The apparently definitive post on Word Count for Novels and Children’s Books from Chuck Sambuchino. A good guide for those following the sage advice of not expecting to be the exception.
There are a variety of strategies for literary success, but this photo-essay might stimulate some unhealthy ones: Famous Literary Drunks & Addicts — LIFE.
The Writer As Social Butterfly — good post at LitDrift on the value to writers of interacting with others, despite writing being thought of as a solitary task.
It should be obvious that writers, writing about society, would make it a point to immerse themselves in that society. But writers are artists, and like most artists we tend to think of ourselves as outcasts. The label is twofold; our creativity and panjandrum is admired, and our variance from normal nine-to-fives is frowned upon. But the mistake is buying into the outcast label, even cherishing it. Doing so separates us from our audience, making us bitter, and even worse, possibly leading to an aloof, chastising tone few enjoy reading.
Kurt Vonnegut has 8 rules for writing fiction. Some of these are counter-intuitive, but are great bits of advice.