For this series of six swaps, we’ll read two essays related to writing and/or reading from The Electric Typewriter website. Sometimes the essays will be about the same topic, at other times the advice and styles may conflict. The idea is to get us reading more about the craft of writing in order to grow as writers.

You’ll read the two essays, write your takeaways and thoughts in a notebook and mail it to your partner. For the next rounds, you’ll write in the notebook you received in the last swap and send it along. The idea would be to get some consistency going and your original notebook returned to you before the end of the year.

Get a notebook, softbound preferred for mailing, that’s approximately 8.5x5.5 inches with 80-100 pages in it. (The size is a sheet of paper folded in half.) These notebooks are generally sold in 2-, 3- or 5-packs at places like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and Amazon and will fit inside a 6x9 manila envelope to mail.

This will be a six-part swap. I’m posting the first three swaps now. Feel free to read the first six essays at your leisure – and any of the others on The Electric Typewriter. Each swap will have a pairing of two essays. I provide direct links to the essays as well as a one-sentence bio on the authors with a link if you want more information.

You can write longhand (legibly, please!) or type and adhere your responses to the page(s) in the notebook. Please be sure to date your entry and include the authors and titles of the essays in your response.

First pairing: J.K. Rowling and Stephen King

“The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” by J.K. Rowling

and

“Everything You Need to Know about Writing Successfully – in Ten Minutes” by Stephen King.

Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter series and companion novels as well as crime novels under the Robert Galbraith pseudonym.

King is the best-selling author of horror, supernatural, science and fantasy novels, many of which have been made into blockbuster films.

Next up

Pairing 2: Annie Dillard and George Orwell

Paring 3: David Foster Wallace and Cheryl Strayed

Snail mail. USA. Group membership.