Even though it's been about six months since my last post, with finals and a long winter break ahead of me, I'm back to writing here. I'll hopefully be posting regularly soon, but here are a few announcements and things to expect soon.
-Kim Harrington is having a contest to win a special, marked-up copy of her newest novel, The Dead and Buried. More details can be found on her website.
-I've recently been to Portland, ME and Canada, and have some interesting, writing related things to share from those trips.
-NaNoWriMo ended successfully this year!
McWriting
About anything that's (hopefully) interesting to read about.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Seeing the Write Sights
I just got back from a trip to Italy a few days ago and, while I might already want to go back, have found a lot of writing inspiration from this vacation. I'd been in a writing rut for a long time, avoiding writing anything new or editing anything old for a long time. Thankfully, my sister gave me a travel journal before I left, and I quickly filled it with detailed notes about our trip. Additionally, my tour director told me that she writes a story for every place that she visits, so I've decided to try something new and write a story for each of the cities I visited. Not only have I found inspiration to write through seeing Venice, Florence, and Rome, but I also found some interesting spots for writers in these historic cities. These "write sights" might be of interest to writers making a trip to Italy.
Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice- My sister's friend recommended that I make a stop by this unique store, and I'm glad that I did. This store, right on one of the canals, has books in every nook and cranny imaginable. Upon entering, I noticed a gondola filled with books, chairs made out of old volumes, and a tower to climb made out of books. While this store may have too many books for the reluctant reader to handle, it is a must-see for any avid readers or writers. I bought myself a copy of The Travels of Marco Polo, who was essential to the development of Venice, as a souvenir.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SjQxem5VuD5FqWTMoKa64wYj-77pubNWGgIT1roYpzqwyoRJdCB1uApELXCpk_UnBw-j073q2TkgR20U7Uz5EoX8Qj5_17JfejW6OXqcKJF1z45uPt4JS3AI87ZWC3rKmuxLaWGRQK_u/s200/DSCN2589.JPG)
Santa Croce Scuola del Cuoio, Florence While Florence may house a lot of famous art such as Michelangelo's David and several famous paintings in the Uffizi Gallery, the city is also known for its leather. There are many nice bookmarks and journals available at the Santa Croce Leather School. Florence is always famous for its paper.
Vatican City Finally, the Vatican City houses many interesting Bibles and an old printing press which had been used several years ago. Additionally, the architectures and artwork here is unbelievable.
Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice- My sister's friend recommended that I make a stop by this unique store, and I'm glad that I did. This store, right on one of the canals, has books in every nook and cranny imaginable. Upon entering, I noticed a gondola filled with books, chairs made out of old volumes, and a tower to climb made out of books. While this store may have too many books for the reluctant reader to handle, it is a must-see for any avid readers or writers. I bought myself a copy of The Travels of Marco Polo, who was essential to the development of Venice, as a souvenir.
Santa Croce Scuola del Cuoio, Florence While Florence may house a lot of famous art such as Michelangelo's David and several famous paintings in the Uffizi Gallery, the city is also known for its leather. There are many nice bookmarks and journals available at the Santa Croce Leather School. Florence is always famous for its paper.
Vatican City Finally, the Vatican City houses many interesting Bibles and an old printing press which had been used several years ago. Additionally, the architectures and artwork here is unbelievable.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
MiF Updates
A lot has been happening recently with Misadventures in Filgersville:
-It is on sale for 30% on Smashwords with this coupon code, WC75C, until March 31, 2012.
-MiF is also now available at Annie's Book Stop in Worcester, MA and the Wachusett Artist Emporium in Holden, MA.
-It is on sale for 30% on Smashwords with this coupon code, WC75C, until March 31, 2012.
-MiF is also now available at Annie's Book Stop in Worcester, MA and the Wachusett Artist Emporium in Holden, MA.
Creating a To-Read List
My house is full of lists: to-do lists, grocery lists, but most interestingly, a to-read list. As a writer, it is important to be informed about the industry. From reading others' books, writers can get a better sense of technique, style, and tone. Just as researcher has to go out into the field and conduct clincial studies to collect data, a writer should constantly be reading. So, it is a good idea to maintain a list of books to read. This list should include a variety of novels, but a few important classes to consider are classics, the tried-and-true novels of your discipline, and what's currently popular.
Classics Reads-
Classics have been read, studied, and enjoyed for years, and sometimes centuries, for a reason: they were gracefully written and tell an interesting story in a well-crafted way. These novels get to the core of writing, so it's a good idea to tag a few of these on your list. A few authors to begin with are William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, and Agatha Christie. Make sure a wide spectrum of years and styles is represented on your list.
Industry Reads-
Also choose some books which are classics in your specific field. It is important to know what your intended audience enjoys. If you write for children, you should definitely read or reread E.B White's Charlotte's Web, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Norton Jester's The Phantom Tollbooth. While you may feel silly reading these books now, they are among the best in children's literature and will be useful tools in your writing.
Popular Reads-
Finally, it is a good idea to look at those prominent displays at the bookstore to find out what everybody else is reading. J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Rick Riordan are popular with both their intended middle-grade audience, young adults, and adults. Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books are often shared and sought out by young adults and women (at one point, there were three copies of this book in my house, one for each woman, which were bought or lent). Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy can be found almost anywhere as well. It is good to be familiar with "Pop-Lit" because these are the books which are currently doing well. They represent ideas, themes, humor, style, and tone which people today can't get enough.
Now, with your list prepared, spend some time at the Westborough Public Library and Tatnuck getting the books from your list. Every writer should also own a copy of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Also, if you're in Westborough, read A.S. King's Please Ignore Vera Deitz. The Community Reads project is a fantastic initiative and this book is great.
Classics Reads-
Classics have been read, studied, and enjoyed for years, and sometimes centuries, for a reason: they were gracefully written and tell an interesting story in a well-crafted way. These novels get to the core of writing, so it's a good idea to tag a few of these on your list. A few authors to begin with are William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, and Agatha Christie. Make sure a wide spectrum of years and styles is represented on your list.
Industry Reads-
Also choose some books which are classics in your specific field. It is important to know what your intended audience enjoys. If you write for children, you should definitely read or reread E.B White's Charlotte's Web, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Norton Jester's The Phantom Tollbooth. While you may feel silly reading these books now, they are among the best in children's literature and will be useful tools in your writing.
Popular Reads-
Finally, it is a good idea to look at those prominent displays at the bookstore to find out what everybody else is reading. J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Rick Riordan are popular with both their intended middle-grade audience, young adults, and adults. Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books are often shared and sought out by young adults and women (at one point, there were three copies of this book in my house, one for each woman, which were bought or lent). Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy can be found almost anywhere as well. It is good to be familiar with "Pop-Lit" because these are the books which are currently doing well. They represent ideas, themes, humor, style, and tone which people today can't get enough.
Now, with your list prepared, spend some time at the Westborough Public Library and Tatnuck getting the books from your list. Every writer should also own a copy of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Also, if you're in Westborough, read A.S. King's Please Ignore Vera Deitz. The Community Reads project is a fantastic initiative and this book is great.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
New characters?
I've decided to release some character sketches every week or so from something new. Keep checking in for more updates.
This is Riley Baker.
This is Riley Baker.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Hamlet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Of the Shakespeare plays I have read, this is one of my favorites. There is so much emotional, philosophical, and theological conflict which makes this interesting to read. I recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh film while or after reading.
View all my reviews
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