: Guest host Elizabeth Gaffney

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Hi folks,

I'll miss everybody this evening! I have a long physical therapy appointment that will run past 5pm, and unfortunately the same thing will happen Thursday, despite my earlier plans to take that evening's slot. So Elizabeth will be graciously filling the host chair tonight, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on July 7. Thanks for bearing with me during this long, incredibly boring recovery!

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A couple of weeks ago we had a really lively discussion about abundance and restraint. I really loved hearing your thoughts, but we remained pretty theoretical, and I know several of you were interested more strategic moves.

So on Monday the 23rd, let's expand (contract?) the discussion to the actual page, the actual manuscript. How do we know when we're overwhelming the reader with detail, and what can we do about it? How do we know when we're not giving readers enough?

Again, this will obviously vary from writer to writer, but let's talk about how these issues of more and less text can be applied in the most practical sense as we sit alone in our sad half-lit rooms, channeling the glory of our own thoughts.

See you then!

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This is the writing book I mentioned last week by Duras. It's fascinating, sometimes complex, but she is so sure of herself and so willing to share everything. It's published by Lumens Editions...D

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Oh, damn! I thought I'd posted this announcement--my apologies!

Anyway, as per my announcement last week, on Monday we'll have our usual third-week open mic. Bring stuff you're proud and delighted with, or bring stuff you're uncertain about. Any and all texts welcome!

Email me at davekingwriter@gmail.com if you want to join the cue. I look forward to hearing your work!

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This is possibly a very broad--or abundant!--topic, but it's something I've been dealing with in my own work, so I thought we might devote an hour's inquiry to questions of how much information to provide--and when and where--and how exactly to cast it in terms of style, figurative language and so on.

A couple of you are working in pretty spare modes, while others' projects are more lush. It's all good, but let's hear about your experiences of working as you do, also perhaps what kind of prose you're done to when you read for pleasure.

See you there, I hope!

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Monday, June 2: Kathrine Kressman Taylor: "Address Unknown" 

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Monday, June 2: Kathrine Kressman Taylor: "Address Unknown" 

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At our last open mic, Jon presented a piece with a one-sided phone conversation, and that got me thinking about one-sided dialogues. So for our June reading, let's weigh Kathrine Kressman Taylor's epistolary story "Address Unknown." See you then!

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Monday, May 26: Your finish is my command.

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Monday, May 26: Your finish is my command.

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Jon has requested a discussion of endings, particularly, how to do them. As it turns out, there's a very simple formula which will be revealed at Monday's meeting.

Nah, I'm kidding. Like everything we do in this darned business, endings are occult. But let's have the discussion anyway. Please bring your theories, your experiences and any recommendations of unusually strong endings you'd like to share with the group.

See you there! And if you miss the session because you're off at a Memorial Day picnic, that's cool too, but watch out for bees hovering above the potato salad!

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Hi, folks, apologies for being off the grid all week. I meant to post this announcement last week but was lost in a haze of post-surgery self-pity, and it just got away from me.

Anyway, let's do our open mic tonight. It'll be so great to see all of you! Email me at davekingwriter@gmail.com if you know you want to present.

See you then!

DK

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Folks, on Monday the 12th, I will be having surgery literally while our 5pm session is taking place. While I'm tempted to zoom the entire process for your edification--doesn't every work of fiction require a gory hospital scene?--cooler heads have prevailed.

The great Elizabeth Gaffney will sit in on the 12th, and I'll be back on the 19th for an open mic. To your health!

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Oh, hell, let's laugh a little. On Monday, let's discuss Simon Rich's story "Guy Walks Into a Bar" and maybe also say a little bit about the strange and slippery nature of humor.

See you there!

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4/28, Dave'll be away. Join EG to discuss Octavia Butler's "Amnesty"

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4/28, Dave'll be away. Join EG to discuss Octavia Butler's "Amnesty"

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Ap 21: Open Mic, hosted this week by Elizabeth Gaffney

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Ap 21: Open Mic, hosted this week by Elizabeth Gaffney

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Mondays, April 21 & 28:  Elizabeth Gaffney on Board!

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Mondays, April 21 & 28:  Elizabeth Gaffney on Board!

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Elizabeth Gaffney will take over Monday sessions twice in April, while I'm out of the country.

On April 21, she'll host an open mic.

On April 28, she'll discuss an Octavia Butler story. Stay tuned!

And I'm happy to be going to France but sorry to miss all of you on those dates. DK

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On Monday, let's build on Jon's suggestion (on the convo page under "Request a Craft Topic") and talk a bit about including current political situations in works of fiction. (I confess I'm wrestling with this myself.) Probably a deeply subjective topic, but it will be really interesting to share ideas. See you there!

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Monday, April 7: Suzanne Rivecca's "Philanthropy"

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Monday, April 7: Suzanne Rivecca's "Philanthropy"

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I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Suzanne Rivecca's piece, which appeared in "Best American..." some years ago. See you Monday!

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First of all, apologies that this didn't go up last week; my laptop must have been offline.

