Recent Readings - March 2012

Here's a new feature.  Scour the library and internet for writing advice and chances are you will see two common themes emerge.

1. Write a lot.
2. Read a lot.

I've shown a lot of how I practice #1, but now I thought I'd add some of what I've looked at per number 2.  If you have any reading recommendations, let me know!

FICTION-

The Portable James Joyce-  A lot of writers/editors list Joyce as an example of an author's author.  I picked up this anthology to try to see what the hype was all about.  Maybe it was my mood, or high expectations, but I just couldn't get into it.  I might revisit Joyce later, but for now I'm calling him overrated. (Yikes!)

The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway -  In contrast to Joyce, I found Hemingway thoroughly enjoyable.  His style is so terse and matter of fact, yet now and then he puts in some choice language to add note of brilliance.  I love it when writing excites me, and his definitely does.  I'll probably buy this thing and study it and then likely imitate it.

WRITING ADVICE-

The forest for the trees : an editor's advice to writers - Kind and gentle, but a touch lengthy for amount of valuable information gleaned from it.  I found the first half where Lerner categorizes the various types of writers to be almost completely useless, but the second half is definitely worth reading.

Getting started as a freelance writer  - This thing should be a Bible for anyone wanting to make a career of writing.   There is a wealth of knowledge, presented in a matter of fact type of way.  It's a fantastic reference manual.