I’m back, the world is still turning, and suddenly it’s Fall.
Death, like so many of life’s difficulties, serves to highlight what can be accomplished in the meantime and the short span in which we have to do it.
Time to get back to work.
Posts Tagged ‘inspiration’
Death, and After
Posted in Writing, tagged creativity, death, home, inspiration, Motivation, Thoughts, work on September 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Satisfy Your Soul
Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged artists, arts, awesome, bill watterson, calvin and hobbes, creativity, inspiration, Motivation, persistence, tombstone, work, yay on August 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Oh, I love this, and it’s just the sort of inspiration I need today. The text is an excerpt from a commencement speech in 1990 by Bill Watterson (of Calvin and Hobbes fame). The art is by Zen Pencils and is a beautifully done tribute to his inspiration, Watterson.
If you have a moment Read the Zen Pencils essay. I always enjoyed Calvin and Hobbes but didn’t know much about Watterson’s challenges as he made the strip or his history. I particularly like the part about persistence.
… Broke, he was forced to move back in with his parents and worked an advertising layout job he hated while he drew comics in his spare time…. Luckily Watterson didn’t quit…
Of all the things that could go on my tombstone, “Luckily, she didn’t quit” is right up there.
Smart Man
Posted in Funny, Likes, tagged arts, awesome, books, Einstein, flash fiction online, good society, inspiration, knowledge, public libraries, smart, Thoughts, yay on August 26, 2013| Leave a Comment »
From Flash Fiction Online’s Facebook page. I can’t even say how much I love this…
Like many other committed readers and writers, I spent a significant part of my time from childhood on in public libraries. People often take them for granted now, but imagine a time (or place) where you couldn’t pop down to the corner for a book, or a consultation with a librarian, or a safe quiet place to read and work, where knowledge wasn’t freely available to all. What a wonderful invention.
Maximum Elmore
Posted in Writing, tagged artists, arts, books, creativity, death, Elmore Leonard, Fiction, inspiration, Motivation, Writers, writing on August 20, 2013| 1 Comment »
Crime Novelist Elmore Leonard Dies
Elmore Leonard died today, after a recent stroke and related complications. That’s sad in all sorts of ways, most importantly for his family but also for his fans.
That said, I have had it up to here with death.
Yes, it’s inevitable. Yes, you only have one life and then poof, gone. But what if you have an impact on the people around you that will last beyond your lifetime? What if you are thoughtful and kind and concerned about bringing the best to our shared world? And what if you are a writer with the sort of innate feel for dialog, story and character that Elmore Leonard had, dedicate your efforts to the constructive pursuit of creativity, and work hard enough and well on work like Get Shorty and Maximum Bob?
Then you earn a devoted following of fans who will not only remember your efforts but will see the world in a slightly different way, thanks to your work. I am such a fan. Mr. Leonard will be missed.
Sunrise, and All’s Well
Posted in Other, tagged awesome, beautiful, inspiration, national parks, sunrise, usinterior, yay on July 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Good morning!
Survival Hints for Creative Young Weirdos
Posted in Likes, Other, tagged artists, awesome, creativity, culture, finishing, inspiration, kids, Motivation, NPR, Thoughts, weirdos, yay on July 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Just in time for Comic-Con, Linda Holmes over at NPR’s Monkey See pop-culture column has written a lovely piece today. It’s framed as a letter to “young creative weirdos,” those who may be socially awkward now but who will constitute our next wave of creators, of thinkers, of innovators. Here are a few excerpts, but if you are interested in encouraging young people to do more, do better, do different, I suggest you read the whole thing.
On change, and the making of same:
Don’t confuse what people are getting with what people want…. If you had told people [100 years ago], “I am a young person, and I intend to create Superman,” they would have told you, “That’s nice, dear, eat your dinner.” Things change.
On feedback:
Only listen to it if it’s supposed to make you better, not if it’s supposed to make you stop.
On work:
Write a lot, paint a lot, shoot a lot of film, take a lot of pictures, dance a lot, sing a lot, whatever the thing you do is, do it a lot.…Keep going.
This is exactly the sort of letter I would have appreciated as a kid. Pass it on.
David Mamet’s Writing Master Class
Posted in Writing, tagged artists, arts, awesome, creativity, David Mamet, drama, Fiction, inspiration, work, Writers, writing on July 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Today’s useful writing link: David Mamet’s Master Class Memo to the Writers of The Unit. Originally written in 2005, it remains as concise a discussion of dramatic writing as I’ve seen. Funny too. For those of you interested in writing, I highly recommend that you read the whole thing (it’s not long); here are a few excerpts to whet your appetite.
QUESTION:WHAT IS DRAMA? DRAMA, AGAIN, IS THE QUEST OF THE HERO TO OVERCOME THOSE THINGS WHICH PREVENT HIM FROM ACHIEVING A SPECIFIC, ACUTE GOAL.SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS.
1) WHO WANTS WHAT?
2) WHAT HAPPENS IF HER DON’T GET IT?
3) WHY NOW?
Ignore the typos and the all caps to focus on the substance. This memo is terrific advice for any writer, television or otherwise.
START, EVERY TIME, WITH THIS INVIOLABLE RULE: THE SCENE MUST BE DRAMATIC. it must start because the hero HAS A PROBLEM, AND IT MUST CULMINATE WITH THE HERO FINDING HIM OR HERSELF EITHER THWARTED OR EDUCATED THAT ANOTHER WAY EXISTS.
LOOK AT THE SCENE AND ASK YOURSELF “IS IT DRAMATIC? IS IT ESSENTIAL? DOES IT ADVANCE THE PLOT?
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY.
On that note, it’s time to get back to writing:)
Everyone You Know…
Posted in Likes, Science!, tagged carl sagan, home, inspiration, pale blue dot, photography, science, space, Thoughts on June 28, 2013| 1 Comment »
From an NPR article on a global “self-portrait” scheduled for July 19th. Thank you, Carl, for putting us all in perspective.
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