Writing Blog

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2009-11-25T11:31:00.000-06:00

I hope all of you will have a very Happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends!

Sand Art Video

2009-09-22T11:13:00.000-06:00

At the link below, you will find a video showing sand art, created as you watch, with a short explanatory article. The video runs about 8 1/2 minutes--well worth your time.

"Art for art's sake--Memory for the sake of memory"

What a Sad Little Face!

2009-08-04T15:09:00.003-06:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

(The missing word in the caption is "vegetarian".)

Uses of Language

2009-07-30T13:08:00.000-06:00

At the Hoover Institution website is an article about George Orwell, his use of language, and why the preservation and use of the English language is important. The article is titled "Orwell's Instructive Errors" and was written by Liam Julian.

The article discusses what Orwell had to say in his essays about the use of language and also how Orwell himself used language in some of his writings. One of the essays referred to is "Politics and the English Language".

These two pieces are of interest for political reasons, but also for the use of both readers and writers.

I don't agree with everything Liam Julian said. For example, in the following paragraph he seems to think right-wing extremists are the same as conservatives, which is assuredly not true.

It is, certainly, not only denizens of the left who theorize and euphemize their way out of inconvenient situations. The staunchest apologists for the worst elements of British Empire were conservatives, and now, as in Orwell’s time, it is conservatives who lean most heavily on theory to explain away indigence and squalor as inevitable in a free society and thereby rid themselves of responsibility to alleviate the burdens of the impoverished. Certainly America’s foremost racists are found on the right, and they have all sorts of theories. And yet such justifications — whether of racism, imperialism, neglect of the poor, or even creationism — currently have but parochial appeal. The left is in power now, and so it is that today’s most influential and worrisome euphemizing comes from the left.

Regarding racism in particular, it is people like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and, yes, Barack and Michelle Obama who keep racism most alive in America. They are not found on the right in America. Nonetheless, the article has some interesting things to say about the uses of language.

Remember Little Golden Books?

2009-07-28T11:28:00.002-06:00

Little Golden Books have been a part of many children's early experience with the world of reading and of art. The illustrations were beautiful, the books were sturdy, and the stories and poems delightful.

For your reading pleasure, here is an article from the Weekly Standard about an art exhibition of paintings that illustrated these books.

From the Archives: Historical Research for Your Writing

2009-07-03T11:49:00.000-06:00

If you are interested in writing about places and times not your own, you might find Times and Places a helpful site to visit. The link is to a page with some general articles at the top, followed by more specific groups of links. Try it out and see if it works for you!

At A Celebration of Women Writers you can find writings from women throughout time and all over the world. I've only begun to look at it myself, but it looks like enough reading to keep you busy for a long time! Like at Times and Places linked above, you may find information and ideas here to help your own writing.

Are there one or two websites about literature and/or writing that you really like? Feel free to leave an url in the comments!

One Writer's View

2009-06-20T10:27:00.002-06:00

In 1946 George Orwell published an essay called "Why I Write". In it, he discusses why writing is important for him and what it involves. I thought you might like to read the essay and see what you think. How does what he says differ from your own thoughts about why you write?

Watching Trends in Book Publishing

2009-05-30T08:52:00.002-06:00

Presumably, we are all thinking of being published some day. Although we usually don't write in a certain genre just to increase our chances of being published, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on current trends in book publishing so that we know what's selling and what's not. It also helps to learn what category our writing might fall into.

One good place to check is Publisher's Weekly, a source for current news in the book world. An example of the kind of article you can run across there is "When Love is Strange: Romance Continues its Affair with the Supernatural". This piece is mostly about romance novels, but also touches on urban fantasy. Take a look at the main page at the first link above to get an idea of all they cover.

Why Writers Write

2009-05-14T08:44:00.002-06:00

Here is an interesting site with 182 articles about why writers write. It is fascinating to read all the different viewpoints. It may also help you figure out why you want to write and figure out what kind of writing will best help you meet your goals.

Why Writers Write

Enjoy!

Giving Up 'Readings'

2009-04-28T07:07:00.002-06:00

What do I mean by 'readings'? I mean viewing a book, essay, poem, or other piece of writing through the lens of a particular philosopher such as Marx or Derrida. This makes no sense, really. What does Marx have to do with Dickens, for example?

Here is an article by Mark Edmundson that explains the idea of giving up 'readings' far better than I could. The title of the piece is "Against Readings".

I was interested to find an article expressing an idea that had been vaguely floating around in my mind for some time. I think we should read each piece of writing on its own terms for its own merits.

What do you think? Is there any point in applying a particular philosophy to a piece of writing?

Writing a Novel

2009-04-27T17:42:00.001-06:00

Finding Ideas for a Short Story

2009-04-25T12:45:00.001-06:00

Arts & Letters

2009-04-24T14:01:00.002-06:00

There is a website called Arts & Letters Daily that you might enjoy looking at. It's full of links to articles, book reviews, and essays. Down the left sidebar is a long list of various types of links, as well.

Some things you'll like and some you won't, but there's a lot of variety there. In the many links, you will probably discover some interesting websites that will appeal to you.

Enjoy!

Cute Things

2009-04-23T16:11:00.002-06:00

I recently became aware of two websites that will make you smile!

Cute Things Falling Asleep

Cute Things Laughing

Enjoy!

Read Some Poetry

2009-02-21T11:25:00.002-06:00

There's nothing like reading a little poetry to relax you and also to inspire you in your own writing.

One site for enjoying poetry is Representative Poetry Online. Look around and try some different authors and different types of poetry.

The internet is such a wonderful thing for allowing us to sample different writings and find out what we really like. For free!

A Poem

2009-01-31T14:34:00.002-06:00

Robert Southey. 1774–1843

His Books

MY days among the Dead are past;
Around me I behold,
Where'er these casual eyes are cast,
The mighty minds of old:

My never-failing friends are they,
With whom I converse day by day.
With them I take delight in weal
And seek relief in woe;

And while I understand and feel
How much to them I owe,
My cheeks have often been bedew'd
With tears of thoughtful gratitude.

My thoughts are with the Dead; with them
I live in long-past years,
Their virtues love, their faults condemn,
Partake their hopes and fears;

And from their lessons seek and find
Instruction with an humble mind.
My hopes are with the Dead; anon
My place with them will be,

And I with them shall travel on
Through all Futurity;
Yet leaving here a name, I trust,
That will not perish in the dust.

Travel Books

2009-01-17T09:21:00.002-06:00

Lately I have been reading some travel books by Paul Theroux. If one can overlook his occasional negative comments about America (and he is an American) and his cynical views of a number of the places he visits, they are interesting books. I have to say, they have put me off of doing any traveling other than armchair traveling, but then he travels alone and wings it as far as finding accomodations and transportation--something most of us wouldn't attempt. His preferred mode of travel is the train, which is why I have persisted in reading his books. Train travel fascinates me, as does learning something about different countries and the people in them.

The books cover more than 30 years, so they are not up-to-date, but are interesting nevertheless, if you keep in mind when Mr. Theroux was making the trip he is writing about.

The four books I've read are The Great Railway Bazaar, Riding the Iron Rooster, The Old Patagonian Express, and Ghost Train to the Eastern Star (a revisiting of The Great Railway Bazaar trip 30+ years later).

In the first and last books mentioned, Mr. Theroux travels from London, through Europe, on to Central and Southern Asia, Japan, and across Russia and back to England. Riding the Iron Rooster covers travel throughout China, and The Old Patagonian Express follows a trip from Boston through Mexico and Central and South America to Patagonia.

If you like the idea of train travel and of seeing the world, you might check one of these books out from the library and see if you like them. You can also read the descriptions and customer reviews at Amazon, linked above.

Do you know of other authors who've written about train travel? If so, please share! I'd love to hear of some different books to try.

A Fresh New Year

2009-01-02T09:39:00.002-06:00

It's a fresh new year for all of us writers! Take a little time to make some plans and set some goals for your writing in 2009.

One thing you can do is write every day. Write in a journal, work on a story or essay, try different types of poetry.

Another thing is to read every day. Read widely, not just in the genre you want to write in. The more you learn, the more ideas will be floating around in your brain to draw upon. You might stumble across a historical incident that you could base a short story on, or read an essay that sparks an idea for a novel.

A third thing is to practice observing life around you. Whatever your circumstances, you can improve your observations about people, places, and things. Practice writing descriptions of what you observe.

You also might want to set a goal of submitting a short story, poem, or essay to a magazine (mainstream or literary). Read up on submission guidelines for the places you want to submit. Read sample issues (often you can read some samples of what the publication uses online or read sample issues at the library, thus doing your research for free).

You'll be able to think of other things you can do to further your writing. Make it a productive year!

What Literature Can Do

2008-12-25T09:59:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

At this time of year, many people enjoy reading Christmas stories and that has become a part of their family traditions. Of course, Christmas stories from the Bible are especially important to share because they tell us why we have Christmas in the first place. The story from Luke 2 combined with John 3:16 can share a powerful message, along with other favorite scriptures you may have.

One loved book is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Years ago, I grew tired of all the take-offs of this story that were done on various television series. It helps that I don't watch much TV these days!! But my interest was revived when I read the original book. I've also collected a few different versions of movies based on the book. A favorite is the 1951 movie starring Alastair Sim, but there are others.

This morning I found an article at National Review Online that talks about the contribution Charles Dickens' book made to the way we celebrate Christmas. It's called "A Dickensian Christmas" by Rich Lowry. I thought you might enjoy reading it this Christmas season, and thinking about the influence a good book can have on our lives.

Again, Merry Christmas!!

Books as Gifts

2008-12-07T07:49:00.002-06:00

Books make wonderful gifts--for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, any occasion. For some help with giving books, see this Michael Dirda column at the Washington Post. "Michael Dirda on the 10 Commandments of Book Giving"

You know your family and friends and what they would probably like, so think about giving some books this year!

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

2008-12-06T09:20:00.002-06:00

What Christmas books do you enjoy most this time of year? I love to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I have linked to one place it can be found on the internet, at Page by Page Books.

Being something of an Anglophile, I enjoy the book for its detailed descriptions of daily life at Christmas time. Overall, though, the book's pleasure comes from watching a man grow from selfishness to generosity. An overarching theme of change can raise a book from an ordinary level of entertainment to a memorable story that can inspire those who read it. This is something to strive for in our own writing.

