“It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.” - Lucille Ball
I was slow to throw myself into the writing arena. Though I recognized that writing made me happy from a very early age, I didn’t complete my first manuscript until I had finally run out of excuses and reasons not to sit down and write on a daily basis. I decided to satisfy my curiosity and find out when or how other authors embarked on their writing careers.
According to the web site of Nora Roberts, her career was born during a blizzard in 1979. “She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate. Born into a family of readers, Nora had never known a time that she wasn't reading or making up stories. During the now famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born.”
In, On Writing, Stephen King tells of the time when he was six and copied a story from a comic book. He showed it to his mother who then encouraged him to write a story of his own. He did. In fact, he wrote four stories and his mother paid him a quarter each. Obviously, he was paid for his writing at a much earlier age than most of us.
According to Chevron Cars.com, as a young man, Theodor Seuss Geisel worked for an oil company writing ads that consisted of cartoon drawings of people. This began his love for writing and drawing. In 1937, while on a trip, he was inspired to write his first book, To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. He used the name Dr. Seuss, because he wanted to use his real name for more serious books. Seuss was his middle name, and he put Dr. in front of it because his father always wanted him to be a doctor.
From factmonster.com, J. K. Rowling wrote her first story, Rabbit, about a rabbit with measles, at age five or six. Later, she tried her hand at writing novels, for adults. But she never finished writing any novel before she wrote the Harry Potter books. The idea for Harry occurred to her while she was stuck on a delayed train between Manchester and London.
Roald Dahl, according roalddahlfans.com became popular among Washington's rich and famous for the wild yarns he would spin about his RAF adventures. He wrote a story called Gremlin Lore about the mythical creatures that supposedly sabotaged RAF planes. Since he was a serving officer, Dahl was required to submit everything he wrote for approval by British Information Services. The officer who read it, Sidney Bernstein, decided to pass it along to his good friend Walt Disney, who was looking for War–related features for his fledgling film company. Disney decided to turn Dahl's story into an animated feature called "The Gremlins."
Readers, do you know how your favorite author started out? Authors, when and why did you decide to pursue a writing career?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Lucille Ball, Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Dr. Seuss, Rowling, Dahl,
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Authors Workspaces
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” - E.B. White
Frequently my ‘writing nook’ looks as though I left the window open during high winds. Papers are strewn around the desk top and the floor. Open books are scattered about. There are little yellow notes curled up in various places. (I keep these notes even though deciphering can be a challenge as they often appear to be written in a foreign tongue and alphabet.) This writing area is also my grandson’s playroom so there are train tracks, children’s books, and a toy piano along one wall. When out of town visitors arrive, the Murphy bed comes down, the clutter and the toys disappear and it magically turns into a guest bedroom. Yet, with all its uses and for whatever reasons, this nook is where I feel most comfortable writing.
When I ran across the article Famous Authors and Their Workspaces Come Together in a Mural in The New York Times, I had to take a look. The mural was painted by artist Elena Climent at New York University and is called, At Home With Their Books. The workspaces are those of Washington Irving, Edith Wharton, Zora Neale Hurston, Frank O’Hara, Jane Jacobs, and Pedro Pietri. The slideshow shows four of the six rooms.
I thought it interesting that Edith Wharton worked from her bedroom and tended to throw papers on the floor.
Then I discovered Writers Rooms in The Guardian, where I found photos and descriptions of the writing spaces of 95 authors. Here you can see where authors such as Virginia Woolf, Rudyard Kipling, Charlotte Bronte, and George Bernard Shaw spent so much of their time.
Of all the authors, only Philip Hensher said he didn’t have a writing room and has never successfully written at a desk.
Also, I particularly liked the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' sign in the room of Sarah Waters.
Do you have a favorite writing area or can you work from anywhere?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: E.B. White, Climent, Irving, Wharton, Hurston, Woolf, Kipling, Bronte, Shaw,
Frequently my ‘writing nook’ looks as though I left the window open during high winds. Papers are strewn around the desk top and the floor. Open books are scattered about. There are little yellow notes curled up in various places. (I keep these notes even though deciphering can be a challenge as they often appear to be written in a foreign tongue and alphabet.) This writing area is also my grandson’s playroom so there are train tracks, children’s books, and a toy piano along one wall. When out of town visitors arrive, the Murphy bed comes down, the clutter and the toys disappear and it magically turns into a guest bedroom. Yet, with all its uses and for whatever reasons, this nook is where I feel most comfortable writing.
When I ran across the article Famous Authors and Their Workspaces Come Together in a Mural in The New York Times, I had to take a look. The mural was painted by artist Elena Climent at New York University and is called, At Home With Their Books. The workspaces are those of Washington Irving, Edith Wharton, Zora Neale Hurston, Frank O’Hara, Jane Jacobs, and Pedro Pietri. The slideshow shows four of the six rooms.
I thought it interesting that Edith Wharton worked from her bedroom and tended to throw papers on the floor.
