Boo Walker's Drowning in Words

(As always, you can listen to this note, read by yours truly, via the button above.) A little over six weeks till my latest novel, The English Bookstore in Bologna , hits shelves! I’ve not admitted this to anyone, even my wife or agent, but writing it was a direct result of the profound joy I had in reading Gabrielle Zevin’s glorious novel, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry . **To be entered into a r...

There’s one reason why my words stand before you, one reason why I feel this desperate calling to share my thoughts on the craft with other creators. It’s to pay forward all the generosity bestowed upon me over the years. What would we do without our teachers, our mentors—the selfless people willing to step out of their own worlds to give us a lift up? One person in particular had a profound impac...

It’s time I share something that I’ve kept buried for many years. I don’t know that you need to hear it, but maybe you do. Maybe you woke up feeling like something was missing from your life. I am here today to fill that hole. That’s right, boo walker, the literary 3M Bondo wood filler that you didn’t know you needed. Twenty years ago, when Apple came out with the @mac and @me email addresses, you...

Before I get into some wild Godwinks and coincidences and the wondrous nature of opening yourself up to the mesmerizing entanglement that weaves us all together, allow me to mention an essay I’ve just published on outlining a novel. Never before have I had my arse kicked by a piece like this one . I can’t believe how much it took out of me, weeks of pondering and re-working, and I’m super proud of...

Warning: brainwork ahead; lots of words coming; you will need coffee We’ve covered opening yourself up to a new story, sowing those seeds, and allowing them to take root. Let’s skip ahead, assume you have a story idea, and talk about sketching out the beats, aka, plotting. This one’s not only for writers. It’s for any curious souls who want to pull back the curtain on the creative process. As alwa...

I’ve finally made it to our summer hideaway on Peaks Island, here in Maine, and as always, I find myself set free in so many ways. There’s a lot to worry about out there in the big blue blistering blur of life, a lot of ways to conjure fear. It all falls away as I step onto the ferry to leave the mainland. If you’re ever up here, come find me. I’d love to break bread with you, so long as you’re go...

There are times when I think I should be locked into a straitjacket, and this morning is one of those (as you’ll see if you opt for the audio version of this missive). I’m toying around with a new Red Mountain novel, and a new bad guy has surfaced…a real peach of a guy with cruel intentions. I’m plotting from his POV and pondering how I might destroy the mountain and its inhabitants. It’s slightly...

Who else is watching Rooster on HBO? How about the last season of Shrinking ? We’re a bit behind with Shrinking , but it’s one of my favorite shows of all time—the perfect dramedy. As I was jumping into an episode of Rooster with Steve Carell last night, I realized that Bill Lawrence, the producer behind Shrinking , Scrubs , and Ted Lasso , is also responsible for this new show. I shouldn’t have b...

The short: for a chance to win merch and more, chime in with your ideas for a new Red Mountain novel! We’re just back from a lovely roadtrip to Charlottesville, a place that’s captured my heart over the years. On the way down, we got our first taste of New Haven, CT apizza at Sally’s Apizza . OMG, slightly burnt as is the style, a crispy bottom: total joy. Once we arrived in Charlottesville, the f...

Let’s jump into all things midpoint. These craft essays are not only for budding writers; they are for all of you word lovers who are interested in taking a look under the hood. I intended on keeping this one short, but what do you do. I have so much to say. (Remember you can always listen via the button above or on Apple or Spotify a day or so later.) You know that feeling you get after lunch, wh...

Let me first set the record straight. Another so-called author from Maine is attempting to steal my thunder, and I’m not having it. Shortly after professing my love for the Hulu show Paradise , a lesser-known novelist up here called Stephen King is jumping on the bandwagon , praising the show and saying it’s the closest thing on TV to Lost . This King guy, always nipping at my heels, trying to thr...

Every once in a while, I write something that I know I shouldn’t share. But then I tell myself, that’s the stuff I must share. Philip Roth said to Ian McEwan, “Write as if your parents are dead.” What he means is: don’t censure yourself out of fear of what people might think. As all my friends and family have learned, I take that advice seriously. No, I’m not about to admit any felonies from my pa...

Dear noble book people of grand renown, I’m currently in a marital dispute, and if she’s not careful, I’m going to drag Star Jones in from Divorce Court . Let me back up…I had the great fortune of spending the morning brainstorming plot twists with my mother-in-law and wife, and WE (notice the pronoun) came up with something that’s going to make your jaw smack the earth. Seriously, I’m beyond elat...

