Hello fellow writers,
I seem to be writing about story consumption this week which got me thinking about what I read and how. For many years, I read mostly nonfiction scientific works. When I slowed down my career in science, I made time for popular literary fiction and poetry. While I still enjoy scientific nonfiction, poetry, and pop-lit immensely, I've expanded my reading sojourns into both nonfiction and fiction.
Currently in nonfiction, I'm enjoying philosophy, the green movement, gardening, and herbal healing. In fiction, I've been into myth and fairy tales, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, historical mystery, and supernatural mystery. In the bright light of day, I've tried a few horror novels, and I've even taken a few initial forays into world of science fiction.
I've also been reading beyond the book. I reading some great stories in anthologies and magazines, as well as online. I'm also listening to audio stories. My next leap will be to the i-pad book shelf.
Why expand the reading scope? My reasoning was good writing exists across all genres. Learning to enjoy all types of stories and writing styles, not only adds to my reading pleasure, but helps me to grow as a writer.
So until next time,
Read widely and write on!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Story Sneakiness
Dear fellow writers,
Another writer recently asked me how I find time to consume so much story. The answer: I sneak it in throughout the day. How you may ask.
I wake up, hit the alarm clock (literally), and reach for whatever novel I'm reading. I consume five pages. Then I read one poem, and finally, before I take a step out of bed, I read five pages of whatever nonfiction I'm reading.
Sometime around midmorning, I usually sneak in a story break of 10-15 minutes with a mug of coffee. Another 10 minute reading occurs after lunch, and one more 15 minute session with afternoon tea. Before you say, this could NEVER work for you, think about it. Other professions have work breaks, don't they? I'm just interrupting my other daily work to create story breaks.
After I write in the evening, I read for at least one hour. This is often the time I look at a story more critically, but only after I've first read it for pure enjoyment of story. I also usually watch a film or a TV show (yes, this is story consumption). I just watched Vantage Point. Holy points of view!
And in previous posts, I mentioned sneaking story in via audio form in my car and while on running. Soooo, if you're good at being sneaky (and aren't we all?), you could rack up some serious story consumption!
Until next time,
Write on!
Another writer recently asked me how I find time to consume so much story. The answer: I sneak it in throughout the day. How you may ask.
I wake up, hit the alarm clock (literally), and reach for whatever novel I'm reading. I consume five pages. Then I read one poem, and finally, before I take a step out of bed, I read five pages of whatever nonfiction I'm reading.
Sometime around midmorning, I usually sneak in a story break of 10-15 minutes with a mug of coffee. Another 10 minute reading occurs after lunch, and one more 15 minute session with afternoon tea. Before you say, this could NEVER work for you, think about it. Other professions have work breaks, don't they? I'm just interrupting my other daily work to create story breaks.
After I write in the evening, I read for at least one hour. This is often the time I look at a story more critically, but only after I've first read it for pure enjoyment of story. I also usually watch a film or a TV show (yes, this is story consumption). I just watched Vantage Point. Holy points of view!
And in previous posts, I mentioned sneaking story in via audio form in my car and while on running. Soooo, if you're good at being sneaky (and aren't we all?), you could rack up some serious story consumption!
Until next time,
Write on!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
A world of stories
Hello fellow writers,
Did you ever notice that we live in a world full of stories? They're everywhere! Beyond books, magazines, tv, and films, I find lots of stories in music, the oddball things people I know do (especially kids), and artwork.
Currently, I've been listening to Traci Chapman's music. She is a masterful songwriter. Many of her songs have whole stories. Check her out. Her songs "Tin Man" and "Cold Feet" are awesome.
I've decided to issue myself a challenge over the past week: Write at least as many pages as I do in miles working out. How's it going? Well, I logged
74 miles, and I wrote 86 pages. So far, so good! Mini challenges seem to work for me.
Until next time,
Write on!
Did you ever notice that we live in a world full of stories? They're everywhere! Beyond books, magazines, tv, and films, I find lots of stories in music, the oddball things people I know do (especially kids), and artwork.
Currently, I've been listening to Traci Chapman's music. She is a masterful songwriter. Many of her songs have whole stories. Check her out. Her songs "Tin Man" and "Cold Feet" are awesome.
I've decided to issue myself a challenge over the past week: Write at least as many pages as I do in miles working out. How's it going? Well, I logged
74 miles, and I wrote 86 pages. So far, so good! Mini challenges seem to work for me.
Until next time,
Write on!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Writing groups
Hello writers,
Today is the day the writing group, I am part of, meets. It's been going for several years now and seems to work for our six members. We all met in various writing classes. We write wildly different types of things from fairy tales to science fiction to literary to horror, and more. We have a set structure to our group. And we tend to like each other as people.