Then I discovered Writers Rooms in The Guardian, where I found photos and descriptions of the writing spaces of 95 authors. Here you can see where authors such as Virginia Woolf, Rudyard Kipling, Charlotte Bronte, and George Bernard Shaw spent so much of their time.
Of all the authors, only Philip Hensher said he didn’t have a writing room and has never successfully written at a desk.
Also, I particularly liked the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' sign in the room of Sarah Waters.
Do you have a favorite writing area or can you work from anywhere?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: E.B. White, Climent, Irving, Wharton, Hurston, Woolf, Kipling, Bronte, Shaw,
Monday, February 23, 2009
Muse Amusement
“Spend time every day listening to what your muse is trying to tell you.” –Saint Bartholomew
A muse is the real or imaginary person a writer considers responsible for their inspirations. Most of our modern day muses still come from the nine muses of Greek Mythology: Calliope, Euterpe, Clio, Melpomene, Thalia, Terpsichore, Erato, Urania and Polyhymnia. Together they are supposedly infinite sources of wisdom and creativity. Holding a wax tablet and stylus, Calliope is probably the one most poets, writers or storytellers draw upon.
Stephen King in his book On Writing, says of his muse, “…the guy with the cigar and the little wings has got a bag of magic.”
This made me think that instead of a generic or Greek muse, I, like Stephen King, needed a more personal one. If I could visualize her, then possibly I’d be able to successfully call upon her more frequently. I had fun with the idea. I named my muse Metteccup, derived from the first letter of the names of the original nine muses. I defined her name as meaning ‘metaphysical cup.’ I’m using the archaic definition of metaphysical which, according to Dictionary. com, is: imaginary or fanciful.
I picture her as an elderly Tinkerbelle type character whose pink tutu is a stretched a bit tight around the middle and slightly frayed around the edges. She has a rosy completion, laugh lines around her sparkling dark eyes, a ski-slope kind of nose and a Mona Lisa type of smile. But don’t let her looks fool you. She can be very mischievous and has, at times, vanished for days.
However, when I’m on her good side and she uses her magic wand to shower me with cupfuls of imaginary and fanciful ideas, I wonder how I ever managed to write a word without her. I have no idea how a psychiatrist may interpret my use of an imaginary muse, but I’m almost certain that since she’s come into my life, my writing has improved.
Do you have a real or imaginary muse? If imaginary, how would you describe him, her or it?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Stephen King, On Writing, Muse, Calliope, Saint Bartholomew, mythology,
A muse is the real or imaginary person a writer considers responsible for their inspirations. Most of our modern day muses still come from the nine muses of Greek Mythology: Calliope, Euterpe, Clio, Melpomene, Thalia, Terpsichore, Erato, Urania and Polyhymnia. Together they are supposedly infinite sources of wisdom and creativity. Holding a wax tablet and stylus, Calliope is probably the one most poets, writers or storytellers draw upon.
Stephen King in his book On Writing, says of his muse, “…the guy with the cigar and the little wings has got a bag of magic.”
This made me think that instead of a generic or Greek muse, I, like Stephen King, needed a more personal one. If I could visualize her, then possibly I’d be able to successfully call upon her more frequently. I had fun with the idea. I named my muse Metteccup, derived from the first letter of the names of the original nine muses. I defined her name as meaning ‘metaphysical cup.’ I’m using the archaic definition of metaphysical which, according to Dictionary. com, is: imaginary or fanciful.
I picture her as an elderly Tinkerbelle type character whose pink tutu is a stretched a bit tight around the middle and slightly frayed around the edges. She has a rosy completion, laugh lines around her sparkling dark eyes, a ski-slope kind of nose and a Mona Lisa type of smile. But don’t let her looks fool you. She can be very mischievous and has, at times, vanished for days.
However, when I’m on her good side and she uses her magic wand to shower me with cupfuls of imaginary and fanciful ideas, I wonder how I ever managed to write a word without her. I have no idea how a psychiatrist may interpret my use of an imaginary muse, but I’m almost certain that since she’s come into my life, my writing has improved.
Do you have a real or imaginary muse? If imaginary, how would you describe him, her or it?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Stephen King, On Writing, Muse, Calliope, Saint Bartholomew, mythology,
Friday, February 20, 2009
To Prologue or Not to Prologue
“What is past is prologue.” – William Shakespeare
According to Dictionary. com, the first definition of prologue is: a preliminary discourse; a preface or introductory part of a discourse, poem, or novel.
In my next novel, still a work in progress, I begin with a prologue. The prologue reveals a major event in which the two main characters first meet. They do not meet again until eighteen months later, which is Chapter One. However, after hearing much prologue bashing, I did away with it when I started my second edit, working most of the material into the first chapter.
Soon, I hope to go through the manuscript for the third time. I’m thinking about bringing the prologue back. However, the more I read on prologues, the more confused I become. In The Problem with Prologues by Rankin, he mentions that the use of a prologue is lazy writing.
Marg McAlister’s, The Prologue – When to Use One, How to Write One states, “…The prologue is a better option than a first chapter bogged down in detail.”
