A few moments with the late, great “Ike” Willams
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A few moments with the late, great “Ike” Willams

John Taylor “Ike” Williams was my agent and publishing lawyer. He died on December 26, 2024 at the age of 86. Ike was a commanding presence at his literary agency, Kneerim & Williams, and law firm, Sennott & Williams. Six-foot-six and good-looking, he had a unique combination of unshakable Boston Brahmin confidence and good humor….

American imperialism redux; Shifty AI models; Grammarian vs. errorist: Newsletter 8 January 2025
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American imperialism redux; Shifty AI models; Grammarian vs. errorist: Newsletter 8 January 2025

Newsletter 77. Toxic growth, journal editors resign, business novellas, three people to follow and three books to read. Bigger’s not better, for companies or countries Companies pursue size. If Donald Trump has his way, so will the United States of America. Observe what happens when companies get bigger and there are some relevant lessons. The…

Better goals for 2025; black plastic rescued; pretty books: Newsletter 1 January 2025
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Better goals for 2025; black plastic rescued; pretty books: Newsletter 1 January 2025

Newsletter 75: Resolving to make better New Year’s resolutions, Melania’s stickiness, new agents and publishers, plus three people to follow and three books to read. High resolution Have you made a New Year’s Resolution? You will fail, you know. But if you want to fail successfully — and eventually succeed — here are some questions…

A vow for the new year: never rewrite without a plan
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A vow for the new year: never rewrite without a plan

As I’ve explained here previously, there are two types of writers: planners and pantsers. Planners create detailed outlines and break the work down into planned chapters. Pantsers just keep writing to get their ideas out, and deal with the organization later. While I unequivocally believe that planning is better, I acknowledge that many writers can’t…

10 tips to move your book forward over the holiday

10 tips to move your book forward over the holiday

I hope you are having a relaxing time and sharing experiences with family over this week. This is a great time to relax, recharge, and reconnect. But once you’re stuffed with holiday treats, you might enjoy turning your attention to your writing. This is a rare chance to concentrate exclusively on your own content, at…