Scott Lasser's Blog

Today the New York Times published an Op-Ed piece I wrote about Detroit. As you can see by clicking here, it's called "When the Lights Go Down in the City." Please, check it out.

The title of the piece obviously comes from the Journey song of the same name. I am grateful that the New York Times came calling; I only wish we could have used a title from a Detroit band, or at least a song about Detroit. It's not as if Detroit hasn't produced a ton of great music. Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" does mention "south Detroit," and this line is sung at Michigan football games, but with irony. As you Detroiters know, "south Detroit" is really Canada.

Till next time…

Yep, after a 20-month hiatus, I'm back to blogging. The reason is simple: there's a new novel in the works. In fact, it's pretty much done. W.W. Norton will publish it on July 2nd, 2012.

As you can see from the attached cover, the title is Say Nice Things About Detroit. It tells the story of a man who starts his life over by moving back to (where else?) Detroit. You can get a full description on Norton's Website or on Amazon.

(My own website is undergoing an update; you'll be able to get information there soon.)

As they say on late night TV: But wait, there's more!! Steve Carell has optioned the novel. My screenwriting partner Derek Green and I were then hired to write the adaptation, which we recently turned in. Which is to say that I, like you, am hoping for a big 2012.

For those of you in the Aspen area—or those who would like to be—Derek Green and I will be team teaching a beginning fiction workshop at the Aspen Writers' Foundation's Summer Words Festival, June 17-22. Other teachers include Colum McCann, Mona Simpson, Nic Pizzolatto, Luis Urrea, Benjamin Percy, William Loizeaux, and Erin Belieu. There's also a literary festival featuring the literature of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you're looking for a literary festival, you can't do better than this one.


Till next time, Happy Holidays.

Way back on the second day of the year I promised to write a blog a month. Here it is, almost May, and I���m just getting to blog #2. So it goes.

In the last blog I asked if a writing degree (MFA) was necessary for a writer. The answer is���obviously���no. Not that the degree hurts���it also guarantees nothing. Writers write. Period. Again, so it goes.

One resolution I did keep was a deadline for the first draft of a new novel: 3/31/10. I got there, I���m happy to report. I���m not so sure I���m happy with the draft (so it goes), but at least it exists. Now the real work begins.

Another assignment I just completed was an article for Aspen Sojourner Magazine. The piece is titled, ���Liquid Aspen: the Pub Crawl.��� Yep, the idea was to visit as many Aspen bars as I could and write about them. Dangerous duty but I survived, barely. Look for the article this summer.

On a happy note, The Year That Follows, my most recent effort, has been named a finalist for the Colorado Book Awards (literary fiction). So, to quote the Bill Murray character in Caddyshack, I got that going for me.

Till next time���

Way back on the second day of the year I promised to write a blog a month. Here it is, almost May, and I’m just getting to blog #2. So it goes.

In the last blog I asked if a writing degree (MFA) was necessary for a writer. The answer is—obviously—no. Not that the degree hurts—it also guarantees nothing. Writers write. Period. Again, so it goes.

One resolution I did keep was a deadline for the first draft of a new novel: 3/31/10. I got there, I’m happy to report. I’m not so sure I’m happy with the draft (so it goes), but at least it exists. Now the real work begins.

Another assignment I just completed was an article for Aspen Sojourner Magazine. The piece is titled, “Liquid Aspen: the Pub Crawl.” Yep, the idea was to visit as many Aspen bars as I could and write about them. Dangerous duty but I survived, barely. Look for the article this summer.

On a happy note, The Year That Follows, my most recent effort, has been named a finalist for the Colorado Book Awards (literary fiction). So, to quote the Bill Murray character in Caddyshack, I got that going for me.

Till next time…

Way back on the second day of the year I promised to write a blog a month. Here it is, almost May, and I'm just getting to blog #2. So it goes.

In the last blog I asked if a writing degree (MFA) was necessary for a writer. The answer is—obviously—no. Not that the degree hurts—it also guarantees nothing. Writers write. Period. Again, so it goes.

One resolution I did keep was a deadline for the first draft of a new novel: 3/31/10. I got there, I'm happy to report. I'm not so sure I'm...

Yep, it���s that time of year again���a whole new decade, in fact���and I���m trying to figure out just what writing goals I should accomplish this year. For perspective I could start with what I laid out last year, but it would be slightly embarrassing: I didn���t meet a single goal. True, these goals were ambitious ( ���Write a complete draft of a novel��� was number one, ���Write a blog every month��� was in the top ten), but still���. On the other hand, why set easy-to-reach goals?

This year, then, goal number one is to finish that novel draft by 3/31/10. (Writing ���10��� is weird; apparently, I���ve gotten old.) The other goals I���m keeping to myself, but you can believe me when I say I���ve written them down. Frankly, you can���t really call it a goal if you don���t write it down���such is our capacity to lie to ourselves.