Says Lital Talmor in Where to Begin? When, Where and How to Write a Prologue, “The prologue is much like an outworker, a wildcard that gives you the chance to begin your story twice, at two different points.” She also says, “Unnecessary prologues are a dangerous lot: at best they are ignored, at worst they turn the reader off.”
I’m wondering, as a reader do you read or skip the prologues? As a writer, do you make use of prologues or avoid them at all costs?
Hopefully your thoughts will help me make a final decision on whether to prologue or not.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Shakespeare, prologues,
According to Dictionary. com, the first definition of prologue is: a preliminary discourse; a preface or introductory part of a discourse, poem, or novel.
In my next novel, still a work in progress, I begin with a prologue. The prologue reveals a major event in which the two main characters first meet. They do not meet again until eighteen months later, which is Chapter One. However, after hearing much prologue bashing, I did away with it when I started my second edit, working most of the material into the first chapter.
Soon, I hope to go through the manuscript for the third time. I’m thinking about bringing the prologue back. However, the more I read on prologues, the more confused I become. In The Problem with Prologues by Rankin, he mentions that the use of a prologue is lazy writing.
Marg McAlister’s, The Prologue – When to Use One, How to Write One states, “…The prologue is a better option than a first chapter bogged down in detail.”
Says Lital Talmor in Where to Begin? When, Where and How to Write a Prologue, “The prologue is much like an outworker, a wildcard that gives you the chance to begin your story twice, at two different points.” She also says, “Unnecessary prologues are a dangerous lot: at best they are ignored, at worst they turn the reader off.”
I’m wondering, as a reader do you read or skip the prologues? As a writer, do you make use of prologues or avoid them at all costs?
Hopefully your thoughts will help me make a final decision on whether to prologue or not.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Shakespeare, prologues,
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Best Sellers
“A best seller is a celebrity among books. It is a book known primarily (and sometimes exclusively) for its well-knownness.” Daniel J. Boorstin
In the much talked about Stephen King interview with USA Weekend, he said, “The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good." I have not read the Twilight series so I have no comment on Stephenie Meyer’s talent. However, I did wonder how it’s possible to be a best selling author if you are not a good writer. One does not seem doable without the other so I tried to find out exactly what it takes to turn a book into a best seller.
A Midwest Review article explains how the lists are compiled but not the qualities a book or author needs to land on one of these prestigious lists.
Pam Perry’s article, Top 10 Things Every Best-Selling Book Must Have mentions things like timing and word of mouth but nothing about content, quality or a good story line.
Dee Powers wrote in her article What Gets a Book to the Top of the Bestseller List that “Quality of writing is paramount. For writers yet to produce a bestseller, comfort can be taken in that both agents and editors rank quality of writing highly. Great writing wins out. However, there are no hard and fast criteria about what constitutes “great writing." It comes down to subjective judgments made by individuals. Book reviewers may argue that a successful book by the very virtue of its sale's success can not be considered great writing.”
It’s all so confusing. Is it better to be considered a great writer and only sell a few books or a best-selling author whose books sell out within hours of hitting a store? Is it possible to be both?
I think I’ll still dream my “best-seller” dreams. I’d love to know I touched thousands of individuals whose subjective judgments all loved The Ride.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Boorstin, Stephen King, Stephanie Meyer, The Ride, Midwest Review,
In the much talked about Stephen King interview with USA Weekend, he said, “The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good." I have not read the Twilight series so I have no comment on Stephenie Meyer’s talent. However, I did wonder how it’s possible to be a best selling author if you are not a good writer. One does not seem doable without the other so I tried to find out exactly what it takes to turn a book into a best seller.
A Midwest Review article explains how the lists are compiled but not the qualities a book or author needs to land on one of these prestigious lists.
Pam Perry’s article, Top 10 Things Every Best-Selling Book Must Have mentions things like timing and word of mouth but nothing about content, quality or a good story line.
Dee Powers wrote in her article What Gets a Book to the Top of the Bestseller List that “Quality of writing is paramount. For writers yet to produce a bestseller, comfort can be taken in that both agents and editors rank quality of writing highly. Great writing wins out. However, there are no hard and fast criteria about what constitutes “great writing." It comes down to subjective judgments made by individuals. Book reviewers may argue that a successful book by the very virtue of its sale's success can not be considered great writing.”
It’s all so confusing. Is it better to be considered a great writer and only sell a few books or a best-selling author whose books sell out within hours of hitting a store? Is it possible to be both?
I think I’ll still dream my “best-seller” dreams. I’d love to know I touched thousands of individuals whose subjective judgments all loved The Ride.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Boorstin, Stephen King, Stephanie Meyer, The Ride, Midwest Review,
Monday, February 16, 2009
Genres
“Never apologize for your reading tastes.” – Betty Rosenberg
A simple question, “What genres do you like to read?” sent me scurrying to find out more about genres. Much to my surprise, I discovered categories I was not aware existed. Here are a few of them.
Steampunk is speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. It concerns works set in the past, or a world resembling the past, in which modern technological paradigms occurred earlier in history, but were accomplished via the science already present in that time period. Books by H. G. Wells and Jules Verne fall into this genre.