What do we do? We start each session with weekly goals and updates on previous goals. We have a vocabulary word of the week and then do something fun when we get a list of them. We do a short (10-15 minute) hot write based on some type of prompt. Sometimes, we read things we are working on or request feedback or suggestions around a specific piece of writing. We share successes.
We also share information about upcoming classes, workshops, and author visits. We share recommendations for great stories in books and films. We maintain a library of writing books with lots of tools. We also occasionally share paper, pens, and power cords.
We try to avoid being critical or negative. We support each other's writing process. We don't write each other's stories. We don't write by committee. We tend to value each member's unique creative wackiness. We drink lots of caffeinated beverages and occasionally indulge in chocolate.
Until next time,
Write on!
Today is the day the writing group, I am part of, meets. It's been going for several years now and seems to work for our six members. We all met in various writing classes. We write wildly different types of things from fairy tales to science fiction to literary to horror, and more. We have a set structure to our group. And we tend to like each other as people.
What do we do? We start each session with weekly goals and updates on previous goals. We have a vocabulary word of the week and then do something fun when we get a list of them. We do a short (10-15 minute) hot write based on some type of prompt. Sometimes, we read things we are working on or request feedback or suggestions around a specific piece of writing. We share successes.
We also share information about upcoming classes, workshops, and author visits. We share recommendations for great stories in books and films. We maintain a library of writing books with lots of tools. We also occasionally share paper, pens, and power cords.
We try to avoid being critical or negative. We support each other's writing process. We don't write each other's stories. We don't write by committee. We tend to value each member's unique creative wackiness. We drink lots of caffeinated beverages and occasionally indulge in chocolate.
Until next time,
Write on!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Starting up the blog again.
Hello fellow writers,
I've decided to start up the blog again. I've decided to reformat the blog to make it more useful to myself and hopefully to you. I'm including some info on how I'm consuming story, learning, and writing. Hope you find it useful.
I just got back from a terrific workshop on cliffhangers. Now, I have to practice them!
As for story consumption, I'm reading Unbound, a collection of short stories by Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Melissa Marr, and others. I'm listening to James Marsters read the Jim Butcher novels in my car, and to Nora Robert's Black Rose on the MP3 while running. On the telly, I'm catching Bones, and I just saw Get Him to the Greek on the big screen.
Until next time,
Write on!
I've decided to start up the blog again. I've decided to reformat the blog to make it more useful to myself and hopefully to you. I'm including some info on how I'm consuming story, learning, and writing. Hope you find it useful.
I just got back from a terrific workshop on cliffhangers. Now, I have to practice them!
As for story consumption, I'm reading Unbound, a collection of short stories by Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Melissa Marr, and others. I'm listening to James Marsters read the Jim Butcher novels in my car, and to Nora Robert's Black Rose on the MP3 while running. On the telly, I'm catching Bones, and I just saw Get Him to the Greek on the big screen.
Until next time,
Write on!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
New Story!
Hello writers,
Another story idea is making that critical leap from my brain to paper! It's so exciting when that happens and words begin to flow onto the page. This one's a love story. I love love stories.
Until next time,
Write on!
Another story idea is making that critical leap from my brain to paper! It's so exciting when that happens and words begin to flow onto the page. This one's a love story. I love love stories.
Until next time,
Write on!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Nanowrimo is over!
Hi Folks,
Nanowrimo is over! And I'm still writing up a storm! I finished Nano with over 185,000 words on my latest story for November! Since then, I wrote 120,000 more and broke the saga into 4 stories. Wahoo!
And as often happens when I finish the first draft, I begin to think about the next story. So off, I went to my favorite Irish Pub, the Wilde Rover, to hear my favorite Celtic style band, Geoffrey Castle's, with mini-me, my netbook, and a brand new ideas journal. The Rover was cozy. My netbook battery was completely dead! Out came the handy compostion notebook. The band was awesome, I think they're my muses, and I left with 40 new story ideas. Double wahoo!
Until next time,
Write on!
Nanowrimo is over! And I'm still writing up a storm! I finished Nano with over 185,000 words on my latest story for November! Since then, I wrote 120,000 more and broke the saga into 4 stories. Wahoo!
And as often happens when I finish the first draft, I begin to think about the next story. So off, I went to my favorite Irish Pub, the Wilde Rover, to hear my favorite Celtic style band, Geoffrey Castle's, with mini-me, my netbook, and a brand new ideas journal. The Rover was cozy. My netbook battery was completely dead! Out came the handy compostion notebook. The band was awesome, I think they're my muses, and I left with 40 new story ideas. Double wahoo!
Until next time,
Write on!
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