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.
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