Christmas time provides an inspiring message all its own and leads many people to change and improvement. Reading Luke 2 in the Bible's New Testament is one of my favorite things to do. Going to the source for the Christmas story provides the ultimate inspiration.

What are your favorites in Christmas reading?

From the Archives: "Sensible" Writing

2008-12-03T10:41:00.001-06:00

When writing the description of a scene, don't just tell what it looks like. Descriptions of things that can be seen are important to the reader--it helps their imagination to picture what you are describing. Don't stop there, though.

What sounds would you hear in that place and time? Would there be traffic noise, people chatting, thunder booming, dishes clattering? How about birds singing or leaves crunching as someone walks over them?

Then there are smells. Do you smell food cooking? Are you describing a gas station and is the smell of gas wafting on the air? In a garden, can you smell flowers or mulch or fresh cut grass?

Is there tasting involved? Is a character eating a meal or trying a new food? Is there something that tastes sweet, sour, salty, or bitter? Is there an awful smell that leaves an acrid taste in your mouth?

How about touching? Does something feel smooth, rough, wet, dry, hot, cold? Is there a cat with soft fur or a dog with wiry hair?

Those kinds of descriptions can add so much to your scenes. It can give a sense of realism, a sense of "you are there". See what you can do by adding just a little extra--don't overdo it, of course. You wouldn't want to cram in all five senses in every scene, but a little something besides just what can be seen might make all the difference in how right your descriptions feel.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2008-11-27T05:27:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! May you all have a happy day and take the time to think of all the blessings you have and express gratitude for those blessings.

I did run across an article about poet Dana Gioia here. There is a link in the article to an essay he wrote called "Can Poetry Matter?". I'll leave those with you for something to read over your holiday.

Writing Tutorial in 3 Videos

2008-11-22T08:45:00.003-06:00

You can go to YouTube and search "writing fiction" to get some interesting videos with good information about writing. I found a series of three videos (about 9 minutes each) summarizing Jack M. Bickham's writing book, The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them). These are entertaining and will give you some good tips, too.

Reflections on Writing

2008-11-15T09:27:00.002-06:00

One thing that helps me a lot with all aspects of writing is to read books about writing. Not only do I learn about the technical aspects of writing, but I often come across some inspiration and ideas for writing I would like to do.

Ideas come from all sorts of places, sometimes unexpectedly. It's good to be open to these ideas and to note them down in a notebook. It's impossible to remember everything, so writing it down helps a great deal and gives you a source to reflect on when you are stumped.

Unless you are writing solely for your own entertainment, or that of your family and friends, which is a perfectly legitiment reason for writing, you will eventually need to learn about how to go about being published. A recent podcast from The Writing Show can give you some pointers about this. The title is "What do Publishers Want from Query Letters and Proposals?" and the editor interviewed is Jennifer Silva Redmond. I found it a very helpful podcast. You can also peruse their various archives for more help and inspiration.

Input of various kinds can help your output considerably.

On Writing and Reading

2008-11-08T09:40:00.003-06:00

Today's writing link: SpecFicWorld Lots of resources and articles about writing for your perusal.

I am still wandering around somewhat on this blog, but I hope my links have at least given you lots of writing tips and ideas for your own writing. I don't feel ready to share my own writing. That wasn't my original idea for this blog--sharing writing tips was. I'm not sure that is interesting enough, though, so we shall see.

I do encourage you to read lots of different types of writing. That will go a long way in helping you to decide what type(s) of writing you would like to do. Right now, I am reading The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney. It is what you might call a literary murder mystery. Set in Canada in the 1860s, it is written in a different style than I am used to, but is not so far out as to be difficult to follow. I am only about halfway through, so I don't know yet if I will recommend it totally, but so far so good! The author switches back and forth between characters and uses present tense quite a bit. There is a first person narrator for parts of the book, but the author takes us often to third person narrative for some of the other characters.

Some Really Good Writing Tips

2008-11-02T08:19:00.003-06:00

Would you like some really good writing tips? Ones with examples? I found some at Segullah, a Mormon women's literary journal.

On this page, you will find not only information about their essay contest and their poetry contest, but scroll down a bit and you will find "Writing Tips" with 7 blog posts giving some excellent tips for writing essays and poetry and for finding ideas. For example, in "Unleash Your Inner Poet!" you will find five examples of how not to write poetry. If you aren't sure what is meant by sing-songy verse, sentimental poetry, rhetorical poetry, didactic poetry, or obscure poetry, you will find examples of those here. In "The Beginning from the End", you will find examples of essay beginnings and endings that show you how you can improve those in your own writing. Read all 7 blog posts and see if you find tips that will help you with your writing, no matter where you intend to submit it.

While you're there, look around Segullah and do some reading. There's a lot of good writing there!

Writing and Voting

2008-11-01T09:40:00.002-06:00

We have an important election day coming up on 4 November. I urge everyone to study the issues and the candidates, local and state and national, and vote, using your best thinking.

Whatever the outcome of Tuesday's election, I also urge everyone to contact your representatives at all levels of government and let them know what you expect of them as they govern on our behalf.

Think of it as writing practice as you send emails to all!

"Wisdom From a Long Writing Career"

2008-10-25T08:08:00.003-06:00

Do you need some encouragement and inspiration? Check out this podcast at The Writing Show.

"Wisdom From a Long Writing Career" an interview with Maralys Wills.

Maralys Wills is a longtime writer who has written many different types of things. See if you find something for yourself in her interview.

Learning about Shakespeare

2008-10-18T08:12:00.003-06:00

I have found a website that you might enjoy. It's called Shakespeare Criticism. I have just begun to look through it, but it appears to be full of information and links that will help you to gain greater insight to Shakespeare's writings and, in the process, accumulate ideas for themes and approaches to your own writing.

Essays and Articles

2008-10-11T05:40:00.002-06:00

The Writing Show has a podcast called "Writing the Personal Essay" that you might enjoy. The guest is Sheila Bender and she talks about different aspects of writing personal essays.

While you are educating yourself on politics and economics with all the current crises, you might want to take the time to notice how the reporters and pundits structure their articles and essays and how they reference their sources. It will help you with your own writing.

The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

2008-09-20T10:53:00.002-06:00

Perhaps you have heard of this. It's a contest for bad writing! Edward George Bulwer-Lytton wrote a famous sentence in his novel Paul Clifford. Here is the sentence:

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

The first phrase of this sentence is the one with which Snoopy, of "Peanuts" fame, starts his famous novel.

Every year a contest is held to find a writer who can write a bad opening to a novel, and this website describes the contest and has links to some of the winners and to news articles about the contest.

Read it for fun, and perhaps you will be inspired to enter the contest yourself!

From the Archives: Questions about Copyright?

2008-09-13T05:33:00.001-06:00

Copyright issues can be complicated. Where can you find information to help you out? Here are three links with varying degrees of information and explanation.

United States Copyright Office

The Publishing Law Center

Copyright Website

You're bound to find answers to your questions at one of these sites.

The Search for Writing Ideas

2008-09-07T15:26:00.002-06:00

There are several things you can do to help you get ideas of what to write about and what types of writing you want to try your hand at. One thing is to think about what you enjoy reading--novels? short stories? essays? poetry? Do you like mysteries? Nature writing? Biographies? History? This alone will give you an idea of what you would most enjoy working on and would be a great place to start. If you enjoy reading mystery novels, try your hand at writing one. If you enjoy nature poetry or history essays, try writing those.

Another idea starter is to read brief blurbs about what a movie or book is about--Amazon is a good place to start. Sometimes those little blurbs can sound quite intriguing and give you an idea for a novel, poem, or essay. It won't be at all like the book or movie the blurb was for because you'll give it your own twist and write it the way you would like to see it written.

Still another place for harvesting ideas is in the literature of other countries. Google Japanese literature or Spanish literature or whatever country or region strikes your fancy. Read a little literary history to see what they wrote about. Mix and match with other ideas you've come across. How about a Spanish mystery novel or a Japanese nature essay?

News stories can give you ideas, too. Do you see a mention of a country that sounds interesting? How about a profession? It doesn't necessarily have to be the main topic of the news story--it can be a brief mention of a small detail in the story that makes you curious.

Just some things to think about as you search for writing ideas.

An Interesting Historical Novel

2008-08-30T07:50:00.003-06:00

At The Writing Show you can listen to a podcast (and read a transcript) of an interview with R. N. Morris about his novel The Gentle Axe, which features Porfiry Petrovich, the detective from Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Mr. Morris, intrigued with the detective, has written a novel using him in another case. It's an interesting and somewhat daring idea to use a character from a classic novel. Listen to/read why Mr. Morris tackled this and how he researched 19th century Russia and fleshed out the character.

Besides being interesting, you might pick up some inspiration and some useful tips. Enjoy!

Give Us Some Writing Tips

2008-08-16T10:09:00.002-06:00

What writing tips have you heard that sound good? Or that you have used and like? Please leave a comment sharing any writing tips you have.

My writing tip:

Schedule time for your writing and stick to it. It is too easy to let other things interfere with your writing time. Even if it isn't a very long period of time, schedule it for your writing every day.

A YouTube Video on How to Write a Novel

2008-08-03T06:19:00.000-06:00

If You Write Poetry

2008-08-02T10:42:00.002-06:00

There are a number of websites that give descriptions of and requirements for different poetry forms. Some also define the various terms (foot, meter, simile, etc.). Here are four of my favorites.

Poetry Forms and Terminology

Forms (Sol Magazine)

Poetry Forms (in Open Directory)

Kalliope Poetics

These are sites with definitions, explanations, examples, and/or links that will help you learn more about poetry. Go write some poems!!

Random Writing Thoughts

2008-07-19T09:51:00.003-06:00

Lately, I've been spending a little time reading over writing I've done in the past--fiction, in particular. It's encouraging to see some good passages, but more than a little embarrassing to see the overuse of certain words, or the times when I tell what's happening rather than showing it through dialogue and action. Still, it's a learning experience to review past writing. It's been sitting awhile, so it's easier to read it more objectively and see what's good and what needs work.

If you've read much about how to write, you'll remember that one common piece of advice is to let the writing sit unread for at least a couple of days, then go back to it to edit. Even a little distance can help you see things that need correction or refinement.

The "show, don't tell" advice is common, also, and I find it surprisingly easy to slip into telling instead of showing. I suppose it's because my thoughts are racing ahead and so I want to get the ideas on the page before I lose them. That's where a note file on the computer, or a notebook by your side, can be useful. You can capture those ideas and thoughts without losing them, then go back to your story and take the time to develop the action and dialogue to show what's happening instead of just writing, "He did this, and then she did that."