Dear ones, you lit soldiers and word bunnies, As I’ve mentioned, I had the pleasure of obtaining an advance reader copy of Emily St. John Mandel’s forthcoming novel, Exit Party , and it was everything I’d hoped, a nine-course meal of lit heaven that’s left me gobsmacked and fat and happy. And now it’s time for me to pass it on to one of you lucky humans. [NOW CLOSED] To enter the random selection,...

For those brave enough to leap into my mind, I hope you enjoy the following essay on how I tap into my characters—my version of character acting. As always, I don’t hold back. It’s funny how my craft discussions always turn into psychotherapy sessions. Let’s go! We hear actors talk about immersing themselves into a character, often using techniques rooted in the methods of the great character acto...

Hello, you Monday warriors—you who were brave enough to drag yourselves out of bed today and face a new week, despite all the wild, absolutely crazy, shockingly jarring conditions of the world we inhabit. I’ve just wrapped up the proofreads for The English Bookstore in Bologna , which lands in August. I wish I had a time machine, because I want to get there, to know you have this baby in your hand...

Allow me to paint the scene surrounding the breakfast buffet in our hotel in Barcelona. A woman licks her fingers, then reaches for the serrated knife to slice a baguette. Two couples at a nearby table speak and laugh at a volume that is beyond unacceptable—as if they’re performing and vying for all of our attention. A man near me returns to his table with a plate stacked eight inches high with cu...

Please allow me to first share the final part of my Organizing the Madness essay, where I complete my thoughts on reaching the midpoint of a novel and setting eyes on getting to “The End.” For you just joining us, I’d recommend you read Part 1 and 1.5 of Organizing the Madness before continuing. And as a reminder, you are in my head right now, seeing me bring a story to life. I am offering you a “...

Cheerio, fine humans, This is going to be Boo’s attempt at brevity. I’m back-ish from a hell of a sickness and neck-deep in my new story again. We leave in six days to Madrid, Barcelona, and Sitges, but I’ll make sure I get out the final part of my essay on organizing the madness before I go. I also share some new book recommendations soon. A. I have a podcast! It’s unedited, unprofessional, unfil...

WELCOME, welcome, especially to those of you I’ve dragged over from my previous email provider. The water’s far warmer here…and turquoise…no sharks. Before I chat about my new book and reveal the cover, a few notes on what you might expect from this new space: * See the audio option above, the gray box where it reads Listen to post ? I intend on recording a SUPER informal, unedited podcast of sort...

We will have to wait a little longer to break Cara’s legs. If you read my last post, Organizing the Madness, Part I (I suggest you do so now if you haven’t), you’ll know that I’ve shed my plotting ways and pantsed my way to the midpoint of my WIP, but I’m now taking a step back and attempting make some sense of the mess I’ve made. I want to make sure I’m making it as difficult as possible on Cara,...

A. I just finished Orbital by Samantha Harvey last night, which won the Booker Prize in 2024. What a ride! It’s nearly plotless, more like a glimpse into the lives of six astronauts and cosmonauts during their residency aboard the international space station. I can’t imagine anyone will ever capture life aboard the station better than she has. If you’ve ever been curious, just go. It’s super short...

I’m 37k words into my WIP, and it’s been a wild downhill slalom on the momentum of curiosity, but I can sense the slowdown, the resistance to keep typing. “Oh, dear boo, bless your heart, has writer’s block seized your throat? Did the muse go find a younger, more handsome novelist? Did your writerly curiosity die?” Drowning in Words is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and suppo...

I’ve spent the first part of my early morning enjoying the brilliance of Maggie O’Farrell through her lovely novel Hamnet , and it’s set aglow the warm places in my chest, and it’s from here that I want to send you my love and well wishes as we crawl or jog or leap into new beginnings. You won’t hear from me about how terrible it is out there right now. There’s enough of that going around. Sure, t...

To break the rules, we must know the rules, but an even more crucial piece in gathering the troops for your rebellion is knowing your true self. It is our essence, our dimension-jumping higher being who transcends earthly constraints and human form that should be busting through creative barriers in hot pursuit of making authentic treasures. Creating good art is about trusting in the muse, isn’t i...