Hello,
I was out of town for a sad occasion, a funeral, and just made it back this morning in time to send along a little message I know you haven’t heard before, so here it is: Life is short as all get out so do what you love and ignore the naysayers. I know, I know, the very idea; one, no one in the world has mentioned this; so I’ll do it and tell you to write whatever you love, just do it well. I definitely am.
“Writing should be a joy and yeah, pigs might fry bacon.” Lori A. Mathews
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Lori
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Hello and Happy Friday,
I wrote last blog about discovering new writers which is a great thing, because it of course means great new novels to read; yet new books aren’t the only things out there to grasp and discover. There are still many types of information to peruse—even listen to—to gather information or just enjoy. One of the sources I still rely on for information, “ah ha” moments, entertainment are newspapers. I love reading various ones each day, those I get on line and those I can touch. I read on-line: USA Today, MSNBC News (though this can’t be gotten in hard copy) and the New York Times; I will once in a while read my local paper, The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
My favorite though is The Wall Street Journal, most know how good the business writing is but the everyday, unusual and profound stories and articles are the reason I love the journal. I remember stories to this day I read years ago from the paper; one about glass blowing and the other about Cannary Row and the fishing industry, both were—as you can tell—very memorable because I learned a few things and the stories were brilliantly written. From the journal I keep an essay by the late author David Foster Wallace which I’ve read numerous times, it gives me hope and sustenance every time I read it and it has also prompted met to order his novels. Today, I read a story on MSNBC about the CIA that highlighted and sustained some information in the Owen Story novel I ‘m finishing up; when this happens it’s always a plus because it just grounds the reality of my story and backs me up.
Reading is fundamental” and more so for writers than anyone else and we’re blessed there is still so much material out there to chose from; it’s encouraging isn’t it? So read all you can, all different things; our choices are varied and will only enhance our writing.
“The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people think.” Edwin Schlossberg
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address:
mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Lori
I wrote last blog about discovering new writers which is a great thing, because it of course means great new novels to read; yet new books aren’t the only things out there to grasp and discover. There are still many types of information to peruse—even listen to—to gather information or just enjoy. One of the sources I still rely on for information, “ah ha” moments, entertainment are newspapers. I love reading various ones each day, those I get on line and those I can touch. I read on-line: USA Today, MSNBC News (though this can’t be gotten in hard copy) and the New York Times; I will once in a while read my local paper, The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
My favorite though is The Wall Street Journal, most know how good the business writing is but the everyday, unusual and profound stories and articles are the reason I love the journal. I remember stories to this day I read years ago from the paper; one about glass blowing and the other about Cannary Row and the fishing industry, both were—as you can tell—very memorable because I learned a few things and the stories were brilliantly written. From the journal I keep an essay by the late author David Foster Wallace which I’ve read numerous times, it gives me hope and sustenance every time I read it and it has also prompted met to order his novels. Today, I read a story on MSNBC about the CIA that highlighted and sustained some information in the Owen Story novel I ‘m finishing up; when this happens it’s always a plus because it just grounds the reality of my story and backs me up.
Reading is fundamental” and more so for writers than anyone else and we’re blessed there is still so much material out there to chose from; it’s encouraging isn’t it? So read all you can, all different things; our choices are varied and will only enhance our writing.
“The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people think.” Edwin Schlossberg
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address:
mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Lori
Friday, March 13, 2009
Hello and Happy Friday,
Today is a writing day for me and I hope for you too. I'm trying to write in a few places I usually can't because I'm supposed to be doing something else at the time, but the time when I want my book finished and in the world is coming up quickly and I want to make that date and be happy with the results; so I'm squashing in writing when I can. It's funny how finding the time to write can be a challenge as we all attest to, but what makes it so wonderful is that you're writing!!!--even if you have to do it while trying to take a bath, wash dishes, do laundry, ride home on the bus; you put a few notes down, write a paragraph, do a bit of research, it leaves you almost giddy because you know; despite the difficulties, interruptions (you have to get off the bus at your stop) challenges, you know you're doing what you love and in the end you'll have a novel, short story or poem that you created.
So stop whatever else you're doing and write something.