Of course, you can always go back and revise/edit your work. That is especially easy on the computer. You can cut out lame passages and paste them into a note file if they contain ideas you want to use, then write the scene in a better way. I have to say that personal computers have made writing and editing so much easier than it used to be! There may be times when you want to handwrite some things, but there's nothing like the ease of writing on a computer!

An Essay on Writing That You Might Enjoy

2008-07-05T09:14:00.004-06:00

I decided to Google "essay on writing" and see if I could find something that would be of interest to you. The very first link provided an essay about writing that I really think you will enjoy reading. It is "On Writing" by Peter Landry.

If you are like me, you enjoy reading about writing as much as reading about how to write or reading good writing of all types. The essay is liberally sprinkled with quotes from writers about writing.

I also ran across another essay titled "The Age of the Essay" by Paul Graham that discusses the essay itself.

I hope you will enjoy these.

The Fourth of July

2008-07-04T09:23:00.001-06:00

A happy 4th of July to you. This is America's Independence Day. Think of your freedoms and what it cost to obtain them.

The History Channel has a nice summary of the events surrounding our gaining our freedom. The article is here: "U.S. Declares Independence".

Another interesting article by George Will can be found at Townhall. It is called "The Valuable Self-Validating Tradition".

Enjoy the reading and enjoy the Fourth. Think about what it all means for us.

Issues in Writing

2008-06-28T11:47:00.002-06:00

I have some issues in writing. I don't mean issues with writing, in the sense that I think writing is a bad thing. What I mean is that I have personal failings that keep me from developing my writing as I should.

One is procrastination, which plagues me in a lot of areas besides writing. I think with writing, though, it is a bit of fear--fear that my writing won't be good. Then there is just downright laziness. I don't do the research to write a good, intelligent piece of writing. I don't write drafts and then edit them so that my writing is coherent and has points supporting what I am trying to say. I tend to just sit down and write off the top of my head, like I'm doing right now.

What do you do to get yourself to sit down and write, and to put in the necessary work to produce a good piece of writing? And while we're at it, what do you do to overcome writer's block--to decide what you want to write about and then narrow the subject enough to make it an interesting, informative piece of work and not just a ramble about a very general topic?

Reading and Writing

2008-06-21T08:04:00.003-06:00

I do a lot of linking to websites that I think you might find interesting. I'm no expert myself and so I like to point you to places where you can learn more about reading and writing and researching. I hope that you find sites that will be of use to you or that you just enjoy reading and exploring.

One new site I found is written by an English professor for his classes, but he puts up a lot of background information that is helpful for anyone. You can see it here at Dr. Wheeler's Homepage at Carson-Newman College. In the left-hand sidebar are links to the various pages.

Another site for readers is Dan Kurland's Critical Reading. It looks full of useful information for getting more out of your reading, and that can give you ideas for your writing.

Vocabulary is another area that can help you with both reading and writing. Learning about words can be fun, and it can help your writing by giving you access to more precise words to say what you mean. It helps your reading in that you can understand a piece of writing more completely and spend less time looking up new words in a dictionary. One website that can help is Vocabulary. Another is Web English Teacher with pages for vocabulary and many other topics (see the lefthand sidebar). You can do a search for "vocabulary" on Google or another search engine and come up with many other sites to explore.

Enjoy!

A Little More on Writing Podcasts

2008-06-14T08:04:00.002-06:00

I have enjoyed listing to writing podcasts as referenced in my last post. Fantasy Writers Weekly has its first podcast up now so you can check that out.

As for The Writing Show, they have another podcast up, but also you can check the archives for past podcasts that appeal to you and address your writing interests and concerns. They also have contests that you can enter, transcripts for some of the podcasts, archives for their newsletter, and other archives that may be of interest to you. It's a very interesting site!

One thing that really appeals to me about podcasts is that listening to them gives you a sense of being in on a conversation about writing, or taking a writing class or workshop. Some of us don't have much opportunity for that sort of thing and podcasts fill a void for us.

You can find podcasts on many topics around the internet and that may help you with research for your writing or getting ideas of what to write about. Windows Media Player, iTunes, and Winamp are free programs that you can download to save and listen to podcasts you especially like. Usually, you can just listen to the podcast on site, as well, to see if it's something you might want to save. You can also subscribe to a podcast and have new episodes automatically downloaded.

Podcasts are enjoyable for me and I hope you will enjoy them as well.

Some Podcasts about Writing

2008-06-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

Since I last posted, I have discovered that there are podcasts about writing out there! Imagine that! I will share links below. Some haven't put up new podcasts lately, but you can still enjoy what is there. You can download or listen at the site. They are free.

Creative Writing Podcast at American Writers

Fantasy Writers Weekly (This one doesn't have any podcasts yet, but promises to soon.)

Holly Lisle on Writing

The Writing Show

If you know of a good writing podcast, please post the url in the comments. Thank you!!

Editing Your Manuscript

2008-05-17T08:44:00.004-06:00

Editing your manuscript can be one of the more difficult parts of writing. After all, you've finished writing your story, article, or poem. What's left to do but send it off to a publisher?! Well, there's a lot left to do. If you send in a piece of writing that is full of typos and grammatical and/or spelling errors, it will be rejected quickly. If you've taken care of those problems, but your writing is dull or inconsistent in its pacing or characterization, it will still be rejected. So how do you take care of those problems?

One way to get started with editing your manuscript is to go to Fiction Factor. From there, click on "Writing Articles". On that page, you will find boxes with different classifications of articles to help you with various parts of your writing. For help with editing, click on "Honing Skills". You will find half a dozen articles on editing that point out what to look for in your manuscript and how to go about finding problems that need to be fixed.

One example is "Editing Made Easy" by Lee Masterson. He lists 12 things you can do to spot problems in your writing. You can print out your piece of writing. The difference from the computer screen will help you get a different perspective on what you've written. Read your piece aloud. This will also give you a different perspective and will help you find where the rhythm is good and where it's not so good.

Another good article is "Editing Fiction" by Lee Masterson and Tina Morgan. This article lists six things (plot, pacing, setting, characterization, dialogue, and point of view) to look at carefully and lists questions to ask yourself to see if you've gotten off track. The questions and comments give you general ideas of what to correct, of how your piece should read.

This page also has articles about critiquing the work of others, or having someone else critique your work, and about workshops.

Look around some writer's websites that you are familiar with and see if they have some articles about editing. Editing and revision are essential parts of writing and a little guidance can help you learn how to do this so that the writing you submit to publishers will have a much better chance of being accepted.

If you know of a good editing article, feel free to mention it in the comments. Thanks!

Critical Thinking Can Help Your Writing

2008-05-03T10:30:00.000-06:00

I found a website about critical thinking that you might want to check out. It's the Foundation for Critical Thinking. There are quite a few different pages, but I would suggest going to the articles index and starting your exploration there. What I like about this site especially is that it describes and defines what critical thinking is much more than any other site I've found.

There is quite a bit about teaching critical thinking, but also about learning it. A good introductory article is "Critical Thinking in Every Domain of Knowledge and Belief" and it has a couple of charts that let you know the kinds of topics the other articles will cover in more detail.

What I get out of this site is that clear, thorough thinking will help you in every area of your life. It is not necessary (or, in my view, desirable) to use critical thinking to talk yourself out of beliefs or religion or patriotism. What it is for is learning to be clear and understanding the purpose of what you are thinking about at the moment. Clarify your question and think through any answers to see what the consequences would be.

How does this help your writing? It helps you write more clearly, plot more realistically, and can help provide your characters with more believable actions and motives. I think as you read the articles, if you're interested, you will think of any number of ways critical thinking can help your writing, your reading, your studying and learning. See what you think! And let me know if you know of other sites of this nature that are clear and don't mind explaining things from the beginning for people like me!!

Articles about Writing

2008-04-26T18:36:00.000-06:00

If you're like me, you enjoy reading articles and books about writing. They are interesting and you can pick up some tips that will help you with your own writing. Sometimes the information you get contradicts other information, but I think that is because no one way of writing suits everyone. So you pick and choose and try different methods until you find what works for you.

At the website, Writers Write, you will find a page of writing articles covering all sorts of topics. Dip into them and see what you find!

Historical Research for Your Writing

2008-04-12T09:11:00.000-06:00

From the Archives: Keeping a Reading Journal

2008-03-29T11:43:00.000-06:00

A reading journal might help you to understand a piece of writing better and get more out of it. I found a short article from George Mason University on how to go about keeping such a journal. It is in their handout section, so I am going to paste the whole thing here for your perusal.

The GMU Writing Center Guide to Keeping
a Reading Journal

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You'll find many ways to read a text. But keeping a journal as you read is one of the best ways of exploring a piece of writing. With this process you integrate reading and writing, and find that you can interact with the work more fully. Take in every detail, every description. Try to avoid hasty analysis because it can prevent you from understanding the meaning of the novel as a whole. Remember, to analyze anything fully you must have a complete understanding of it.

Begin each new novel, play or poem without predetermined bias. If you decide in advance that all good art uses realistic settings and promotes your personal moral values, you close out the possibility of new experiences. You do not have to, nor should you, enjoy every work of literature that you read. But you should be willing to recognize that the imagination is limitless.

Read slowly. This suggestion can't be stressed enough. If you roller skate through an art museum you won't see the paintings.

Read with pen in hand. Underline key phrases, speeches by major figures, or important statements by the narrator. But don't limit yourself. Underline or highlight anything that seems important or striking. Take notes on ideas or questions (don't trust your memory). Write in the margins. Keep a list of the characters and/or major events on the inside of the front cover. Circle words used in special ways or repeated in significant patterns. Look up words that you don't know or words you think you know but seem to have a special weight or usage.

Look for those qualities that professional writers look for in real life: conflict, contrast, contradiction, and characterization.

Look for rhythm, repetition and pattern. Successful works of literature incorporate such structural devices in the language, dialogue, plot, characterization, and elsewhere. Pattern is form, and form is the shaping the artist gives to his or her experience. If you can identify the pattern and relate it to the content, you'll be on your way to insight.

Ask silent questions of the material as you read. Don't read passively, waiting to be told the "meaning." Most authors will seldom pronounce a moral. Even if they do, a work of literature is always more than its theme. Use the questions devised by reporters: Who, What, When, Where. Why and How may take more study--such questions probe the inner levels of a text.

