Category: On Writing
The Postcard Dilemma
I love postcards. I’m a fan in general of souvenirs but nine times out of ten or even 99/100 if I buy anything at all, it’s postcards. When I travel, I tend to get postcards everywhere then spend my time in the evenings at local bars or coffee shops (or on trains or busses) writing them out and sending them from my next stop. Continue reading “The Postcard Dilemma”
The death of reading is threatening the soul – The Washington Post
So there was this article a few weeks back in The Washington Post: The death of reading is threatening the soul. Pretty heady stuff. Their subhead is Commitment to reading is an ongoing battle.
And I read it at a most opportune time. Continue reading “The death of reading is threatening the soul – The Washington Post”
The Shape of Stories
I use the Vonnegut clip which ends this piece all the time in writing classes. It’s fascinating in that we absolutely can map the arc, but it’s the details where it all gets interesting.
Plus, they use a Čiurlionis image in the header, which is just cool!
Source: The Six Main Stories, As Identified by a Computer – The Atlantic
ZEN PENCILS » 207. STEPHEN KING: The desk
Gavin at Zen Pencils does some really amazing work. I’ve shared his stuff before and I’m sure I will again. This time it’s about writing and its importance in the life of the writer.
Police Sketches of 5 Literary Characters Based on Their Book Descriptions | Mental Floss
Here’s what your favorite book characters would look like in real life. Something to think about when writing physical descriptions.
Source: Police Sketches of 5 Literary Characters Based on Their Book Descriptions | Mental Floss
ZEN PENCILS » 193. JACK KIRBY: Hero worship
Always a big fan of Zen Pencils, and this time he’s taken on the words of Jack “King” Kirby (there’s a great YouTube documentary about him which starts here).
It’s a great place to get inspiration on a Sunday morning.
BBC – Culture – The language rules we know – but don’t know we know
Mark Forsyth tasted internet fame this week when a passage from a book he wrote went viral. He explains more language secrets that native speakers know without knowing.
Source: BBC – Culture – The language rules we know – but don’t know we know
Must remember this…
Periodic Table of Storytelling
I love learning about writing. I love how there’s “theory” for creative processes. Makes me laugh when it all gets winnowed down to a base formula. That said, the TV Trope website is great for looking up things which have been done to death as well as learning new phrases for old ideas.
Here, a designer named James Harris uses the TV Tropes site and ideas to give us the basic building blocks with his Periodic Table of Storytelling. If you need inspiration for a new piece of fiction, all you have to do is combine elements like a chemist and add your own spin to things. It’s like alchemy when it works.
Of course, when it doesn’t, no harm no foul, right? You learned something in the process. And hopefully, you had fun doing it.
JACK KIRBY: Hero worship
Gavin over at Zen Pencils takes great, inspirational quotes and then draws fabulous cartoons to illustrate them. While I’ve been a long time fan, this is the first time I’m sharing one. I think this, a quote by the great Jack Kirby is important for a number of reasons. But don’t take my word for it. Read it. Enjoy it.
Review: Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel: Expanded and Updated!
Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel: Expanded and Updated! by Lawrence Block
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve said it before I’ll say it again… Reading Lawrence Block’s writing books is like having a best friend who’s a successful writer taking you out for a coffee and giving you the low down about what it takes to have a career. In this book, which is an update of an earlier work called “Writing the Novel from Plot to Print,” he leads the neophyte writer through the whole process of what it takes to write a book. Continue reading “Review: Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel: Expanded and Updated!”
PAY THE WRITER—Pirates, Used Bookstores & Why Writers Need to Stand Up for What’s Right | Kristen Lamb’s Blog
Source: I’ve long thought about the fact that an author only gets paid for a sale of a “new” book. And while I love used book stores (and hey, I’m a book collector, remember?) this post by Kristen Lamb is incredibly concrete on the idea of getting paid for one’s work.
Gifts For Writers, 2015 « terribleminds: chuck wendig
Source: Gifts For Writers, 2015 « terribleminds: chuck wendig
I think he gets it mostly right… and my mailing address can be found here
NaNoWriMo – again for the first time
So I’m signed up for NaNoWriMo, the annual “let’s slap down 50k words towards a novel in 30 days” insanity this year. My profile can be found here. Of course, I’m actually not a fan of the fest, I think it can actually do more harm than good, but I understand the concept and I’m signed up with a book idea ready to go.
Naturally, this is the exact moment when the day jobs decide to spring extra work and it’s the end of the semester so there’s lots of grading to get done and blah blah blah, excuses excuses.
In any event, I’m there. If you’re participating look me up and I’ll add you back. And hey, I’m an amazing cheerleader even if I’m not able to race alongside you.
Good luck!
Getting the Hang of Thursdays 