Hardboiled is crime fiction distinguished by an unsentimental portrayal of crime, violence, and sex, such as books by Mickey Spillane, Sara Paretsky and Sue Grafton.
Frame Narrative is a genre whereby readers are lead from the first story to smaller ones within it, such as Canterbury Tales and One Thousand and One Nights.
Urban Fantasy are novels set in contemporary, real-world, urban settings, where magic or paranormal events are commonly accepted to exist. Nation by Terry Pratchett, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and the Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling fell under this category.
Cyberpunk is a science fiction genre noted for its focus on high tech and low life. Examples are Frank Herbert’s, Dune and Isaac Asimov’s, Foundation.
Matron Lit is a genre where the heroine is between the ages of 45-65. Books by Joan Medlicott fall into this category. I was surprised to find Larry McMurtry listed under this genre as well. I also ran across reference to Matron Lit as Hen Lit. I’m not sure which sounds worse.
Baby Boomer, also referred to as Chick lit for the AARP crowd, is written by boomers for boomers. The Botox Diaries, by Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger and The Hot Flash Club by Nancy Thayer were listed in this category.
Airport novels (yes, this seems to be an actual genre) are fast-paced novels of intrigue or adventure, like those by Dan Brown or John Grisham that are typically offered by airport kiosks for travelling readers.
Helpful sites I visited for genre lists were Wordsmith Extraordinaire and NationMaster.com along with Wikipedia.
Next time I am asked the question of which genres I enjoy reading, I will not hem and haw. I’ll answer truthfully, “Quite a few of them.”
What genres to you like to read or write?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Wells, Rosenbergt, Verne, Grafton, Rowling, Medlicott, McMurtry, genre, Dan Brown,
A simple question, “What genres do you like to read?” sent me scurrying to find out more about genres. Much to my surprise, I discovered categories I was not aware existed. Here are a few of them.
Steampunk is speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. It concerns works set in the past, or a world resembling the past, in which modern technological paradigms occurred earlier in history, but were accomplished via the science already present in that time period. Books by H. G. Wells and Jules Verne fall into this genre.
Hardboiled is crime fiction distinguished by an unsentimental portrayal of crime, violence, and sex, such as books by Mickey Spillane, Sara Paretsky and Sue Grafton.
Frame Narrative is a genre whereby readers are lead from the first story to smaller ones within it, such as Canterbury Tales and One Thousand and One Nights.
Urban Fantasy are novels set in contemporary, real-world, urban settings, where magic or paranormal events are commonly accepted to exist. Nation by Terry Pratchett, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and the Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling fell under this category.
Cyberpunk is a science fiction genre noted for its focus on high tech and low life. Examples are Frank Herbert’s, Dune and Isaac Asimov’s, Foundation.
Matron Lit is a genre where the heroine is between the ages of 45-65. Books by Joan Medlicott fall into this category. I was surprised to find Larry McMurtry listed under this genre as well. I also ran across reference to Matron Lit as Hen Lit. I’m not sure which sounds worse.
Baby Boomer, also referred to as Chick lit for the AARP crowd, is written by boomers for boomers. The Botox Diaries, by Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger and The Hot Flash Club by Nancy Thayer were listed in this category.
Airport novels (yes, this seems to be an actual genre) are fast-paced novels of intrigue or adventure, like those by Dan Brown or John Grisham that are typically offered by airport kiosks for travelling readers.
Helpful sites I visited for genre lists were Wordsmith Extraordinaire and NationMaster.com along with Wikipedia.
Next time I am asked the question of which genres I enjoy reading, I will not hem and haw. I’ll answer truthfully, “Quite a few of them.”
What genres to you like to read or write?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Wells, Rosenbergt, Verne, Grafton, Rowling, Medlicott, McMurtry, genre, Dan Brown,
Friday, February 13, 2009
Paraskavedekatriaphobia Anybody?
"Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs." - Marlene Dietrich
Are you paraskavedekatriaphobic? If so, you are not alone. It has been reported that more than 60 million people worldwide suffer from the morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13. Convincing these sufferers that their superstition is a habit may be impossible. Some of these people are unable to get out of bed on this day, much less drive a car or work.
Every year has at least one and at most three Friday the 13ths. A month that begins with a Sunday will always have a Friday the 13th in it. There will be three in 2009—February, March and November.
The cost of absenteeism, travel cancellations for planes and trains, and reduced shopping on this day is around a billion dollars in America. A British study concluded that even though there were less cars on the road on Friday the 13th (as compared with other Fridays) more accidents were reported.
Do you alter your schedule on Friday the 13th? Or do you have any superstitious habits like the following writers?
Isabel Allende began writing her first published book on January 8, so that’s the day she has started all subsequent books.
Alexandre Dumas, the elder, ate an apple at 7 a.m. each morning under the Arc de Triomphe.
Bharati Mukherjee will not leave the house if someone sneezes just as she's getting ready to leave and she doesn't cut her nails on certain days of the week.