Keep a reading journal. Record your first impressions, explore relationships, ask questions, write down quotations, copy whole passages that are difficult or aesthetically pleasing.

Ideas to Keep in Mind:
Christopher Thaiss in Write to the Limit (Chicago: Holt, 1991) notes that the word journal comes from the French word for day, which is jour. The word indicates that a journal is kept daily (68). Thaiss also suggests that journals are kept for many different reasons: to record events, to keep an ongoing public record, to record feelings, to make close observations for scientific purposes and, finally, to explore emotions, memories and images in order to think and learn about any subject (69-76).

Don't feel overwhelmed. Just relax; notice and feel things. Associate ideas with other subjects, objects or feelings. Try the following three steps:

Write first. Write what you see in the text.

Next, write what you feel about what you see.

Finally, write down your thoughts and feelings. This step helps you develop perceptions.

We hope this short guide helps you explore your thoughts and ideas. A journal enables you to gain insight into the work while integrating the reading and writing process. Use this guide to help you with all of your reading and writing.

I hope this proves useful--I plan to give it a whirl, likely starting with short pieces such as poems, essays, and short stories. It would, of course, work with articles or any type of writing, whether fiction or nonfiction.

Genre Fiction

2008-03-22T09:25:00.000-06:00

Genre fiction is fiction that fits into a particular category, such as mystery or horror or science fiction. Each genre has its general rules about types of setting, plot, characters, and so forth. For more detail, see Wikipedia's article on "Genre Fiction".

Although genre fiction is generally considered to be less than literary fiction, most literary fiction fits into one of the genre categories. Also, a number of writers who write genre fiction are so good as to be, in actuality, literary writers. I find that the distinction is just a matter of opinion and it seems as though writers who deliberately set out to write literary fiction fall flat. Of course, that's just my opinion!

Genre fiction is usually most popular with readers. It's interesting and unpretentious, with characters you care about and plots that catch your attention. It's good for writers to explore different types of writing to see what they might like to try their hand at. Good research and writing will make any book good and attract readers.

An Article About an Author

2008-03-15T10:13:00.000-06:00

A few days ago my friend, Barb, recommended to me a book titled Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz. It's on my list of books to read. Meanwhile, I found an article about Ms. Schlitz at The Christian Science Monitor. It's called "Shy School Librarian Finds Success as Author" by Elaine F. Weiss. So, Barb, this link is for you! It's a nice article and it is also encouraging for those would-be writers who read my blog. Enjoy!

"Sensible" Writing

2008-03-08T10:53:00.000-06:00

Thoughts on Writing

2008-03-01T16:09:00.000-06:00

I should probably be posting some poems or other things I've written, but I still don't feel they are "finished" enough. And posting my own writing wasn't my main goal in starting this blog. I just wanted a place to share some thoughts on writing and books.

I probably have too many other things competing for my time and attention, as well. I keep explaining to myself about setting priorities, but...!

I think a mix of reading literature, reading about writing, and actually writing are the way to go in order to learn to be a good writer. Being observant as we go about our daily lives is another necessity, too. We need material to write about and inspiration. We need examples of different kinds of people, weather, scenery, and so forth so that we can bring those things to life through description in our writing.

It's work, but anything worthwhile is. What do you do to work on your writing?

Regarding A Literary History of the American West

2008-02-23T15:18:00.000-06:00

In my previous post I provided a link to a wonderful book online titled A Literary History of the American West. I have been reading it a bit at a time and have completed the first section. While it is, of course, about books and literature, there are plenty of bits of history and folklore and Native American lore embedded in the essays that make up the chapters. You will enjoy it, whether your interest lies in books or history. In addition, there are a great many books of all kinds referred to, which will give you reading material to look for. I would suggest searching online first, since much of the older material could very well be found there. I haven't done that yet, although I already had some of these authors bookmarked.

The material covered in this book isn't just fiction and poetry--it's exploration, history, nature, settlement, and many other things. I recommend at least sampling it a bit to see if you find material that appeals to you. If you like it a lot, you can go here and download a pdf copy. All 1423 pages of it!

I've been enjoying it a great deal and think you will, too.

Found a Link to an Interesting Book Online

2008-02-18T13:38:00.000-06:00

The book is titled A Literary History of the American West and it has chapters on all types of writing, including oral traditions (native and folklore), westerns, and nature writing. You might enjoy reading it. I've only skimmed the contents and a couple of chapters, but it looks like an interesting read!

Some Sites for Nature Reading and Writing

2008-02-16T09:28:00.002-06:00

Being interesting in writing about nature--and reading about nature--I sometimes look around the web to see what I can find. I have linked to some of these before, but I think they are good resources for nature writing.

Nature Books Online (These are, of course, old books, but interesting nonetheless. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for related topics.)

Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing

Orion Magazine - nature/culture/place

Nature Writing Resources

Naturewriting Resources and Inspiration

Henry David Thoreau

Enjoy exploring!

Online Literary Magazines

2008-02-09T15:10:00.000-06:00

There is a website called LitLine: A Website for the Independent Literary Community. It is based in Illinois, but has many links that you might enjoy exploring.

A link that caught my eye was the one to a listing of links to online literary journals. These journals are all over the place as far as the type of writing they publish/promote. You may or may not find something that appeals to you, either as reading material or as a place to submit your writing, but it's a great way to see what others are writing and to make some decisions as to what you like and don't like.

How on Earth Do You Tell a Good Story?

2008-02-01T15:00:00.000-06:00

I stumble about in my writing and find myself writing trite stories without enough plot to sustain them (and I refer to novels or short stories, either one). Or I find myself telling a story that's been told too often before without anything really original about it.

I do think that reading widely helps. Not just in your favorite type of story or book, but in others, too. You might be able to use ideas from mysteries to create more suspense and conflict in your science fiction story, or even in your non-fiction writing. You also become acquainted with what makes a story interesting or dull. It helps to go back and study the story you've just read and look for what made it good or bad.

Reading about writing helps you know what to look for when you're analyzing a story, such as how the author handled setting, characters, plot, and so forth. As you read about writing, you will occasionally come across a piece by an editor who tells what sorts of stories have been done to death--like having the whole thing turn out to have been a dream. It isn't necessarily that you can't use that device. It's just that if you do so, you'll need to make it very interesting and give it some original twists and turns.

Another thing that helps a lot to is practice writing. You'll start to notice things like making your characters too perfect (or too evil if they're the bad guys). You'll notice if your plot is too thin to sustain the story or if you have a tendency to explain everything as you go along, thus killing any suspense.

I have been pondering the problems of writing stories about faith and religion. How can you make them interesting and intriguing? How can you write about faith without preaching or resolving problems too easily? I still haven't come to terms with this one, but I think the potential is there for some really interesting stories that many people could relate to.

I think about how to handle evil, too. I personally do not want to read a story that's full of sex and violence, for example, or that is depressing in the extreme. I don't think it is necessary to put in that sort of content to portray conflict, but I would still want the conflict to be serious enough to warrant a story about it.

Then there are the endings. I want a satisfying ending, and I think most readers do, as well. To reach the end of an interesting story only to find that nothing is resolved is very disappointing. A writer can leave some things unresolved or partially resolved, but the main thing the story was about should have a satisfying finish.

I'm still floundering around a bit on how to write a good story, but the more I read and the more I write, the more I see things that I can improve and the closer I move (albeit slowly) toward telling a good story.

News about Books, Writing, Authors, Etc.

2008-01-25T16:22:00.000-06:00

I was surfing the internet looking for a good site to recommend for news and information for writers (and readers). I wanted to recommend a site for you that would contain all sorts of information--news about books and writing, author interviews and websites, book reviews, lists, awards, and so forth. It seems to me that an excellent site for all this is one I have referred to in passing before: BookSpot.com They have lots of pages on different topics dealing with writing and books and also a lot of links to other sites that you may find interesting and useful. Explore the site and I am sure you will find things you like!

Some examples:

Click here to see BookSpot's bestseller page with links to a number of bestseller lists, all gathered together for your convenience.

Click here for information about various book awards.

There are lists of various kinds, such as one for the best of outdoor literature. This one has a brief review of each book on the list.

BookSpot has, on their home page, some Must-See sites, which link to places like BookPage, Bookwire, and Bookreporter, where you will find news, author interviews, and book reviews, plus articles of various kinds.

There are also links for writers here.

This is an enjoyable site with lots of information and links gathered up in one place. I think you will enjoy it a lot.

Some Tips on Finding Time to Write

2008-01-19T11:31:00.000-06:00

I found a helpful article at Writing-World.com called "I Could Be a Writer--If I Only Had the Time!". It's by Roberta Roesch and has some ideas for managing your time so that you can do the writing you want to do. She gives 10 tips for getting your writing life underway, starting with writing yourself a mission statement and ending with proceeding a step at a time. You might find some help there, so check it out.

The Writing-World website has a number of useful articles that cover a wide variety of topics. Sometimes articles like these can give you ideas of your own and give you that little bit of encouragement you need to take the next step in your writing career. Even if your goal isn't to be published, you will find articles that will help you with the writing itself.

What Do You Like to Read?

2008-01-17T11:39:00.000-06:00

What is your favorite reading material?

I love a good mystery. I enjoy Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee novels, Margaret Frazer's Dame Frevisse novels, and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot novels. There are lots of others, of course. I like fantasy novels and some science fiction. Essays and poetry are good to read, too. I like the essays to make sense and the poetry to follow the traditional forms and to be intelligible, also. You might say I'm a traditionalist.

I like non-fiction, too. In addition to essays, I like history books, political books, science books, nature books, all sorts of books! Biographies are good and I enjoy books about writing and literature. Religious books are important to me, as well.

English literature and history are favorites, and I especially enjoy English medieval history. Colonial America is very interesting to me. When you get right down to it, I like to read about most subjects and most times and places.

What I tend to object to in reading material is violence, sex, and bad language. I object to unhappy endings and depressing scenarios. I want to read about people and how they overcome their trials, not how they are overcome by them! I also don't care to read experimental stuff that's just weird, but is labeled as art. If no one can understand it, or if it's offensive, how can it be art? I'm sure there are arguments about that, but they are lost on me. I think art, whether it is visual, written, or musical, should be uplifting and/or thought-provoking (If you can't understand it, how can it provoke a thought?).

Be that as it may, I think there is plenty of good material out there for me to read and study and enjoy without torturing myself with "gritty realism" and depressing endings.

I love to read writing books, too. They inspire me and often give me ideas. They teach me about terms and how-tos and give useful advice.

So, what do you like to read?

A Variety of Writing Articles

2008-01-12T10:36:00.000-06:00

Check out this page at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., website. Some are humorous, but most are serious instruction for writers. You'll enjoy it and learn at the same time.

There are all kinds of websites on the internet that contain the books and stories of various writers and styles of writing. If the copyright is expired, you may find it on the web. Two examples are Anton Chekov and Sarah Orne Jewett for individual writers. For a variety of material, check out Bartleby and Great Books and Classics for two of many sites. Another source is Wikipedia which often has links to websites and/or articles at the ends of their entries. They also have textbooks (check the bottom of the main page that I've linked to) and other materials. It's good to read examples of different kinds of writing to help you with your own writing.

2008-01-01T14:48:00.000-06:00

William Drummond, of Hawthornden. 1585–1649

Change should breed Change

NEW doth the sun appear,

The mountains' snows decay,

Crown'd with frail flowers forth comes the baby year.

My soul, time posts away;

And thou yet in that frost

Which flower and fruit hath lost,

As if all here immortal were, dost stay.

For shame! thy powers awake,

Look to that Heaven which never night makes black,

And there at that immortal sun's bright rays,

Deck thee with flowers which fear not rage of days!

New Year's History and Tradition

2007-12-29T16:49:00.000-06:00

Something I enjoy is reading the history of various holidays and the traditions that many people follow. I am providing links so that you can enjoy learning a bit about the New Year's holiday.

At Infoplease, you can read about "A History of the New Year" and "New's Year Traditions". The history article talks about the different dates celebrated through the years and you'll learn a bit about calendars in the process. The traditions article has all the words to "Auld Lang Syne" and a bit of history and explanation about it, as well as some of the other traditions that have come into being over the years.

Another interesting article is at Wikipedia under "New Year" and tells more about calendars and countries and when 1 January became the norm for many in celebrating the new year.

Good reading. Enjoy! And if you know about some additional traditions, please tell us about them in the comments!

New Year's Resolutions for the Writer

2007-12-29T09:18:00.000-06:00

Now that 1 January is almost here, it's time to pick a New Year's Resolution for your writing.

What I think would be a good resolution is to pick one thing you want to improve about your writing and set some goals leading to that improvement. For example, let's say you've been dabbling in writing poetry. For the upcoming year, choose a type of poem you would like to learn to write--say the sonnet. In January, you would learn what a sonnet is, what its usual rhyme schemes and meters are, and how the subject matter is handled. In February, you would work on writing a sonnet, evaluating it against what you've learned about sonnets. As the year progresses, you would set more goals to work on. The same could be done for writing essays, short stories, or novels.

You might also want to set some publishing goals. Do you want to start a blog? Do you want to look for markets for poetry, essays, or whatever you are writing and submit your material for consideration? Set some goals for researching markets and preparing manuscripts. Learn how the various markets want submissions handled.

If you are already reasonably accomplished at poetry, you can work on publishing it and, at the same time, learn to write short stories. That way you can work on more than one area of writing. There would also be room for goals improving your grammar, spelling, or other nuts and bolts types of goals that will make your writing much better. Study some articles or books about writing, too. Those can help you learn new things that you may not have considered before.

Any ideas out there for some good writing goals? Feel free to put them in the comments! Good luck!!

"Winter Uplands"

2007-12-22T16:13:00.000-06:00

Winter Uplands

Archibald Lampman (1861-1899)

The frost that stings like fire upon my cheek,
The loneliness of this forsaken ground,
The long white drift upon whose powdered peak
I sit in the great silence as one bound;
The rippled sheet of snow where the wind blew
Across the open fields for miles ahead;
The far-off city towered and roofed in blue
A tender line upon the western red;
The stars that singly, then in flocks appear,
Like jets of silver from the violet dome,
So wonderful, so many and so near,
And then the golden moon to light me home--
The crunching snowshoes and the stinging air,
And silence, frost, and beauty everywhere.

Another Multi-Purpose Writing Website

2007-12-15T09:34:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share a website with you that has a number of articles on writing that may help you improve your own writing and also know what to do to get it published. It's called "On Writing: The Craft and the Writer" by Will Greenway.

There are lots of articles there for writers at all levels. Enjoy!

On a side note, if you have not been able to post comments because you did not have a Google/Blogger account, that is no longer the case. Blogger was making some changes to the comments portion of the program, but you can comment by selecting either "Nickname" or "Anonymous" and post a comment without having to register anywhere.

Fog in December

2007-12-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

The weather in Oklahoma City today is foggy and drizzly. It started yesterday and has continued overnight. It is, thankfully, above freezing, so it is a pleasant kind of fall weather--the sort you wouldn't want to last indefinitely, but pleasant for awhile.

The fallen leaves at the office range from a deep burgundy to orange, yellow, and brown. Sometimes we have Canadian geese in the parking lot. There are several lakes around the city, both large and small, and the geese apparently like to rest here on their way south. We also enjoy their presence in the church parking lot. They stroll around and stare at the people. Perhaps it is their idea of a zoo!

The drizzle is light, but steady, and drips off the trees and roofs. The misty air is cool and refreshing. The fog varies in thickness from place to place and from time to time. It is the perfect sort of day to get out a little and then settle in at home, where it's warm and cozy and dry. Definitely hot chocolate weather.

It is quiet, too, as most people are not yet out and about. I changed my windshield wipers yesterday and am glad I did. The old ones were worn out and were almost worse than not having windshield wipers. I also needed a new taillight bulb. My friends told me to go to a certain auto parts store and they would change it for me. Ha! I guess I didn't look helpless enough. I didn't have any trouble changing it myself, though, so I'm good to go.

We are expecting this pleasant weather to change to ice sometime tomorrow and on through Tuesday and maybe Wednesday. It might snow, but the weathermen are mostly talking freezing rain, which is a major headache. It's pretty to look at from inside, though. Here's hoping it doesn't get too bad!

Writers

2007-11-24T13:24:00.000-06:00

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

Cacoethes Scribendi

1If all the trees in all the woods were men;
2And each and every blade of grass a pen;
3If every leaf on every shrub and tree
4Turned to a sheet of foolscap; every sea
5Were changed to ink, and all earth's living tribes
6Had nothing else to do but act as scribes,
7And for ten thousand ages, day and night,
8The human race should write, and write, and write,
9Till all the pens and paper were used up,
10And the huge inkstand was an empty cup,
11Still would the scribblers clustered round its brink
12Call for more pens, more paper, and more ink.

Learning about Literature

2007-11-23T09:47:00.000-06:00

I find that knowing about literature helps me with my writing. I know, for example, to strive for unity in setting (time and place) and theme. I learn about ways to use symbolism. Studying literature also helps me to enjoy reading more.

One site that I have found that explains a lot of these things is John Lye's website. He is chair of the English department at Brock University in Canada. His page isn't just for his students--it contains a number of articles that you will find helpful, too. For example, one is "On the Uses of Studying Literature". In this article, Professor Lye offers a number of theses on ways to view literature, such as a source of wisdom. There are a number of other articles listed and he also has links to other sites. If you are interested in literature, you will find a lot to read!

I bring my own views to these sites that explain literature and literary theory. I don't, for example, buy into Marxist theory or feminist theory, but it is useful to have an overview of what's out there. What I am more interested in is something like Professor Lye's page for "Critical Reading: A Guide" which gives some explanations and some questions for a reader to use in understanding what he is reading more fully. For me, it's as interesting to read about literature as it is to read literature.

Help for Poets

2007-11-17T08:32:00.000-06:00

There are some websites that can help you learn about the details of poetry, including meter. One such site is The Poets Garret. Terry Clitheroe has set up this site and gives a lot of examples and explanation.

Another good site that defines many poetic terms is Glossary of Poetic Terms by Ian Lancashire, Department of English, University of Toronto.

Here is a Toolkit for Poets with links that will help any writer, poet or not.

Ariadne's Poetry Web is also a great site for poets. Lots of information here.

Now, we just all need to write some poetry!

Veteran's Day 2007

2007-11-11T05:53:00.000-06:00

“Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of freedom. The brave members of the United States Armed Forces have answered the call to serve our Nation, ready to give all for their country. On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom and peace that they have given our great Nation.”—President George W. Bush, 2007 Veterans Day Proclamation

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends. (John 15:13).

Remember Veteran’s Day today.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

2007-11-10T14:58:00.000-06:00

We expect musicians, for example, to have to do a lot of practicing in order to develop their talents. Why not writers?

As writers, we all find that we have a ton of drivel in us and if we will do a lot of practice writing, we'll get a lot of that out of us before we try to write for publication. I also believe that we learn by doing and nothing teaches us about writing like trying to put on paper the storylines that are floating around in our heads.

Nothing will teach us about the problems of plot and characterization like actually writing a story. In that way alone will we encounter the various problems that arise and have to solve them.

Reading a lot will show us what plot devices and other attributes of writing are overdone or fall flat. Practicing our writing will show us whether we can still use those things and perhaps give them a fresh twist, or whether they still fall flat no matter what we try.

I think, too, that practicing writing will show us what weaknesses we have. Do we overexplain and thereby kill suspense? Do we attempt to compensate for our own personality problems by creating perfect characters who do everything right all the time? Do we get carried away with creating excitement and adventure on every page because we like those things and don't realize that lulls in the action provide a needed counterpoint?

There is a lot to writing and practice shows us what we need to improve and what we do well already. It helps us get the ideas that have been done to death out of our system and also the tendancy to preach and the tendancy to include a lot of autobiographical material and the tendancy to overexplain. We see if we overuse certain words or phrases if we find them in every paragraph when we read back through what we've already written. We find out if we have a weakness in grammar or spelling. We find that skimpy research and planning simply aren't adequate to support a good story. We also learn if we tend to spend all our time researching and planning and never get around to writing the story.

There is much to be learned from writing a lot, even without someone to help guide and teach us as we go along. So practice, practice, practice!!

Write About What Interests You

2007-11-03T08:14:00.000-06:00

A person can write about anything and everything. What interests you the most? Fiction? Poetry? History? The internet and/or a library can provide you with all the information you need. Add in your own experiences and thoughts and you can write quite interesting pieces.

If you want to be published, you can find guidelines to narrow your focus, plus draw on your own reading experience. Or you can start a blog!

It's good to work at learning how to write well, whether it's spelling and grammar or how to put your ideas and thoughts in an orderly manner so that the reader can follow what you are writing about. The nice thing about a blog is that you can get some feedback from readers. They can tell you if they aren't able to understand what you are getting at, and sometimes they offer suggestions. You could also get a friend or a teacher to read your writing and offer suggestions. One thing that helps a lot is to set aside your finished piece for a few days and then go back and read it with fresh eyes.

Don't be afraid to revise. Editing your writing can improve it immensely, making it more clear and concise.

If you write about something you are very interested in, whether it is nature or cooking or a certain historical period, your enthusiasm and knowledge will show through in your writing and make it interesting for others to read.

Journaling

2007-10-27T10:06:00.000-06:00

Keeping a journal, or perhaps several journals for different subjects, is one way to provide yourself with material to write essays, poems, and stories.

On the subject of nature writing, see Nature Writing. Scroll down to the "Table of Contents" and click on "naturewriting ideas". On the left side of your screen, click on "Thoreau's Model for Nature Writing" and you'll find an article with ideas about a nature writing journal. Back on the home page for the website Nature Writing you can scroll again to the "Table of Contents" and click on "nature journal" and find samples of journal entries by a number of writers of varying ages and interests. Interesting material there.

You can do a search on "journaling" and find all sorts of resources on the internet. Keeping journals is pretty easy to do for yourself, though. Just grab a notebook and start writing! You can have one journal for everything, or you can have several journals--such as one for writing, one for nature observations, one for spiritual thoughts, one for family history and information, etc. You don't have to write everyday. The main thing is to capture important ideas and information that you can refer back to.

Try it out!

A Bat on a Tree

2007-10-19T19:08:00.000-06:00

This past Thursday we saw a small bat clinging to a tree next to our office building. It was upside down, true to form, but hugging the side of the tree about three feet up from the ground rather than hanging from a branch. It was somewhat curled up, but was only about three inches long in that position. Some bats are quite small while others are very large, so I don't know if it was a baby bat or a full-grown one. At least we didn't have a large mother bat swoop down on us! I don't know if one would even do that. Do you get the idea that I don't know much about bats?

Apparently, it was sleeping, although it's possible it was sick. Everyone who went out to have a look had enough sense not to touch it, except for one young lady who poked it (gently) with a stick. She said it moved slightly and clicked at her, so it was alive. Dark brown and furry, it stayed motionless all day (except when being poked), but was gone today. I hope it was just sleeping and flew away at dusk, healthy and happy.

I was disappointed to not get a look at its little face--that might have given me some way of later looking at pictures to try to identify it. Still, it was one of those interesting, quirky things that sometimes happen. I was surprised that it would hang itself up in the open like that rather than higher up in the tree where it would be hidden among the branches and leaves and less noticeable to predators, like the cats that hang around our building. But then, who knows what bats think about.

Literary and Rhetorical Terms

2007-10-11T15:48:00.000-06:00

Over at The UVic Writer's Guide, you can find a page of literary and rhetorical terms that may prove useful to you in both your reading and your writing.

As far as reading goes, it's interesting to identify some of the characteristics of a book or essay or poem that you are reading. Is it ironic? Is it satire? This helps you get more out of your reading and understand better what you are reading.

When it comes to writing, knowing these terms and characteristics can help you conciously choose what elements to put into your writing to give it more depth and interest. Knowing these terms can also help you avoid putting unwanted things in your writing, such as bombast, cliches, or hyperbole. The list of terms can also help sort out metaphors, similes, conceits, and so forth.

Besides, it's just a fun page to explore!

Sites for News and Reviews

2007-09-29T10:00:00.000-06:00

Here are some places to visit for readers and writers.

Book Spot

Readers Read

Readerville

Stop, You're Killing Me!

Scifan

The Mystery Reader

The Short Story

2007-09-22T10:02:00.000-06:00

If you would like to try your hand at writing short stories, here's some help for you. There is a 2-page pdf file called "How to Write a Short Story" that provides some basic how-tos. You can also take a look at "How to Write a Short Story" at wikiHow.

The Wikipedia has a lot of articles that can provide you with information and links also, such as this article on "Fiction" or this one on "Short Story".

Another article is "Writing a Great Short Story" by Lee Masterson. It's at the site Fiction Factor which I've mentioned before as having a number of useful articles.

Edited to add a link from the comments: "How to Write a Short Story" blog.

If you've never tried writing a short story or if you have and have not been too happy with the results, these articles might provide you with some good tips. Enjoy!

World Writer and "A Reader's Manifesto"

2007-09-15T08:08:00.000-06:00

There is a website called World Writer that has a lot of articles linked that can help you with all types of writing and with the business of writing. Check it out.

At The Atlantic Monthly you can read a marvelous piece from the archives--B. R. Myers' "A Reader's Manifesto". This appeared in the July/August 2001 issue. There are any number of articles available for reading in The Atlantic Monthly's archives, which can be accessed from the home page--click "archives" and the "back issues".

J R R Tolkien

2007-09-08T19:07:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite authors is J. R. R. Tolkien. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are much loved books that I return to again and again. They are delightful and interesting stories, but there is such depth to them, as well. I gain insight into the human condition by reading them.

A webpage that I have found and am beginning to explore is "The Catholic Imagination of J. R. R. Tolkien". It has quite a list of articles & essays about Tolkien's writings from a spiritual point of view. You might enjoy it as well.

Medieval Writing

2007-09-01T11:35:00.000-06:00

I'm not feeling up to a full-fledged blog post today, so here is a link to a website on Medieval Writing. Enjoy.

Are We Hungry for the Classics?

2007-08-25T08:18:00.000-06:00

Townhall.com posted an interesting column this past week titled "Harry Potter and the Great Relearning" by Jerry Bowyer. Mr. Bowyer writes about the educational impact the Harry Potter books have had on his family, and offers up some of his own ideas about the symbolism in the books, as well as some comments about J. K. Rowling's intent. Here's a sample paragraph:

What I make of that is that Jo Rowling has a wonderful talent for tapping into Biblical and literary symbolism. From the very beginning, I've believed that Hogwarts is the literary representation of the Christian Church. Towered over by stone spires, filled with living icons of great men and women from the past, Hogwarts is a place where ancient books are studied to relearn great wisdom from the past. Hogwarts was founded by four great wizards over a thousand years ago who were united in the belief that their knowledge should be passed on. Like the four evangelists in early church literature, each has its own seals and symbol and its own special focus of virtue. Many of those wonderful names, such as Godric Gryffindor, Rowling revealed in a recent interview were, taken from medieval Christian saints.

And he closes with:

Rowling made a bet which, if it had been stated explicitly, would have been rejected by every large publisher in the Western world: She wagered her labor and reputation on the proposition that children were hungry for the good stuff. That they had eaten their fill of literary junk food, and wanted the stories, the words and phrases, the atmosphere and the 'feel' of the greatest stories every told. Happily for us, Rowling kept her mouth shut and walked her manuscript past the sleeping dragons of political correctness and 'realistic' (meaning sexual) teen lit. It worked. It's just like they say at Hogwarts, "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus," that is, "Never tickle a sleeping dragon."

It's an interesting column. Mr. Bowyer talks about the curiosity about many things that the Harry Potter books have stirred in his children. Do you think he's on to something? I do. Whether or not you agree with some or all of his interpretations and ideas, the books can awaken a desire to know more about classic studies, such as Latin, and about literature, Christian history, and world history.

I hadn't really thought about the Harry Potter books in this light, but I know that when I read them, besides enjoying a good story, I wanted to study all kinds of subjects--they awakened a curiosity in me.

Townhall.com allows comments from readers on each column and, as of this morning, there were 43 comments on this piece. You might enjoy reading those, too.

Comments?

Come, Little Leaves

2007-08-18T09:04:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time, when I was a little girl, my brother started school. I wanted to go, too, but they said I was too young. Each day when my brother got home, I had to hear all about it. Once he had to memorize a poem. Nothing would do but what I memorized a poem, too. So I picked out this one from a children's book of stories and poems that we had at home. It's been a few years and I only remember the first couple of lines, but I found the whole poem on the internet and here it is:

O Come Little Leaves
by
George Cooper

"Come, little leaves", said the wind one day,

"Come o'er the meadows with me and play;

Put on your dresses of red and gold,

For summer's gone and the days grow cold."

Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,

Down they came fluttering one and all;

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

Singing the glad little songs they knew.

"Cricket, good-bye, we've been friends so long,

Little brook, sing us your farewell song;

Say you are sorry to see us go;

Ah, you will miss us, right well we know.

Dear little lambs in your fleecy fold,

Mother will keep you from harm and cold;

Fondly we watched you in vale and glade,

Ay, will you dream of your loving shade?"

Dancing and whirling, the little leaves went,

Winter had called them and they were content;

Soon, fast asleep in their earthy beds,

The snow laid a coverlet over their heads.

Nature Links

2007-08-11T13:58:00.000-06:00

Here are some links for those of you who are interested in learning more about nature. If you are interested in nature writing, these can help you learn more about what you are observing so that you can do a better job of writing about it.

Neartica

The Natural World

The Nature Conservancy

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Scott's Botanical Links

U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works

eNature: America's Wildlife Resource

Bird Watchers Digest

National Audubon Society

There are, of course, many more sites to be found. You can search such terms as wildflowers, trees, birds, lakes, or similar terms. Enjoy!

Languages and Writing

2007-08-05T18:32:00.000-06:00

In my previous post, I mentioned ways that studying a second language can help with your writing. As I have studied other languages, I become more knowledgeable about English--the parts of speech, the verb tenses, and so forth. I also become more aware of the meanings of words, which can help with choosing just the right word to say what you mean.

At the About.com education page, you will find links (in the left sidebar) to pages for English as a Second Language (ESL), French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. They have beginning lessons, more advanced lessons, and information about the culture. These would be a great place to start, and they provide links to other websites and recommendations for books and CDs if you are interested in those. I do think it helps immensely to have some tapes or CDs recorded by native speakers because it helps your pronunciation and ability to understand others speaking the language. You can also locate radio stations and newspapers in the language you're interested in over the internet and get in some good reading and listening practice there. The About.com sites also have audio files, so you can get some listening done there. Oh, and they are free, which is often an important consideration for those of us trying to educate ourselves!

