Craft Week: Ask Me Anything

your questions on the craft of writing, publishing, books, book tours, and...coffee

This is part 1 of Craft Week: Ask Me Anything. You can read part 2 here.

As the year comes to a close, I’d like to invite readers of The Caffeinated Writer to ask me anything.

I imagine your questions will be about writing and publishing—which is what I write about here, and which is where my expertise lies.

If you ask me about something not directly related to writing and publishing, I may answer that too. It depends. If it’s about coffee I will definitely answer.

I have some opinions on Paris, having lived there for a few years recently (I’m still in the process of trying to get that experience down in a book). Several years ago, I did a literary event in a Danish prison that has been brilliantly repurposed for the arts. I fell in love with Denmark. You can ask me about that.

inadequately clothed at the Horse's Crime Book Festival

I know a few things about marriage, too (I’m almost 22 years into mine, and did quite a bit of research about the institution of marriage for one of my novels). Apropos of nothing, I watched every season of Sister Wives and, now that it’s over, I feel great about monogamy.

I know where to walk and where to eat in San Francisco, especially in the avenues. (I used to live in the Outer Richmond—no relation). I love the fog. I am looking at the fog now.

Because I’ve published books with a major publishing conglomerate, an independent literary publisher, and university presses, I have some experience on both the commercial and literary sides of publishing. I’ve also taught in several MFA programs in creative writing and have taught private writing workshops for many years. Oh, and I publish new and established writers online and in print through my labor of love, Fiction Attic Press.

You can ask me about writing—craft, process, inspiration—and about business—film options, foreign rights, royalties, book tours (do they still exist?) etc. Of course, you can ask me about books.

speaking at the American Library in Paris

If you have a burning question—or even just a regular question—I’d love to hear it in the comments.

Of course, this is not an entirely selfless endeavor. I want to know what you want to know about…because that will help me decide what to write about here on The Caffeinated Writer in 2024.

Thank you in advance for your questions!

As always, happy writing.

Michelle

I help writers complete their first novels in the nine-month course Novel in Nine. The 2024 session begins in a few weeks. If you want to write your novel from start to finish in 2024 with weekly lessons and ongoing support, you can learn more here.