Until next time, God willing
Lori
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Today is a writing day for me and I hope for you too. I'm trying to write in a few places I usually can't because I'm supposed to be doing something else at the time, but the time when I want my book finished and in the world is coming up quickly and I want to make that date and be happy with the results; so I'm squashing in writing when I can. It's funny how finding the time to write can be a challenge as we all attest to, but what makes it so wonderful is that you're writing!!!--even if you have to do it while trying to take a bath, wash dishes, do laundry, ride home on the bus; you put a few notes down, write a paragraph, do a bit of research, it leaves you almost giddy because you know; despite the difficulties, interruptions (you have to get off the bus at your stop) challenges, you know you're doing what you love and in the end you'll have a novel, short story or poem that you created.
So stop whatever else you're doing and write something.
Until next time, God willing
Lori
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Friday, March 06, 2009
Hello,
It’s always great to discover new writers—or at least new to you—it’s like finding a piece of solid gold in your cereal box. Discovering new writers is finding new worlds, characters you can’t forget, new ways writing can be done; its one of the best gifts the universe offers. I came across my new writers through one of the best resources--another writer—who takes the time to seek out other writers just for the pleasure of it and doesn’t mind passing along his choices to others; my “another writer” is one of the best, Stephen King. You know how he’s my second favorite writer, so I of course took his choices very seriously and choose two new writers I hadn’t heard of from his list and I third I discovered myself.
First, is Kate Atkinson, who is a British mystery writer and her writing reminds me of Ruth Rendell’s (one of my favorites) though her novel called Case Histories is more clinical than her writing, yet engaging. The characters are people you want to follow and like Ms. Rendell; she presents a detective though a private one, who is not as domesticated as Police Detective Wesford. One of the things I like about Ms. Atkinson’s writing is that it’s good, the stories interesting enough that you want to read her next work as soon as possible. The second novelist recommended by Mr. King is Robert Goodard who's written Pale Battalions, he's a British mystery as well. I haven’t gotten the novel yet but I’m looking forward to it.
My third new novelist I discovered on my own, his name is Richard Stark who was the terrific Donald E. Westlake. I love the Richard Stark novels; I’ve read two so far. Mr. Stark wrote about master criminal Parker who is a master criminal that runs into a lot of bad luck it takes all his skill to get out of with his life and the lives of his partners. The novels carry you along; you root for Parker to make it out with his loot even though the twists and turns seem impossible for him to maneuver his way through but he does, even when it takes a bullet.
So there you have it, three new writers to take up more of your writing time, yet it’s more than worth it; it’s hard to write well if you haven’t read how well it can be done.
“Please write again soon. Though my own life is filled with activity, letters encourage momentary escape into others lives and I come back to my own with greater encouragement.” Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
It’s always great to discover new writers—or at least new to you—it’s like finding a piece of solid gold in your cereal box. Discovering new writers is finding new worlds, characters you can’t forget, new ways writing can be done; its one of the best gifts the universe offers. I came across my new writers through one of the best resources--another writer—who takes the time to seek out other writers just for the pleasure of it and doesn’t mind passing along his choices to others; my “another writer” is one of the best, Stephen King. You know how he’s my second favorite writer, so I of course took his choices very seriously and choose two new writers I hadn’t heard of from his list and I third I discovered myself.
First, is Kate Atkinson, who is a British mystery writer and her writing reminds me of Ruth Rendell’s (one of my favorites) though her novel called Case Histories is more clinical than her writing, yet engaging. The characters are people you want to follow and like Ms. Rendell; she presents a detective though a private one, who is not as domesticated as Police Detective Wesford. One of the things I like about Ms. Atkinson’s writing is that it’s good, the stories interesting enough that you want to read her next work as soon as possible. The second novelist recommended by Mr. King is Robert Goodard who's written Pale Battalions, he's a British mystery as well. I haven’t gotten the novel yet but I’m looking forward to it.
My third new novelist I discovered on my own, his name is Richard Stark who was the terrific Donald E. Westlake. I love the Richard Stark novels; I’ve read two so far. Mr. Stark wrote about master criminal Parker who is a master criminal that runs into a lot of bad luck it takes all his skill to get out of with his life and the lives of his partners. The novels carry you along; you root for Parker to make it out with his loot even though the twists and turns seem impossible for him to maneuver his way through but he does, even when it takes a bullet.
So there you have it, three new writers to take up more of your writing time, yet it’s more than worth it; it’s hard to write well if you haven’t read how well it can be done.
“Please write again soon. Though my own life is filled with activity, letters encourage momentary escape into others lives and I come back to my own with greater encouragement.” Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
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