I am also interested in learning Latin, since many of our English words have a Latin base. I'd like to tackle Hebrew and Greek for Bible reading/interpretation purposes as well. There are also websites that can help you get started with these languages.

Latin: Wheelock's Latin page (has a page of links), E.L.Easton's Latin page, a college library Latin page

Greek: Learning Greek, Biblical Greek, Greek Grammar on the Web

Hebrew: Judaism 101: Hebrew Alphabet, The Online Hebrew Tutorial, Learn to Read Biblical Hebrew

Those will get you started and you can always search for more on the internet. Even if you don't want to study the languages, it's interesting to learn something about them

Research and Writing

2007-08-04T10:56:00.000-06:00

It amazes me how much research you can do at home on the internet. There are dictionaries and encyclopedias galore. In addition, you can do a search on any topic that interests you. You can find websites on favorite authors and websites of book reviews on your favorite type of reading. There are websites about writing and about literary criticism and all sorts of things. I try to put links to some of my favorites in my sidebar, but I have far more sites bookmarked on my browser page.

I think it helps solidify your learning about any subject if you write notes or essays or articles about what you are learning. There's something about writing it down that helps you to remember and also to understand what you've read.

I enjoy learning about all the different types of writing there are and how to write in those categories. I think learning about languages helps, too. Even if you aren't interested in learning a foreign language or a classic language like Latin, you can learn a bit about English grammar and about the sources and meanings of the words we use. It'll help you write better if you have a greater understanding of the building blocks of writing.

Anything you learn about any subject can be fodder for your writing. There is no reason you can't write an essay or a poem about some aspect of science or history or art or music. If you are studying another language, try writing in that language. See what you come up with.

So much to do, so little time.

In My Humble Opinion

2007-07-30T06:17:00.000-06:00

I confess I don't understand how anyone can enjoy reading depressing books (Thomas Hardy leaps to mind) that portray life as defeat for the protagonist. I admit that books portraying life as all rainbows and roses are dull, too, but surely there is a happy medium.

To me, books that portray the protagonist in an important conflict, with himself or other people or nature, yet end with said protagonist triumphing in some way are the most satisfying reads. Perhaps the depressing books are touted because they are technically good, but that doesn't strike me as enough to warrant wading through such sad reading. It is true that real life doesn't always come out the way we want it to. We don't always triumph in our conflicts. However, books aren't real life. I would think that ending a book on a hopeful note would give the reader the courage and hope they need to continue with their own struggles.

I suppose I look on books as teaching tools. They portray conflict and then show ways to approach the conflict so that the protagonist overcomes the conflict and is able to put it behind him and move on with his life. Obvious teaching and preaching are also not good, but the example of persisting in the face of conflict surely is a good use of writing talent, rather than portraying gritty realism ending in defeat for our hero.

I realize that there are many viewpoints among people, but I have to wonder if anyone really likes depressing, defeatist books. Do they pretend to like the books because those books are supposed to be intellectually important? I do not believe that intellectual maturity requires that we torture ourselves emotionally. If they really like the negative books, what does that say about their view of life? Are they just naturally pessimistic? I confess I don't know the answer to those questions.

I think that showing a protagonist using all his faculties to overcome a conflict is a more true intellectual exercise. It is also emotionally satisfying. There is no reason that such a book cannot be technically good, as well, if that is what the reader is looking for. On top of everything else, such a book can be an example of persistence and diligence, of how to use one's abilities to their limit to overcome the conflict. It gives hope to the reader that he, too, can overcome the conflicts in his own life. That seems to me to be the best gift that a writer can give to the reading public.

Nature Writing Considerations

2007-07-21T13:48:00.000-06:00

I have been mulling over in my mind the various considerations that go into writing about nature. A common approach is to describe one's observations out in the field. This is what readers of nature writing enjoy most--learning about plants and animals and the earth in its natural state. How do the various kinds of animals act? How do they react to the other things in their environment? What about plants? What grows well in the area you are observing? What does it contribute to the environment?

In addition to simply describing observations, what else could go into nature writing? It depends, of course, on your intended audience. Are you going to write in a more technical way, or are you writing for a general audience? The latter would be my own goal--to write so that any reader can enjoy what I have to say and learn a little in the process.

Environmental concerns often enter into nature writing. This is a good thing because I believe that humans should be good stewards of their environments. There is a wide range of opinion on how this should be accomplished, though, and that will affect what outlets are available to you for publication of your nature writing. Some venues will support one viewpoint and others another. I do believe that we need to be aware of how what people do affects the environment. We need to avoid pollution of land and water and air. However, a certain amount of pollution is inevitable in normal human activities. Some blame capitalism, some blame humans en masse, some blame other things.

My personal viewpoint is that the earth was created for the benefit of man. It is a place for people to grow and learn and develop their talents and abilities. It is not okay to trash the environment, but it is okay to use it wisely. I believe that the more property that is in private hands (individuals or businesses), the better the care that property will receive. People are more likely to be careless with that which does not belong to them. If it is theirs, they will want to conserve its resources and use it wisely, preserving it so that it continues to produce food or beauty or whatever it is that is intended.

Writing about nature (or any other subject) helps one to consider his viewpoint and to make decisions about what approach to take. This leads to research and investigation to find information to help make those decisions. It seems to me that writing, whether for publication or not, can help a person solidify his ideas and learn to express them well. It develops talents and abilities in that person. It develops discipline of mind and thought. It can also help those who read the writing to learn and grow and have ideas to consider. For this reason, I write and hope to someday publish some of my work so that others might benefit. In a sense, I am publishing my writing on this and my other blogs, but it is for a somewhat limited number of readers. Still, however small the audience and whether people agree or disagree, they will have something to consider.

Some Links

2007-07-19T12:14:00.000-06:00

I have added links to my sidebar now and again, but there are four new ones I especially want to point out because they belong to a friend, Confutus. He has quite a project started having to do with an outline of knowledge and also showing how various subjects connect with one another. The sites he has set up are as follows:

Sapience Knowledge Base

Independent Learning Forum (can also be accessed from the SKB home page)

Independent Learning (blog)

From the Ground (this is more of a political blog)

Come visit these sites and leave comments on the blogs or discuss independent learning on the forum. Anyone who is interested in continued learning will probably find something they are interested in. Also, homeschoolers and unschoolers (a term new to me!) will probably find this useful, too.

Reflections

2007-07-14T16:55:00.000-06:00

Mid-July and we have already surpassed our normal average yearly rainfall this year. It's very green here, with accents of color from the blooming flowers. The birds and insects are out in full force, living their lives with enthusiasm.

I find that I don't remember the identities of many plants and animals that I used to know when I lived in the country. Still, a memory can always be refreshed with the help of a field guide or two. That is a good thing if I want to write about nature!

I splurged this morning on Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape edited by Barry Lopez. It is something of a nature dictionary and promises to be interesting reading. Thanks, Anna Mills, for recommending this book!

Writing is a heady mixture of reading and studying, writing, and experiencing life. It doesn't get any better than this!

Difficulties in Writing

2007-07-07T11:34:00.000-06:00

It just isn't easy to write if you are serious about it. You have to have ideas, characters, plot, setting, and so forth. Sometimes one of those will come to you and catch your interest, but you still have to find the right mix of all the others in order to tell your story.

You think about voice and style--what is appropriate to what you are writing? You wouldn't want to write a serious novel in a breezy style. You also need to think about dialogue. How can you write so that all your characters don't sound alike. Then there is viewpoint--first person, third person, sometimes even second person. And which variety of third person or whichever you have chosen? What about length? Is this short story material or novel material? Long poem or short poem? Essay or book-length nonfiction?

You need to start out in a way that will catch your reader's attention and make them want to read more. You have to end the story in a satisfying way so that the reader doesn't feel cheated.

We musn't forget research. You need to know your setting--place and time in history. Even if your work is set in modern times, there will be facts to confirm for your setting and for your plot.

Those things apply to some extent and in some form to poetry and nonfiction, as well as to novels and short stories and other forms of fiction.

It helps to read about writing. Check your library and the internet for information. Check a local bookstore or Amazon or Barnes & Noble for books and magazines. These offer definitions and explanations and how-to guides on all of the above plus marketing. Look around for methods that appeal to you--believe me, they vary a great deal!

Read, read, read. Read in the fields and the genres that interest you. See what others are writing about and how they handle their material.

Write, write, write. Write for yourself. Experiment with different ideas and methods. Find out what type of writing you best like to do and what you have a talent for.

Jot down ideas as they come to you. Many writers carry around notebooks for just this reason. You may think you will remember those thoughts, but they can evaporate in no time, never to be found again.

There is a lot to writing, but there is a lot to anything you care enough about to do well. And above all, enjoy yourself!

A Method of Composition

2007-06-30T14:33:00.000-06:00

I ran across an intriguing essay at Bartleby the other day. It's called "The Philosophy of Composition" and was written by Edgar Allen Poe. In this essay, Poe writes about his composing of "The Raven". I had always pictured him in a gloomy mood of an evening with, perhaps, a raven perched outside his window when he wrote the poem. Not so. Who knew?!

This is a fascinating look at the writing of a poem and it isn't done in the way that we think of poems being written, but it may well provide you with some insight and a different way to go about your writing, at least some of the time.

Some excerpts:

Nothing is more clear than that every plot, worth the name, must be elaborated to its dénouement before anything be attempted with the pen. It is only with the dénouement constantly in view that we can give a plot its indispensable air of consequence, or causation, by making the incidents, and especially the tone at all points, tend to the development of the intention.

There is a radical error, I think, in the usual mode of constructing a story. Either history affords a thesis—or one is suggested by an incident of the day—or, at best, the author sets himself to work in the combination of striking events to form merely the basis of his narrative—designing, generally, to fill in with description, dialogue, or autorial comment, whatever crevices of fact, or action, may, from page to page, render themselves apparent.

I prefer commencing with the consideration of an effect. Keeping originality always in view—for he is false to himself who ventures to dispense with so obvious and so easily attainable a source of interest—I say to myself, in the first place, “Of the innumerable effects, or impressions, of which the heart, the intellect, or (more generally) the soul is susceptible, what one shall I, on the present occasion, select?” Having chosen a novel, first, and secondly a vivid effect, I consider whether it can be best wrought by incident or tone—whether by ordinary incidents and peculiar tone, or the converse, or by peculiarity both of incident and tone—afterward looking about me (or rather within) for such combinations of event, or tone, as shall best aid me in the construction of the effect.

