Nailing the Ending: The Hollywood Closer

Posted on by Michael Kahn
“Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” While those five words that close the movie Chinatown have been widely recognized as one of the great closing lines in motion picture history, to me the power of that final scene underscores the challenge facing authors of works of fiction, where fashioning a compelling closing line is a critical element…
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A Surprise Shout-Out 10 Years Later

Posted on by Michael Kahn
The joy (or, sigh, the bane) of existence for an author is the discovery of a book review of his or her latest novel. The moment you spot that review your stomach tightens, your face winces. You take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and then cautiously, nervously, you read the opening sentence. Is it a…
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Thoughts on My Looming 50th Year College Reunion

Posted on by Michael Kahn
Way back in May of 1974, I graduated from Amherst College. It was a memorable day, including joining three of best friends on the podium for a goofy commencement address to our fellow grads and their parents. That’s me, second from the left, with the telltale 1970s white belt. And like so many of us…
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More Seductive Pick-Up Lines for Authors

Posted on by Michael Kahn
As I have previously written, an enticing opening sentence to a novel is the author’s equivalent of a seductive pick-up line in a singles bar. You want to grab the attention of–indeed, entice–that potential reader who just picked your book off the shelf at the bookstore and, after examining the cover, opens to page 1…
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