Stephen King goes through these motions when he sits down to write; "I have a glass of water or I have a cup of tea. I have my vitamin pill I have my music; I have my same seat; and the papers are all arranged in the same places."
Charles Dickens walked twenty to thirty miles a day. He also placed objects on his desk in exactly the same position, always set his bed in north/south directions, and touched certain objects three times for luck.
To read more about the origins and legends of Friday the 13th visit About.com.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Dietrich, Roosevelt, Allende, Dumas, Mukherjee, Stephen King, Dickens, Friday 13, Paraskavedekatriaphobia ,
Are you paraskavedekatriaphobic? If so, you are not alone. It has been reported that more than 60 million people worldwide suffer from the morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13. Convincing these sufferers that their superstition is a habit may be impossible. Some of these people are unable to get out of bed on this day, much less drive a car or work.
Every year has at least one and at most three Friday the 13ths. A month that begins with a Sunday will always have a Friday the 13th in it. There will be three in 2009—February, March and November.
The cost of absenteeism, travel cancellations for planes and trains, and reduced shopping on this day is around a billion dollars in America. A British study concluded that even though there were less cars on the road on Friday the 13th (as compared with other Fridays) more accidents were reported.
Do you alter your schedule on Friday the 13th? Or do you have any superstitious habits like the following writers?
Isabel Allende began writing her first published book on January 8, so that’s the day she has started all subsequent books.
Alexandre Dumas, the elder, ate an apple at 7 a.m. each morning under the Arc de Triomphe.
Bharati Mukherjee will not leave the house if someone sneezes just as she's getting ready to leave and she doesn't cut her nails on certain days of the week.
Stephen King goes through these motions when he sits down to write; "I have a glass of water or I have a cup of tea. I have my vitamin pill I have my music; I have my same seat; and the papers are all arranged in the same places."
Charles Dickens walked twenty to thirty miles a day. He also placed objects on his desk in exactly the same position, always set his bed in north/south directions, and touched certain objects three times for luck.
To read more about the origins and legends of Friday the 13th visit About.com.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Dietrich, Roosevelt, Allende, Dumas, Mukherjee, Stephen King, Dickens, Friday 13, Paraskavedekatriaphobia ,
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Constrained Writing
“What is written without effort is generally read without pleasure.” –Samuel Johnson
I find writing a coherent sentence is a fun but challenging endeavor—even on days when words are flowing freely. However, I have recently discovered that some authors go out of their way to make the writing process more difficult. I am talking about constrained writing. This is a technique in which the writer, bound by certain conditions, is forbidden from using certain things. I can only imagine the amount of effort that the authors expended in order to accomplish their goal. Here are a few examples:
Gadsby by Ernest Vincent Wright is a 50,100 word novel written without using the letter, “e.”
The French novel La Disparition, by George Perec also does not include the letter “e.” Perec’s novella, Les Revenentes, on the other hand, uses no other vowel except for “e.”
Another French novel, Le Train de Bulle Part by Michael Thaler was written without verbs.
In Never Again by Doug Nufer no word is used more than once.
In Alphabetical Africa by Walter Abish, the first chapter only uses words that begin with the letter “a,” while the second chapter incorporates the letter “b,” and then “c,” etc. Once the alphabet is finished, Abish takes letters away, one at a time, until the last chapter, leaving only words that begin with the letter “a.”
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (Therdor Geisel) uses only 50 different words. According an article I read, Geisel did this on a $50 bet with Bennet Cerf.
For more information on this genre, visit Absolute Astronomy.com.
It’s embarrassing to admit that I have not read any of these books other than Green Eggs and Ham. However, next time I’m in the library, I hope to find at least one of these examples. I’m curious to know how readable they are.
Have you read or written anything using the constrained writing technique?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Samuel Johnson, constrained writing, Gadsby, Dr. Seuss, Geisel, Cerf, Nufer, Abish, Perec, Thaler,
I find writing a coherent sentence is a fun but challenging endeavor—even on days when words are flowing freely. However, I have recently discovered that some authors go out of their way to make the writing process more difficult. I am talking about constrained writing. This is a technique in which the writer, bound by certain conditions, is forbidden from using certain things. I can only imagine the amount of effort that the authors expended in order to accomplish their goal. Here are a few examples:
Gadsby by Ernest Vincent Wright is a 50,100 word novel written without using the letter, “e.”
The French novel La Disparition, by George Perec also does not include the letter “e.” Perec’s novella, Les Revenentes, on the other hand, uses no other vowel except for “e.”
Another French novel, Le Train de Bulle Part by Michael Thaler was written without verbs.
In Never Again by Doug Nufer no word is used more than once.
In Alphabetical Africa by Walter Abish, the first chapter only uses words that begin with the letter “a,” while the second chapter incorporates the letter “b,” and then “c,” etc. Once the alphabet is finished, Abish takes letters away, one at a time, until the last chapter, leaving only words that begin with the letter “a.”
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (Therdor Geisel) uses only 50 different words. According an article I read, Geisel did this on a $50 bet with Bennet Cerf.