And:

For my own part, I have neither sympathy with the repugnance alluded to, nor, at any time, the least difficulty in recalling to mind the progressive steps of any of my compositions; and, since the interest of an analysis, or reconstruction, such as I have considered a desideratum, is quite independent of any real or fancied interest in the thing analyzed, it will not be regarded as a breach of decorum on my part to show the modus operandi by which some one of my own works was put together. I select “The Raven,” as the most generally known. It is my design to render it manifest that no one point in its composition is referable either to accident or intuition—that the work proceeded, step by step, to its completion with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematical problem.

And:

Holding in view these considerations, as well as that degree of excitement which I deemed not above the popular, while not below the critical, taste, I reached at once what I conceived the proper length for my intended poem—a length of about one hundred lines. It is, in fact, a hundred and eight.

And:

These points being settled, I next bethought me of the nature of my refrain. Since its application was to be repeatedly varied, it was clear that the refrain itself must be brief, for there would have been an insurmountable difficulty in frequent variations of application in any sentence of length. In proportion to the brevity of the sentence, would, of course, be the facility of the variation. This led me at once to a single word as the best refrain.
The question now arose as to the character of the word. Having made up my mind to a refrain, the division of the poem into stanzas was, of course, a corollary: the refrain forming the close to each stanza. That such a close, to have force, must be sonorous and susceptible of protracted emphasis, admitted no doubt: and these considerations inevitably led me to the long o as the most sonorous vowel, in connection with r as the most producible consonant.

I will leave it to you to read the rest of the essay, but I assure you it is quite fascinating to read of the rather mechanical way in which Poe composed "The Raven." And yet, it is very effective. Perhaps you will find some useful ideas here.

Personal Reflection

2007-06-23T17:21:00.000-06:00

Another week has come and gone. Time flies whether you're having fun or not!

I have been reading nature writing, especially Henry David Thoreau. I have some other writers to sample, such as Barry Lopez and a book of essays by different writers. I want to read a variety and get a notion of how they write their material.

I am not what you would call an environmental activist, but I do believe we have a responsibility to God to be good stewards of the earth. That will be the place I am coming from when I begin my own nature writing. I do not know whether it will fit in the published world, but I will give it a shot!

I do want to promote an enjoyment of nature and science. There is much to learn and it is fascinating! It's a wonder to learn what happens and how things work, or at least how we think they work. Nature is also a great stress reliever--to just get outside and observe the plants and animals is to unwind and let go of life's business--and busyness.

I have always enjoyed botanical drawings and would like to improve my drawing ability so that I can create some of those for my own pleasure. Birds and animals as subjects of art are appealing to me, too, as are landscapes. I also love drawings of old houses and barns.

Sometimes I wish I weren't so interested in so many things!

Literary Science and Nature Writing

2007-06-16T09:53:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking lately about literary science and nature writing--how enjoyable it is to read and the possibility of writing in that genre. My inspiration was these posts by Patricia Karamesines at A Motley Vision blog.

I have found an online essay by Barry Lopez in which he discusses what nature writing is and something about its evolution. He mentions many books and authors, so his essay will also give you plenty of material to try out at the library. I don't necessarily agree with some of his statements, but overall it is a good essay and a thought-provoking one. His opening paragraph reads:

In recent years, partly because of a tendency in market-based economies to niche all information, but also in response to a relatively sudden awareness of the social and political impact environmental legislation and thought have had on American society, people have come to speak of nature writing as a distinct, even emergent genre. It is more accurate, most critics assert, to say we are witnessing a resurgence in the genre; and, setting it alongside other genres, it is arguably more helpful to see it as that strain of American literature that, more than others now, is pursuing the ancient discourse on human fate.

A later paragraph says:

The philosophical roots of this work, obviously, lie with Thoreau and Emerson, and the genre includes elements of misanthropy (often, in my view, exaggerated) in people like Edward Abbey, Robinson Jeffers, and Loren Eiseley. But, again, it is hazardous to try to maintain strict bounds. Certain writers frequently cited as nature writers bring with them an additional emphasis -- Wallace Stegner's citizenship, say, or Gary Nabhan's ethnobotany. John Muir, though central to any definition of nature writing, is also considered a focal political figure; Aldo Leopold, another pivotal figure, is not literary enough for some, while Thomas Merton is often regarded as peripheral because his writing is too "spiritual." (I would argue that Merton, more than any other contemporary prose writer, maintained the tradition of spirituality in American writing now thought to be integral to nature writing.) And, in any given critical article, we may learn that, say, Mary Austin, author of The Land of Little Rain (1903), like Susan Fenimore Cooper, author of Rural Hours (1850), has just been "rediscovered" as a nature writer.

It's an interesting essay for those who would like to learn a bit more about nature writing and have some examples of authors to explore.

Henry David Thoreau is probably the nature writer who leaps to everyone's mind when considering this category--I know I enjoy reading his writings. I haven't read a great deal of science and nature writing, but I did read some selections in my anthology classes in literature.

There are any number of ways to go about producing literary science and nature writing. One can emphasize facts or one can emphasize personal observation. One can write poetry, essays, or fiction. Some travel writing could fall into this category, as well. The genre interests me, though, so I will be sampling some various authors and styles and perhaps tackle some writing myself. Also, see my post here at Scholar and here at By Study and Also by Faith, my other blogs, for more on this topic.

Information for Writers

2007-06-09T09:33:00.000-06:00

At a site that I greatly enjoy, Fiction Factor, there is a page of writing articles sorted into categories. Beside articles to help you with your writing at all levels, they have articles on the business of writing which will help make you aware of all the things you need to keep in mind as you seek to sell your writing and become a published author.

As far as research goes, the entire internet is at your disposal. Although Wikipedia needs to be double-checked since anyone can post to it, it is still very useful for finding names and dates to look up elsewhere. There are science sites and history sites and you-name-it sites to research background for your stories. If you want to use a far-away setting, you can go to travel sites and geography sites for descriptions and pictures. This is a great blessing since most of us can't afford to travel somewhere just to consider using it as a setting. In addition, you can read about your own city/state/country and learn things that you never knew, which might trigger an excellent plot or provide a more exotic background that you thought possible from your own backyard.

Of course, you don't have to sell your writing. You can start a website or a blog and post to your heart's content!

Thoughts on Storytelling

2007-06-02T16:50:00.000-06:00

Why do people write? I believe it is largely because of an innate need to tell stories. Storytelling has been a part of the human race since the beginning. It is, perhaps, our way of making sense of life. Whether it is a tiny slice of life in a short poem, or a multi-generational saga in an epic novel, we are trying to sort out our experiences and observations and come to some conclusions about them.

Long ago, before it was easy to even write one's own thoughts, much less print multiple copies of books containing our creations, storytelling was oral. The use of poetic devices such as rhythm, meter, rhyme, alliteration, simile, and metaphor made it easier to memorize even long and involved stories so that they could be passed on. Singing the story, such as medieval troubadors did, also helped people to remember. Now, of course, we are blessed to live in the computer age, when we can type our thoughts quickly into our word processing programs and then go back and refine what we've written to make it as clear and as interesting as possible, so that others will be able to read and understand. These stories can then be published in books or in blogs or anything in between.

Those who hear or read stories gain the same benefit as those telling the stories--making sense of life. The hearer/reader comes away with much to think about. Some may be rejected, some may be incorporated in one's viewpoint. Whichever occurs, the person who received the story gains some insight into life.

Stories told don't have to be fiction. The writing of history or the reporting of news involves selecting what to present and how to present it. When a story is fiction, it is a telling of observations about human nature disguised in a highly imaginative costume. Either way, we come away with much to ponder.

To me, those who write contribute something special to people's lives, something that can provide insight and knowledge. Not all writing is equal, of course, but the thoughtful reader can sort out that which is intelligent and good and wise from that which is trivial or false. Even that exercise can contribute to our making sense of life.

Finding your Voice, Editing Your Fiction, Building a World

2007-05-28T11:33:00.000-06:00

At Fiction Factor I found an article called "Finding Your Unique Voice" by Rob Parnell. In this piece, Mr. Parnell discusses how to find your own "voice" or "style" in your writing. He says:

You should always write in the style that is most natural to you. It may well be different from your speaking voice but should always reflect the way your mind works.

Another thing Mr. Parnell writes is:

Secondly, your voice doesn't have to be 'original'. You can waste years of your time wondering what 'originality' is and trying to define and acquire it.

When critics, publishers and agents say they want 'originality', I believe they have no idea what they mean. They merely confuse writers by demanding something so nebulous and indefinable. I think what they should really be asking for is 'honesty'.

The simple truth is you already possess all the originality you need. You are already unique. No-one else thinks and writes like you do - trying to undo your own originality by constantly striving to be anything less than yourself is counter productive. Trust yourself.

"Voice" is one of those things that is difficult to pin down for a writer, but this article explains it well and gives some methods that a writer can use to discover his or her own voice.

Another very useful article at Fiction Factor is "Editing Fiction" by Lee Masterson and Tina Morgan. It goes beyond looking for typos and grammar mistakes and gives you a list of questions to ask yourself about your piece of writing in an effort to make it much more interesting and readable. The questions cover plot, pacing, setting, characterization, dialogue, and point of view. Very helpful, I think.

An entire set of articles at Fiction Factor is on world building. If you are planning a novel set in an imaginary world (usually fantasy and science fiction, but you may find other uses for this information--perhaps in a poetry cycle or an epic poem), these articles should help you create a complete world for your characters to inhabit. Creating a consistent and believable (in the context of your story) world isn't the easiest thing to do, but it will make your story much better if you plan ahead.

A Place to Submit Your Writing

2007-05-27T16:05:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine forwarded to me a link to an article on The People's Media Company - Associated Content. While there, I looked at the site itself and found that they accept writing submissions from the public. Having only just discovered the site, I don't know much about it yet, so explore a bit before you submit anything. Here is the "FAQ" page, which should help.

It isn't just for non-fiction articles. On the menu in the left sidebar, you can click on "Prose" and be taken to a section for prose, poetry, short stories, and memoirs. You can also submit photos and videos. They pay for some content up front and some, it sounds like it depends on how much interest your submission generates. As I said, I just discovered it, so I don't know details yet. See the "FAQ" page I linked above.

You can write news stories, essays, commentary, and so forth also, and they have sections for many topics. You write about what interests you.

Just thought it was worth a mention. Enjoy exploring the site, even if you never submit anything!