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Oct 22
stalemate
3 comments
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Belligerent Writers and Deaf Publishers: The Stalemate

 

Publishing professional and blogger Ryan Chapman recently wrote a much tweeted post about the diversity of publishing models and the explosion of publishing industry commentary. In the post, Ryan laid out several categories of commentators/pundits who expound on the industry without making significant contributions to the discussion. The category below is »

Oct 20
social-media
14 comments
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Self Published Authors: What Can Social Media Really do For You?

 

Since the first caveman drew the outline of a blinged-out spear in the sand with his urine, people have been trying to convince other people to take a certain course of action or to buy a certain product or service. That first caveman (and others of his ilk) made a »

Oct 18
media hype
21 comments
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Marketing Books: When the Media Hype Attacks

 

It happens ever so often, a large publisher decides to put out a culturally important i.e. “big book”, a much anticipated sequel, or the thrilling debut of a great new literary talent. Long before the date of a publication, an order is given and a machine called Medial is turned »

Oct 15
water illusion
4 comments
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Water and the Illusion of Abundance: Blog Action Day 2010

 

Today is Blog Action Day, ”an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action.” Below you’ll find the Pens With Cojones contribution to the discussion. ————————————————————————— »

Oct 13
many-against-one
5 comments
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Literary Fiction Bashing: Enough is Enough

 

Karl Rove barges into a Black Panther meeting in black face, Bill Gates takes an unprotected stroll through the south side of Chicago, A Nazi war criminal yells a hearty mazel tov at a bar mitzvah, Snookie stumbles into a nunnery; acts of violence ensue all around. That’s what it feels like »

Oct 11
on hiatus
8 comments
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On a Writing Hiatus? Ten Ways to Avoid Creative Atrophy

 

Writers probably shouldn’t go on a writing hiatus if they can help it. The cycle of thought to pen to paper, of feeling to fingers to keyboard should continue unabated unless a writer has a great reason to interrupt it. Writers write after all, and a writer not writing is »

Oct 08
bull-riding
8 comments
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The Future of Books: Ten Reasons to Relax and Enjoy the Ride

 

One of our main goals on Pens With Cojones is to jump start serious discussions about the writing craft, writing life and publishing industry. We constantly agonize about the state of things and criticize the status quo in a frenzy of nostalgia for what it could be. It can get a »

Oct 06
Pen Is Mightier
23 comments
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Writing Social Commentary: Do Words Still Have Power?

 

Trying to change the world is a surefire way to heartbreak and tragedy. What levees can a man throw up again the rising tides of blood lust when the war drums sing? What antidote to the surging poison of rabid opinion? What shelter from hate can he construct? None. He is helpless »

Oct 04
Franzen's Freedom
17 comments
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Franzen’s Freedom: A Raw, Oxycodone Influenced Review

 

The usual approach for writing a review around here is to finish a novel, mull it over for a bit and then compile my jumbled thoughts into a semi coherent review of a few hundred words. I made some changes to this approach for Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom for a number »

Sep 29
obsessive writing
11 comments
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The Symptoms of Obsession

 

I was on vacation last week, as  proven by the scarcity of new posts last week and my absence from your blogs. It appears that this week will be equally quiet as the wonderful folks at a nearby hospital have recently (Monday) divested me of my appendix after I wandered »

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