Anyway, let's continue our discussion of narration. At the end of last week's session there was a question about foreshadowing and moving into the future. I don't have a whole lot to say about like that, but I'd like to make a few points and also talk generally about styles and modes of narration. I look forward to your thoughts!

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On Monday, let's continue our discussion (initiated at the open mike last week, when so many pieces dealt with these kinds of shifts) about the uses of flashbacks, foreshadowing and other temporal leaps. What are the strategies, and what are the effects of the strategies?

I look forward to seeing you there!

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The twist on Monday's open mic is that everyone will be required to perform with an Irish accent. Nah, I'm kidding. But please do bring a short section to share with the group. I believe Laura and Eric and Jon are already on board; anyone else?

Also, there've been occasional questions about the utility of an open mic. For me, the benefit derives from simply listening to your words aloud and hearing them more or less as they'd resound in the reader's mind. Reading aloud is also a great way to identify weaknesses in what you've produced. If you stumble over a passage, that passage might warrant another look; if your mind wanders at a particular point, give some thought to how to make the text more irresistible.

Anyway, see you Monday!

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Monday, March 10: Bludgeoning, subtlety, active readerships and so on

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Monday, March 10: Bludgeoning, subtlety, active readerships and so on

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In response to a couple of requests on the Convo page, let's talk about issues of subtletly and obviousness, reader engagement, clarity, interpreatation and so on. Warning: this is probably not an area where there are rules or even guidelines beyond a writer's individual sensibility. But sometimes it helps to talk this stuff through.

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Monday, Mar 3: "Roman Fever" by Edith Wharton

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Monday, Mar 3: "Roman Fever" by Edith Wharton

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In our first-Monday sessions we've looked at a fair amount of stuff that's formally imaginative, so I thought it might be interesting to go back to a time when the well-made story unquestionably conjured "a vivid, continuous dream" in the reader's mind (as John Gardner put it). So here ya go: the great Edith Wharton.

.....No need to thank me. Just leave your calling card with the butler.

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Monday, February 24: Rescheduled Open Mic

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Monday, February 24: Rescheduled Open Mic

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For our open mic this week, Laura suggested that we concentrate on dialogue, so I'm encouraging you in that direction. But of course, anything you want to read is fine.

Email me at davekingwriter@gmail.com if you want to get at the head of the line. See you Monday!

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Monday, February 17: Dave Unable to attend/ Elizabeth will host

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Monday, February 17: Dave Unable to attend/ Elizabeth will host

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Friends--

I pulled a muscle in my back and was prescribed a muscle relaxer and a day of bed rest. Clearly I'll be fine, but it's unlikely I'll be able to sit at my laptop by 5pm, so I won't be able to host today's session. We had an open mic planned, so if you want to go through with that, please be my guests (I know Jon is ready). Otherwise, we'll push the open mic to next week.

With apologies and warm greetings!

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For our open mic this week, Laura suggested that we concentrate on dialogue, so I'm encouraging you in that direction. But of course, anything you want to read is fine.

Email me at davekingwriter@gmail.com if you want to get at the head of the line. See you Monday!

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As you know, there are no fixed rules about how quickly a text should move. But once you've decided to slow down or speed up, how is it done?

Let's talk about this on Monday at 5pm. See you there!

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Monday, February 3: "Rivers," by John Keene

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Monday, February 3: "Rivers," by John Keene

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For our February reading, let's look at this piece from the collection Counternarratives, by MacArthur Fellow John Keene. Bring your knowledge of American lit.

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In an effort to get back to basic strategies after some more abstract discussions of the last couple of weeks, let's talk about dialogue: various ways to deploy it, what it does, what it doesn't do.

(Because I was away at the beginning of January, I'm tabling the third-Monday open mic this month. But the open mic will absolutely return in February, so folks, start your engines!)

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Given the weird confluence of Martin Luther King Day and Inauguration Day this coming Monday, I feel it makes sense to talk a little about artmaking and social change. This is an area where each of us will legitimately have our own ideas; still, I'm thinkng a kind of bull session might be really interesting. With that in mind:

What are some literary works that embody specific political or social agendas?

Have your views ever been broadened by a book or story?

Say a writer sets out specifically to write with an agenda. What are some tactics the writer might deploy? What works for you, and what doesn't?

Is everything political?

And so on.

I'm hoping for a meaningful chat about literature and big ideas. See you then!

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Monday, January 13, 2025: "The News From Spain," by Joan Wickersham

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Monday, January 13, 2025: "The News From Spain," by Joan Wickersham

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Happy new year, everyone--and may your writing in 2025 be daring and dynamic, insightful and beautiful all year long. (May our community likewise remain d & d, i & b--whatever the state of the world.)

Our first-Monday reading is a little late this year because I was overseas, but on 1/13 let's look at Joan Wickersham's story "The News from Spain," which is intriguing on several levels. First, this is from Wickersham's collection of linked short stories also called The News from Spain, in which all the stories have the same title, and small correspondences carry from piece to piece, sometimes across centuries.

Secondly, the story appears to characterize a recognizable public figure. That question of recognizability is something we've discussed before.

I look forward to seeing all of you!