For more information on this genre, visit Absolute Astronomy.com.
It’s embarrassing to admit that I have not read any of these books other than Green Eggs and Ham. However, next time I’m in the library, I hope to find at least one of these examples. I’m curious to know how readable they are.
Have you read or written anything using the constrained writing technique?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Samuel Johnson, constrained writing, Gadsby, Dr. Seuss, Geisel, Cerf, Nufer, Abish, Perec, Thaler,
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Language of Twitter
“It’s all about being accessible and friendly.” – The Telegraph
Last month I participated in the blog-a-day challenge through the Blog Book Tours Forum in an effort to improve my posts, frequency of blogging, and the looks of my blog page. This month the forum is focusing on social media sites and for the past week Twitter has been the focal point of our attention.
I’ve had a Twitter account for a few months but could never quite figure out the inner workings. Thanks to the forum, I understand it a little better. Hopefully, with more practice I’ll develop the expertise to Tweet like a pro or at least no longer be a Tweetard (a twitter retard).
To learn more about Twitter, I visited Site Masher where I discovered I have a whole new language to master before I can even dream about rising from amateur to expert. Visit the site for the entire list which includes shorthand, tools and terms. Here are a few of my favorite terms:
Dweet –Tweet sent while drunk
Mistweet –A message or 'Tweet' that was sent in error or one later regrets.
Twadd –To add someone as a friend - mutual followers.
Twaigslist –To sell something via twitter. Also Twebay
Twaiting –Twittering while waiting
Tweekend –Spending your entire Saturday and Sunday reading and posting via Twitter. Tweepish –Feeling sheepish or regretful about something you tweeted.
Tweetaholism –The continued use of Twitter as an addiction that is difficult to control Tweeterboxes –Twitterers who tweet too much
Twhiner – A twitterer who only ever posts whiney, negative tweets
Twisticuffs – Fighting with a fellow twitterer over twitter.
Twittcrastination - Twittering as a form of procrastination
Twitterati –The glamorous A-List twitterer's everyone wants to follow.
Twitterfly –Being a social butterfly on Twitter evidenced by extreme usage of @ signs. Twitterish - Erratic behavior with short outbursts.
Twitteritas –Women who play with their twitters.
Twitter-Light Zone –Where you are when you return to Twitter after any time away and feel disoriented and lost.
Twitterlooing - Twittering from a bathroom.
Twitterphoria –The elation you feel when the person you’ve added as a friend adds you back.
Twitterrhea –The act of sending too many Twitter messages.
Twittfeinated, Twigged Out, Twired –To be so hyped up on twittering that you cannot sleep
Twittfessional –A confession made on Twitter
Twittsomnia –Twittering due to inability to sleep, thus compounding inability to sleep.
Twopsies –When you drop things because you are twittering.
To follow me on Twitter click here.
How do you feel about Twittering? Do have any advice for a novice tweeter? Do you have a favorite Twitter terms?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: The Telegraph, Twitter, Blog Book Tours, Diringer, alphabet,
Last month I participated in the blog-a-day challenge through the Blog Book Tours Forum in an effort to improve my posts, frequency of blogging, and the looks of my blog page. This month the forum is focusing on social media sites and for the past week Twitter has been the focal point of our attention.
I’ve had a Twitter account for a few months but could never quite figure out the inner workings. Thanks to the forum, I understand it a little better. Hopefully, with more practice I’ll develop the expertise to Tweet like a pro or at least no longer be a Tweetard (a twitter retard).
To learn more about Twitter, I visited Site Masher where I discovered I have a whole new language to master before I can even dream about rising from amateur to expert. Visit the site for the entire list which includes shorthand, tools and terms. Here are a few of my favorite terms:
Dweet –Tweet sent while drunk
Mistweet –A message or 'Tweet' that was sent in error or one later regrets.
Twadd –To add someone as a friend - mutual followers.
Twaigslist –To sell something via twitter. Also Twebay
Twaiting –Twittering while waiting
Tweekend –Spending your entire Saturday and Sunday reading and posting via Twitter. Tweepish –Feeling sheepish or regretful about something you tweeted.
Tweetaholism –The continued use of Twitter as an addiction that is difficult to control Tweeterboxes –Twitterers who tweet too much
Twhiner – A twitterer who only ever posts whiney, negative tweets
Twisticuffs – Fighting with a fellow twitterer over twitter.
Twittcrastination - Twittering as a form of procrastination
Twitterati –The glamorous A-List twitterer's everyone wants to follow.
Twitterfly –Being a social butterfly on Twitter evidenced by extreme usage of @ signs. Twitterish - Erratic behavior with short outbursts.
Twitteritas –Women who play with their twitters.
Twitter-Light Zone –Where you are when you return to Twitter after any time away and feel disoriented and lost.
Twitterlooing - Twittering from a bathroom.
Twitterphoria –The elation you feel when the person you’ve added as a friend adds you back.
Twitterrhea –The act of sending too many Twitter messages.
