There is precious little hope to be got out of whatever keeps us industrious, but there is a chance for us whenever we cease work and become stargazers. ~H.M. Tomlinson
Month: August 2008
What Don Freeman Taught Me About Story
In cleaning out the garage this month I found my copy of Corduroy by Don Freeman, published in 1968 it tells the story of Corduroy the bear and his adventure in a department store before he is bought by a young girl, Lisa. It was my favorite book when I was younger and reading it… Continue reading What Don Freeman Taught Me About Story
Chuckleheads?
The good writing of any age has always been the product of someone’s neurosis, and we’d have a mighty dull literature if all the writers that came along were a bunch of happy chuckleheads. ~William Styron, interview, Writers at Work, 1958
Improving the silence
Don’t talk unless you can improve the silence. This proverb is attributed to Vermonters. It says a lot about not talking just to hear yourself speak, there is something wonderful about comfortable silence. I just bought my tickets…in less than 3 weeks I’ll be back in Vermont. I’m looking forward to spending 10 days at… Continue reading Improving the silence
Wild, Creative Delight
The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson I’ve been painting the last few days, the kitchen Hawthorne yellow, the dining room, Windham cream. Adding color changes… Continue reading Wild, Creative Delight
Patience and Perseverance
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. John Quincy Adams It’s hard to be patient in our instant gratification nation. Yet when it comes to creative writing patience and perseverance are key. For most writers it takes years to develop a daily writing practice, establish a writing schedule… Continue reading Patience and Perseverance
A reality common to us all
“One demands two things of a poem. Firstly, it must be a well-made verbal object that does honor to the language in which it is written. Secondly, it must say something significant about a reality common to us all, but perceived from a unique perspective. What the poet says has never been said before, but,… Continue reading A reality common to us all
Half a Loaf
Having imagination, it takes you an hour to write a paragraph that, if you were unimaginative, would take you only a minute. Or you might not write the paragraph at all. ~Franklin P. Adams, Half a Loaf, 1927 This week I’ve been reading Powerful Paragraphs by Bruce Ross-Larson,part of The Effective Writing Series. Today write… Continue reading Half a Loaf
Finding Your Voice
“My goal in life is to be the exact same person to you, whether you’ve met me for the first time or the 21st time. Your knowledge of me is there from the beginning in an honest, brutal sort of way. Get your writings to be there…in an honest, brutal sort of way, and you’ll… Continue reading Finding Your Voice
Growing Food on White House Lawn
I know this doesn’t have anything to do with writing but it went along with my studies last semester.