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James Carmichael

Goodreads Author

Born

New York City, The United States

Website

http://www.jamescarmichael.com

Twitter

jamiecarmichael

Genre

Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Influences

Terry Brooks, Jonathan Lethem ...more

Member Since

January 2008

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James Carmichael writes fiction, non-fiction, and for the stage. His prose has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate.com, The Boston Globe, The Daily, and flavorwire. His plays have been produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Boston. He is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School in New York City, and Harvard College. He also holds vestigial Master’s degrees in business administration and international relations from the University of Chicago, and in acting from LAMDA.

He lives near the ocean in Los Angeles with two cats, one of whom is a jerk.

You can connect with James on Twitter at @jamiecarmichael. To learn more about him or his work, please visit www.jamescarmichael.com. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Hi James. You recommend reading to writers who want to write, yes. But, what would your advice be to writers who want to write in a different genre or category than what they generally like to read? Is that just crazy talk?

James Carmichael Hi Isalo! Sorry for my delay.

I wouldn't say _crazy talk_. Although I guess I'd wonder why you wanted to write in a genre that's not what you personall…moreHi Isalo! Sorry for my delay.

I wouldn't say _crazy talk_. Although I guess I'd wonder why you wanted to write in a genre that's not what you personally enjoy? I know some writers who do this -- I'm particularly thinking of some people who write in romance, very strategically, because apparently it's a good way to make an income -- and they're able to take a really clinical, analytic approach to those stories, like break them down to their elements and then try to apply those insights to their own efforts to write them.

But I personally couldn't do that. I find writing too hard not to be writing a thing that I know that _I'd_ love; I also think the absence of love would show up in the story, if that makes sense. This isn't how it works for everyone, I guess, but is how it works for me.

To answer your question really simply: I'd still say "read." It just might be with a different sensibility.

Thanks for asking!(less)

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

James Carmichael 8/10 I write through it. Write whatever - dreck or junk or whatever comes that day. Sometimes I'm wrong and it's not junk; often, I'm correct and it i…more8/10 I write through it. Write whatever - dreck or junk or whatever comes that day. Sometimes I'm wrong and it's not junk; often, I'm correct and it is indeed junk; regardless, the habit and practice of it seems important, and it feels to me like getting the words out develops craft even if a given day's specific words turn out to be crappiest words ever.

2/10 I say this isn't happening, and just go do some submissions or something.(less)

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Combine Editions
James Carmichael’s books

Average rating: 3.3 · 80 ratings · 7 reviews · 5 distinct works

	Erra's Throne: Column One (Erra's Throne, Tablet One #1) 3.08 avg rating — 39 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Erra's Throne: Column Two (Erra's Throne, Tablet One #2) 3.29 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Erra's Throne: Column Three (Erra's Throne, Tablet One #3) 3.17 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Erra's Throne: Column Four (Erra's Throne, Tablet One #4) 3.60 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2015	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Erra's Throne: Column Five (Erra's Throne, Tablet One #5) 4.80 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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James Carmichael's Blog

5 Alive

After another…um, minute, Column 5 is out and ready for your purchasing pleasure.

It took awhile to make it as awesome as I could possibly make it. I think it’s about as awesome as I can possibly make it. Maybe in 5-10 years I’ll be a writer could’ve made it even awesomer; that seemed too long to wait.

Check it. Hit me up.

Game On.

In which secrets start to crack, and The Prominence begins…

James is Currently Reading

James Carmichael is currently reading

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

by David Hume

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Apr 05, 2025 01:09PM

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Hawkeye, Volume 3: L.A. Woman

by Matt Fraction

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Jul 11, 2024 04:42PM

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Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)

by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Goodreads Author)

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Mar 03, 2023 06:11PM

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James Carmichael entered a giveaway The Summer War by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Jul 11, 2024 04:42PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hawkeye, Volume 3 by Matt Fraction. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hawkeye, Volume 3 by Matt Fraction <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">