Twittfeinated, Twigged Out, Twired –To be so hyped up on twittering that you cannot sleep
Twittfessional –A confession made on Twitter
Twittsomnia –Twittering due to inability to sleep, thus compounding inability to sleep.
Twopsies –When you drop things because you are twittering.
To follow me on Twitter click here.
How do you feel about Twittering? Do have any advice for a novice tweeter? Do you have a favorite Twitter terms?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: The Telegraph, Twitter, Blog Book Tours, Diringer, alphabet,
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Letter "J"
“Just as flowing water follows gravity, letters follow language.” – David Sacks
I grew up in America, learned my ABC’s, and eventually became a writer without once wondering about the letters that make up our alphabet. I simply took them all for granted. That is until my sister gave me the book, Letter Perfect by David Sacks. In this book, Mr. Sacks gives the history of the alphabet as well as all of the 26 letters in it.
I haven’t read about each letter—yet. I immediately flipped the pages to the letter “J” because…well, I couldn’t spell my name without it. Did you know that J is the 10th letter in our alphabet but one of the last two to letters to be added to the Roman alphabet? Me neither. According to the book, “If a letter evolves new sounds, its alphabet has to catch up, probably by adding sounds to existing letters or (a step further) by inventing a brand-new letter or two.” That’s how the J came about.
A capital J appeared in Spanish print before 1600, changing the spelling but not the pronunciation of Iesus to Jesus. The J began to replace the I in French around 1570. Italy rejected J altogether using it only for foreign words already in print. In fact, only since the mid 19th century, thanks to Noah Webster, did J gain full acceptance into our alphabet. Thank you, Mr. Webster.
J took its shape as, “…a hook-tailed version of the letter I.” Alphabet scholar, David Diringer said the letter J is, “inferior in design to other letters, lacking the balance, boldness, and dignity of the classical Roman monumental letters.”
At first I was offended that the letter “J” should receive such harsh criticism. Then I realized that it’s not as if it’s possible for that sentiment to carry over from the first letter of my name and into my life…is it? I’m sure if my mother had heard this about the letter J, she would have named me something that began with a more dignified letter.
I can’t wait to move on to the letter “A.”
Have you ever wondered about the alphabetical history of the letters in your name? In the future, do you think our alphabet will gain more new sounds or letters?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: David Sacks, Letter Perfect, Webster, Diringer, alphabet,
I grew up in America, learned my ABC’s, and eventually became a writer without once wondering about the letters that make up our alphabet. I simply took them all for granted. That is until my sister gave me the book, Letter Perfect by David Sacks. In this book, Mr. Sacks gives the history of the alphabet as well as all of the 26 letters in it.
I haven’t read about each letter—yet. I immediately flipped the pages to the letter “J” because…well, I couldn’t spell my name without it. Did you know that J is the 10th letter in our alphabet but one of the last two to letters to be added to the Roman alphabet? Me neither. According to the book, “If a letter evolves new sounds, its alphabet has to catch up, probably by adding sounds to existing letters or (a step further) by inventing a brand-new letter or two.” That’s how the J came about.
A capital J appeared in Spanish print before 1600, changing the spelling but not the pronunciation of Iesus to Jesus. The J began to replace the I in French around 1570. Italy rejected J altogether using it only for foreign words already in print. In fact, only since the mid 19th century, thanks to Noah Webster, did J gain full acceptance into our alphabet. Thank you, Mr. Webster.
J took its shape as, “…a hook-tailed version of the letter I.” Alphabet scholar, David Diringer said the letter J is, “inferior in design to other letters, lacking the balance, boldness, and dignity of the classical Roman monumental letters.”
At first I was offended that the letter “J” should receive such harsh criticism. Then I realized that it’s not as if it’s possible for that sentiment to carry over from the first letter of my name and into my life…is it? I’m sure if my mother had heard this about the letter J, she would have named me something that began with a more dignified letter.
I can’t wait to move on to the letter “A.”
Have you ever wondered about the alphabetical history of the letters in your name? In the future, do you think our alphabet will gain more new sounds or letters?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: David Sacks, Letter Perfect, Webster, Diringer, alphabet,
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Guest Blogging
“I have my share of insecurities, hopes and fears.” – Stephan Jenkins
Last month, The Ride, was the subject of a Noontime Book chat between J. Kaye of J. Kaye’s Book Blog and Marcia of the Printed Page. Each day for four days, J. Kaye and Marcia discussed the part of the book they had read the night before. Although I was excited that The Ride was selected for this honor, like the quote, I did have my share of insecurities, hopes and fears during the process.
Marcia asked me to do a guest blog on how it felt to be the author of a book featured in this type of review. I do hope you’ll make a stop at The Printed Page today to read about my reactions.
If you missed the chats you’ll find them here: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday wrap-up with J. Kaye and Marcia. Also Marcia’s final review is here.
