Hello and Happy Friday,
I was going to submit a short story today but it’s not short enough obviously and I’m still working on it and hope to –hope to—have it next week. I really did believe I could write a good short story in one short week but I was kidding myself something awful. As you know I’m a slow writer which already doomed my story to taking longer. For the other, my short story is more complicated than I thought it would be. The story titled ‘Less Than” was born from a dream and in the dream everything, all the details, the character’s names, the essential story is done. But of course, when I got to writing the dream (the story) down it was ephemeral like dreams are, not solid, one dimensional; more of an outline than a story. So I have to fill the dream in and make it a living, breathing, solid story and that takes time.
I’ll keep working on the story until it’s done; as we all do. Keep working on yours too; a story, a poem a novel because in the end, it’s all we can do.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Hello and Happy Early Friday,
I was editing some student documents for my brother who’s a teacher and came across this line, “…writing skills are not much in demand due to the use of the laptop.” The middle school students he teaches work off laptops for their assignments which I get, but how did writing skills loose out in this equation? I’m thinking the students have to still write papers don’t they? Do they? And if they don’t why not? And they still have to write reports, write sentences, write their names at least; so why aren’t writing skills in demand? They definitely should be—must be; I don’t believe you can successfully get through life without knowing how to write something not to speak of writing well. Though I can understand where the mindset of “not much in demand” comes from.
My ten year old is one of those who doesn’t agree writing is very important. For him and probably other kid’s his age and older it’s a terrible chore to write anything and the only way to get through it is to be as succinct as possible, one word sentences if that; brevity is the key and the use of your imagination is a no-no; too much trouble. What a shame. I try to get my kid to see not just how important and beneficial it is to learn to write well, but how beautiful it can be and how adding spice to the writing of a generic story just makes it better. When you can write about a dog trotting home, why not make the dog a tiny scared one whose home is ten miles away through a bad neighborhood; make it fun and able to capture attention.
I’ll keep working on getting my kid to write more often, the old –fashioned paper and pen kind of writing and learn to love it. Though I may be working at a losing battle because my kid soon will be going to middle school where he’ll get his own laptop so I don’t have much time.
Keep writing alive.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
I was editing some student documents for my brother who’s a teacher and came across this line, “…writing skills are not much in demand due to the use of the laptop.” The middle school students he teaches work off laptops for their assignments which I get, but how did writing skills loose out in this equation? I’m thinking the students have to still write papers don’t they? Do they? And if they don’t why not? And they still have to write reports, write sentences, write their names at least; so why aren’t writing skills in demand? They definitely should be—must be; I don’t believe you can successfully get through life without knowing how to write something not to speak of writing well. Though I can understand where the mindset of “not much in demand” comes from.
My ten year old is one of those who doesn’t agree writing is very important. For him and probably other kid’s his age and older it’s a terrible chore to write anything and the only way to get through it is to be as succinct as possible, one word sentences if that; brevity is the key and the use of your imagination is a no-no; too much trouble. What a shame. I try to get my kid to see not just how important and beneficial it is to learn to write well, but how beautiful it can be and how adding spice to the writing of a generic story just makes it better. When you can write about a dog trotting home, why not make the dog a tiny scared one whose home is ten miles away through a bad neighborhood; make it fun and able to capture attention.
I’ll keep working on getting my kid to write more often, the old –fashioned paper and pen kind of writing and learn to love it. Though I may be working at a losing battle because my kid soon will be going to middle school where he’ll get his own laptop so I don’t have much time.
Keep writing alive.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Hello and Happy Early Friday (or Thursday),
I’m almost done with the second Owen Story novel and it’s pretty good if I say so myself; I’m having fun writing it, a lot of hold-your-breath-rides going on. I believe folks will like it, the few who may get to read it. I say this because I’m not going to do a lot of advertising, promotion, publicity whatever you want to call it for the second novel. Why not? You have to put in big efforts to promote your book and I don’t want to put in that effort on this one. It’s not that I’m lazy (I can be) so won’t do it or that it's not worth it, but I want to concentrate my energy on doing a very good job on the third and last novel in the trilogy.
Sidestep: I believe the second of a trilogy, whatever trilogy it is: books, movies, music, the second has to be the best if possible, because it’s the connection between 2 and 3 of course. The first should introduce the characters with a good story behind it; it doesn’t have to be a world shattering story but very good. Yet, the second novel must be fireworks—at least I believe—a great everything so that when the third and last novel comes out it should link all three and satisfy the entire story line. I have come to my theory from some of my favorite movies: the Lord of the Rings three and my all time favorite movie trilogy, the Godfather, so there you go.
I found that doing the promotion for the first novel did take a lot of time, energy and money and I can use all three to make the third novel exceptional. Also, folks have a lot of things on their mind just trying to survive these days I don’t want to bug them to buy and read my book. I’m going to do a touch of promotion through this blog, e-mails, post cards around the city and mailed to other parts of the world but that may be it. Folks who are interested have let me know so I’ll let them know and I’ll pass the book along to those who want it and to those I want to gift it to but continue to concentrate on the third.
If you’re interested look for the announcement of the second Owen Story soon and give it a try, but only if you want to; I'm not pushin it.
“The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn’t behave that way you would never do anything.” John Irving
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
I’m almost done with the second Owen Story novel and it’s pretty good if I say so myself; I’m having fun writing it, a lot of hold-your-breath-rides going on. I believe folks will like it, the few who may get to read it. I say this because I’m not going to do a lot of advertising, promotion, publicity whatever you want to call it for the second novel. Why not? You have to put in big efforts to promote your book and I don’t want to put in that effort on this one. It’s not that I’m lazy (I can be) so won’t do it or that it's not worth it, but I want to concentrate my energy on doing a very good job on the third and last novel in the trilogy.
Sidestep: I believe the second of a trilogy, whatever trilogy it is: books, movies, music, the second has to be the best if possible, because it’s the connection between 2 and 3 of course. The first should introduce the characters with a good story behind it; it doesn’t have to be a world shattering story but very good. Yet, the second novel must be fireworks—at least I believe—a great everything so that when the third and last novel comes out it should link all three and satisfy the entire story line. I have come to my theory from some of my favorite movies: the Lord of the Rings three and my all time favorite movie trilogy, the Godfather, so there you go.
I found that doing the promotion for the first novel did take a lot of time, energy and money and I can use all three to make the third novel exceptional. Also, folks have a lot of things on their mind just trying to survive these days I don’t want to bug them to buy and read my book. I’m going to do a touch of promotion through this blog, e-mails, post cards around the city and mailed to other parts of the world but that may be it. Folks who are interested have let me know so I’ll let them know and I’ll pass the book along to those who want it and to those I want to gift it to but continue to concentrate on the third.
If you’re interested look for the announcement of the second Owen Story soon and give it a try, but only if you want to; I'm not pushin it.
“The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn’t behave that way you would never do anything.” John Irving
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Friday, April 03, 2009
Hello and Happy Friday,
Just wanted to know if you’re writing—I think it’s more so if you’re trying and if so that’s good ; trying is the start of all writing anyway isn’t it? Keep trying and keep writing. Short but sweet and it is writing.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Lori
Just wanted to know if you’re writing—I think it’s more so if you’re trying and if so that’s good ; trying is the start of all writing anyway isn’t it? Keep trying and keep writing. Short but sweet and it is writing.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: mathewsla@hotmail.com
Until next time, God willing
Lori
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