Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘work’

Mary Robinette Kowal, that font of wisdom and Regency fashion tips, has a nice column on bad writing advice.

There’s a bunch of aphorisms about writing that started as good, pithy advice in part of someone’s lecture. Then they got pulled out of context and then misapplied.

Mary breaks down the standards that every beginning writer hears and talks about what they really mean, and when they are useful (spoiler: not always!). Write what you know, show don’t tell, raise the stakes, and kill your darlings, all so often repeated as gospel.

If you’ve ever tried to merge the advice to “write what you know” with the burning desire to write about Martian ballerinas and the prospectors who love them, well, fellow speculators, this is for you.

/totally going off to write a story about Martian ballet… right after I finish my novel!

Read Full Post »

 

Like many of you I’m doing NaNoWriMo and as such I am more than usually interested in questions of creativity and how to help it along. The following is from an essay in MIT’s Technology Review by Isaac Asimov, in which he asks that most fundamental of questions, “How Do People Get New Ideas?

… what is needed is not only people with a good background in a particular field, but also people capable of making a connection between item 1 and item 2 which might not ordinarily seem connected… Making the cross-connection requires a certain daring.

And so to you I say (with a nod to Theodore Roosevelt), dare greatly!

Read Full Post »

I haven’t posted anything about National Novel Writing Month this year because I hadn’t quite decided whether or not to do it. I’m busy, I said. I’ve already proven I can churn out 50,000 words in thirty days, I said. I can do it when I’m happy. I can do it when I’m busy. I can do it when I’m sick. (I am, in fact, something of a freaking Dr. Seuss when it comes to NaNoWriMo.) Do I really need to prove that I can do it again? Would my time be better spent finding a new way to expand my writing experience?

Well, no. That’s what I decided. And when I committed to finding a new way to make the most of my 50,000 words this November, I had a mini breakthrough. Work on one thing, I told myself. Well, ok, work on 50,000 words and one other thing. That’s it. Practice high levels of word production while learning how to do better at *X* and see how that goes.

Turns out it’s going pretty well.

I’m traveling, and finding time to get my word count in has been a challenge. That’s ok. In fact, that’s a great part of this lesson. It is in fact possible to cram in that last 350 words in the ten minutes before dinner. Doing it while also remembering to focus on maximizing the conflict between your characters?

Priceless:)

Happy National Novel Writing Month, all!

 

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too… Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.

― William Hutchison Murray

Read Full Post »

Today we have helpful hints on reading aloud (and presentation in general) from Mary Robinette Kowal.

As an accomplished narratorpodcasterpuppeteer and author with lots of touring experience, she should know. And she does!

Check out her 17-part series for a plethora of detailed and useful suggestions for handling stage fright, phrasing, breathing, recording, what can go wrong (and how to cope with grace), and so much more. If you have a tour in the offing or, you know, you just want to be prepared for your future as a literary genius, this series is for you.

Read Full Post »

My motto for today is “Do More.”

That’s it. Simple and easy to wrap one’s head around, if not always to put into practice. Having a goal helps me focus. Making it straightforward brings me all the positive feedback of accomplishment without the tedious “Holy crap, I can’t do this” of a more difficult challenge.

“Self,” I say to myself, “you are doing more and that is awesome. Let’s keep it up.”

Does a dead-simple productivity hack like this work for me? I am happy to report that so far the answer is yes. I’ve edited one story, submitted another, brainstormed a third, worked out and also done non-writing work. I’ve made what I consider not-bad progress. Here’s hoping that whatever it is you’re working on, you have too.

Read Full Post »

If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a nice piece by Lev Grossman in The New York Times on “Finding My Voice in Fantasy.”

We — as a whole, as a culture — seemed to be getting more interested in the kinds of questions fantasy deals with: questions about history, and about our connection to the natural world, and about power, how to find it in yourself, how to master it, what to do with it.

Fantasy is sometimes dismissed as childish, or escapist, but I take what I am doing very, very seriously. For me fantasy isn’t about escaping from reality, it’s about re-encountering the challenges of the real world, but externalized and transformed.

 

Read Full Post »

If you’re making mistakes, it means you’re out there doing something.

This is a terrific saying. Thanks to Epic Reads for the lovely image, and thanks to Neil Gaiman for saying it.

Read Full Post »

So there I was fighting with some work stuff and fixing to have a perfectly crappy afternoon when a little lightbulb went off over my head, just like in the cartoons. A few clicks later and all was once again right with the world. Go ahead try it, bet it will work for you too:)

Yeah, I saw Guardians of the Galaxy. If you haven’t, it’s a damn fine movie. Damn fine!

Read Full Post »

For reasons involving transnational calls, scheduling conflicts, and one very pissed off chipmunk, my brain is taking the rest of the day off. Here’s a pretty picture:)

 

Read Full Post »

Ah, Friday! I am coming to the end of this week’s work and so have the time for efforts of a less, shall we say, prosaic nature. My project for this weekend will be to build a Museum of Lost Things.

I imagine it will be just as difficult and interesting as one might expect:)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »