Bookshelf photo of Daniel Hecht's books by Stella Hovis.  For permission to use the cover images displayed on this site, I would like to thank Bloomsbury, Viking/Penguin, Signet/New American Library, Macmillan, Crown/Random House, Simon & Schuster UK./Pan, Blackstone Audio Books, Uitgeverij Luitingh-Sijthoff, Plaza y Janes Editores, Kustannusosakeyhtio Otava, Uitgave van Concentra Uitgeversmaatschappij, Circulo de Lectores, Editora Rocco Ltda., Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag, Arnoldo Mondator Editores, G.K. Hall & Co., Presses de la Cite.

​​"Former musician Daniel Hecht has brought a welcome artistry to his new field . . .  He is a writer for those who demand texture, intriguing information, and a provocative thesis along with their thrills."     -  Publishers Weekly (starred review)

    Recent Reading


  • The Soul of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery
  • Midwives by Chris Bohjelian
  • Our Revolution by Bernie Sanders
  • My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
  • The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly
  • Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
  • The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
  • Written in Bones by James Oswald
  • The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston
  • The Other by David Guterson
  • The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron
  • Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon
  • The Gene by Siddartha Mukharjee

    Projects


  • Blog series focuses on fiction technique: As a writer and writing teacher, I am often asked for suggestions regarding the writing art.  In response I've started a new blog series focused on writing technique, derived from essays I've written over the years.  The posts explore conventional considerations such as point of view, dialogue, narrative compression, etc., as well as subtler aspects of the writing process and the writer's life -- the magic of it. Recent posts: Beginnings, Distant and Close; Ruminations on James Alan McPherson.  www.danielhechtblog.com


  • New novel forthcoming:  On Brassard's Farm will be published by Blackstone in April, 2018.  Thanks are due to Rick Bleiweiss, who encouraged me to complete this story of a woman discovering the wonders and difficulties of living in the deep woods, working on a dairy farm, and accidentally discovering love. You can read an early draft of the first section of the novel on this site.



    Daniel Hecht

    Books.  Ideas.  Writing.  Innovations.

        News


    • Congratulationsto Aaron Flanders on the release of his third album "Other Voices."  With songs (that is, with words) composed by Aaron, excellent vocalists supported by a wide variety of instruments, the collection provides a ray of hope and optimism in these otherwise distressing times. You can listen to the album at https://soundcloud.com/user-456124278/sets/aaron-flanders-10-new-songs


    • Congratulations to Milo Hecht, who graduated with a bachelor's degree from Johnson State College (and University of Philadelphia). Four years of hard work, in class and out, and lots of creative invention -- I'm very proud! 


    • Special thanks to Katy Galloway English for creating such a fine cover for my forthcoming novel, On Brassard's Farm, and to my editor Michael Carr, both of whom really "got" the book and were a pleasure to work with. 



    Welcome!  I hope you find useful information, ideas, and links here.


    Please also visit my blog at danielhechtblog.com .