I���m saying that writing is difficult (an obvious point, I know), which was brought home to me in a different way this fall when I taught a course in creative writing at Colorado Mountain College (Aspen campus). I must say, I loved teaching. The prep, which was extensive, didn���t seem like work at all, and the class time usually flew by. Perhaps the greatest pleasure of teaching is sharing with others the joy of great work. ���Hey,��� I wanted to shout at my students. ���Look at what this son-of-a-bitch did right here. Isn���t it great?���

I didn���t shout; I have that much self-control. And I had nine engaged and interesting students. There was the occasional excellent piece of work. And everyone got better.

Sure, you say, you���re blowing your own horn. Maybe. But what I���m really trying to convey is that the process���interactive discussion and lecture and workshop���really works. This is no great surprise: there couldn���t be so many MFA programs if no one learned anything. For many years the big question with MFA programs was whether writing could be taught. This is largely settled. (The answer is yes. It can be taught the way, say, football is taught. That is, it can be coached.) The bigger question is this: is the degree necessary?

More on that in the next blog, which will appear within a month, I promise, because it���s New Year���s, and I���ve made a resolution.

Yep, it’s that time of year again—a whole new decade, in fact—and I’m trying to figure out just what writing goals I should accomplish this year. For perspective I could start with what I laid out last year, but it would be slightly embarrassing: I didn’t meet a single goal. True, these goals were ambitious ( ‘Write a complete draft of a novel’ was number one, ‘Write a blog every month’ was in the top ten), but still…. On the other hand, why set easy-to-reach goals?

This year, then, goal number one is to finish that novel draft by 3/31/10. (Writing ‘10’ is weird; apparently, I’ve gotten old.) The other goals I’m keeping to myself, but you can believe me when I say I’ve written them down. Frankly, you can’t really call it a goal if you don’t write it down—such is our capacity to lie to ourselves.

I’m saying that writing is difficult (an obvious point, I know), which was brought home to me in a different way this fall when I taught a course in creative writing at Colorado Mountain College (Aspen campus). I must say, I loved teaching. The prep, which was extensive, didn’t seem like work at all, and the class time usually flew by. Perhaps the greatest pleasure of teaching is sharing with others the joy of great work. “Hey,” I wanted to shout at my students. “Look at what this son-of-a-bitch did right here. Isn’t it great?”

I didn’t shout; I have that much self-control. And I had nine engaged and interesting students. There was the occasional excellent piece of work. And everyone got better.

Sure, you say, you’re blowing your own horn. Maybe. But what I’m really trying to convey is that the process—interactive discussion and lecture and workshop—really works. This is no great surprise: there couldn’t be so many MFA programs if no one learned anything. For many years the big question with MFA programs was whether writing could be taught. This is largely settled. (The answer is yes. It can be taught the way, say, football is taught. That is, it can be coached.) The bigger question is this: is the degree necessary?

More on that in the next blog, which will appear within a month, I promise, because it’s New Year’s, and I’ve made a resolution.

Yep, it's that time of year again—a whole new decade, in fact—and I'm trying to figure out just what writing goals I should accomplish this year. For perspective I could start with what I laid out last year, but it would be slightly embarrassing: I didn't meet a single goal. True, these goals were ambitious ( 'Write a complete draft of a novel' was number one, 'Write a blog every month' was in the top ten), but still…. On the other hand, why set easy-to-reach goals?

This year, t...

Below are a couple additions to my "What to Read" list, but first I want to give a shout out to Claire for sending me an email. Problem is, it went to my spam folder and I caught a glimpse of it just after I hit the 'empty' button, and then couldn't get it back. So Claire, if you're out there, please resend it. I'll be more careful this time.

A couple recent reads (within the last six weeks) that are worth your time: Lush Life by Richard Price; Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer; Ameri...

What to Read Now

It���s been two months since I last blogged, and offering book suggestions strikes me as a good way to break the drought. What-to-read? is a question I���m asked all the time, and so here I���ve put together a list. To make this list a book had to be one I love, and I had to be able to see it on my shelf. Hey, I needed some way to limit the length of the list, and I didn't want any grand organizing principle (other than my random taste). Some of these books you���ll know, and some you won���t. There is no particular order. More suggestions will follow.

The Stories of John Cheever; The Zero by Jess Walter; World���s End by TC Boyle; This Boy���s Life by Tobias Wolff; Affliction by Russell Banks; A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo; Billy Dead by Lisa Reardon; Nobody���s Fool by Richard Russo; Last Night by James Salter; In the Blue Light of African Dreams by Paul Watkins; Fay by Larry Brown; The Pacific by Mark Helprin, Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx.

That should get you going. As I said, more to follow.