"Life comes before literature, as the material always comes before the work. The hills are full of marble before the world blooms with statues." -- Phillips Brooks
"Wait 'til you see this! You think we're sleeping in Dusseldorf? You think we're taking a nap in Cologne? No, we're working at night -- each night a new dial, a new knob, a diode, a transistor ..." -- Professor Krassman (Mel Brooks), The Muppet Movie
2004 was the year I finished my first novel . You'll finally see the results yourself in a matter of weeks. And then there will be no end of blog entries peddling said book until EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. has bought a copy of his or her own. (So you better settle in, because I imagine it's going to be a long time.)
As such, I did not see a lot of movies this year. (I was writing a novel.) Or listen to a lot of new CDs. (Writing a novel.) Or watch many of the fancy new television shows. (Again, novel.)
So, for my year-end column, rather than clutter the webosphere with yet another "best of" list, I just thought I would call attention to a few of the sites and blogs that enlightened and encouraged me this year as a novelist. (Have I mentioned I have a novel coming out?)
WEB SITES
Infuze Magazine -- This online arts magazine recently unveiled a spiffy new design and interface, meaning it's easier to navigate and it looks great -- all without sacrificing why we go there, for new fiction and art and interviews and geek news for fans of comic books and Lord of the Rings. (You aspiring fictioneers and writers out there should take special note, because the editor is looking for submissions, including short stories and comics.)
Publisher's Lunch -- Not really a site, but a place to sign up for a free email service chock-full of breaking news in the world of publishing, including the comings and goings at the big publishers and what authors are making deals.
Faith*in*Fiction discussion boards -- An online space for all manner of healthy (and robust!) literary discussions, featuring a growing community of novelists and aspiring novelists. Meet a lot of interesting and thoughtful and literate people, debating such topics as the distinction between "genre" and "literary" writing, how faith can be expressed in a horror novel, as well as discussions on nuts-and-bolts topics like characterization and the revision process.
Writer's Digest online -- The Web home of the famed writing magazine, where you can find tips on writing pretty much any writing category or genre, as well as info on how and where to market your work.
Bartleyby.com: Great Books Online Bartleby.com publishes the most up-to-date collection of reference works, as well as classic works of reference, fiction, nonfiction and verse -- all free of charge online. A great link to visit if you're looking for classic quotations, reference works or classic works by a host of authors, from William Shakespeare to G.K. Chesterton.
BLOGS
Faith*in*Fiction Thoughts shared every day (give or take) by a real-life acquisitions editor at a book publishing company, Dave Long's purpose is to "discover compelling voices in Christian fiction. And, hopefully, to publish them." But if you're looking for someone to "rah-rah" the status quo, look elsewhere; Long's mission is to challenge us all to be smarter about our art. A visit to this page will also yield a plethora of great links to other sites and blogs.
The Short Of It -- This intriguing blog is dedicated exclusively to thoughts and reviews on short mystery fiction, short science fiction and short non-fiction. Recent entries have spotlighted stories recently published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and rants about how fans of the short story form need to rally and find ways to recruit new readers.
Notes On Craft -- This blog from writer, teacher and literary thinker J. Mark Bertrand is devoted to technique in fiction. It's a creative diary and a clearing house for information on the craft of writing. This past November, Mark also shared daily reports as he toiled on a literary thriller during National Novel Writing Month.
Backstory -- This blog hosts a series of novelists who share the behind-the-scenes stories of their most recent published work. So far, the most intriguing story