As always, I’d love to hear your feedback—so leave a comment here, or at The Printed Page or at both places.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Stephan Jenkins, The Ride, J. Kaye, Printed Page,
Last month, The Ride, was the subject of a Noontime Book chat between J. Kaye of J. Kaye’s Book Blog and Marcia of the Printed Page. Each day for four days, J. Kaye and Marcia discussed the part of the book they had read the night before. Although I was excited that The Ride was selected for this honor, like the quote, I did have my share of insecurities, hopes and fears during the process.
Marcia asked me to do a guest blog on how it felt to be the author of a book featured in this type of review. I do hope you’ll make a stop at The Printed Page today to read about my reactions.
If you missed the chats you’ll find them here: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday wrap-up with J. Kaye and Marcia. Also Marcia’s final review is here.
As always, I’d love to hear your feedback—so leave a comment here, or at The Printed Page or at both places.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Stephan Jenkins, The Ride, J. Kaye, Printed Page,
Monday, February 2, 2009
A Little Good News
“Who brings good news may knock boldly.” – James Howell
I thought I’d start off the week with a little good news. In my January 12 and January 26 blogs, I mentioned the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. This Act would have made life hard, if not impossible, for authors and publishers of children’s books as well as small and home based businesses producing items for children. Libraries around the country discussed the possibility of banning children under the age of 13, after February 10.
I am happy to say that a one year stay of enforcement has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) . They haven’t repealed or relaxed the law. If a product is found to contain too much lead, the CPSC will still prosecute (as they should). However, it does mean that those who know their children’s products do not contain lead or phthalates (the stuff added to plastic) will not have to pay the big bucks for third-party testing. At least for the present.
I won’t pretend I understand all the ramifications of the act or the one year stay. However, for now, I believe libraries will be able to continue allowing young children through their doors. Authors, publishers, bookstores and other businesses can continue writing, producing and selling non-toxic books and products without endangering our children or incurring the National Debt.
For an excellent, in depth article on the this Act of 2008 from someone that understands the subject matter much better than I do, visit Holly Jahangiri’s blog, Do I Have to Spell it Out.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: James Howell, CPSC, libraries, Jahangiri,
I thought I’d start off the week with a little good news. In my January 12 and January 26 blogs, I mentioned the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. This Act would have made life hard, if not impossible, for authors and publishers of children’s books as well as small and home based businesses producing items for children. Libraries around the country discussed the possibility of banning children under the age of 13, after February 10.
I am happy to say that a one year stay of enforcement has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) . They haven’t repealed or relaxed the law. If a product is found to contain too much lead, the CPSC will still prosecute (as they should). However, it does mean that those who know their children’s products do not contain lead or phthalates (the stuff added to plastic) will not have to pay the big bucks for third-party testing. At least for the present.
I won’t pretend I understand all the ramifications of the act or the one year stay. However, for now, I believe libraries will be able to continue allowing young children through their doors. Authors, publishers, bookstores and other businesses can continue writing, producing and selling non-toxic books and products without endangering our children or incurring the National Debt.
For an excellent, in depth article on the this Act of 2008 from someone that understands the subject matter much better than I do, visit Holly Jahangiri’s blog, Do I Have to Spell it Out.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: James Howell, CPSC, libraries, Jahangiri,
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Shameless Plug Day
“You must stir it and stump it, And blow your own trumpet, Or trust me, you haven’t a chance.” - W.S. Gilbert
I have decided to make Sunday my shameless plug day.
Coming up on Monday, February 2, at 8:30 am is my radio interview with Rochelle Herman on the Tell Rochelle Show at WSRQ 1220 AM in Sarasota.
If you have not picked up your copy of The Ride, it is available at these stores:
Barnes and Noble, Sarasota, FL
Barnes and Noble, Clearwater, FL
One for the Books, Cape Coral, FL
Of course, your favorite store can order it for you as well. All you need is the ISBN Numbers: ISBN (10) 1-59507-193-8, ISBN (13) 978-159507-193-4
To buy The Ride on line, visit:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
ArcheBooks
An ebook version can also be bought at Archebooks for only $3.99.
If you have seen The Ride in a store near you, please let me know so I can add it to my list. I’d also like to hear from anyone who has read the book.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: W. S> Gilbert, Rochelle Herman, WSRQ, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, ArcheBooks, The Ride, ebook,
I have decided to make Sunday my shameless plug day.
Coming up on Monday, February 2, at 8:30 am is my radio interview with Rochelle Herman on the Tell Rochelle Show at WSRQ 1220 AM in Sarasota.
If you have not picked up your copy of The Ride, it is available at these stores:
Barnes and Noble, Sarasota, FL
Barnes and Noble, Clearwater, FL
One for the Books, Cape Coral, FL
Of course, your favorite store can order it for you as well. All you need is the ISBN Numbers: ISBN (10) 1-59507-193-8, ISBN (13) 978-159507-193-4
To buy The Ride on line, visit:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
ArcheBooks
An ebook version can also be bought at Archebooks for only $3.99.
If you have seen The Ride in a store near you, please let me know so I can add it to my list. I’d also like to hear from anyone who has read the book.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: W. S> Gilbert, Rochelle Herman, WSRQ, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, ArcheBooks, The Ride, ebook,
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