One good thing the teaching has given me is the ability to read and revise my own work.

Susan Rebecca White has a keen sense for how her characters talk and think. An impressive debut.

I think the second, or outsider's, perspective can come as you layer a story. It's as though you've grabbed a secondary character and asked them, "What do you make of this guy?" and the hope is that the answer surprises you as the writer.

I'll write about California someday, I imagine, but I don't know when.

One good thing the teaching has given me is the ability to read and revise my own work.

I think the voice can carry a story.

When you teach, it's sometimes necessary to consciously not write for a month or two - and then pick a time in the future to sink back in. It makes you less frustrated and more in control. I do best when I give myself breaks and come back hungry.