As a writer, journeys are essential. Lately, I've started a writer's journey of sorts. My travels so far have been in the direction of the epicenter of my inner most being. The place where I live all by myself and am afraid to visit at times.
Three tour guides are directing my adventure. In no particular order, the first is Natalie Goldberg. My copy of "Writing Down the Bones" is the 1986 printing. Goldberg teaches us how to reach into the depths of our soul and expose our unknown self -- to our known self. She leads us gently into areas of our lives, worthy of exploration, void of explanation, and stripped of expectation in search of who we are inside. Using writing practices and encouraging honesty, she creates a stirring to discern and learn about our covert self.
Next, is Julia Cameron author of "The Artist's Way". It's a book of healing, personal development, and artistic discovery. The textbook and / or the accompanying workbook is chock full of exercises and ideas to nurture the artist that lives with us. The course is a how-to and includes encouragements and ideas for losing the baggage that keeps our creative self struggling to move forward. My version is part of a volume that includes The Artist's Way, Walking Through This World, and Finding Water.
The last, but not least, of my tour guides is Andy Couturier, author of "Writing Open the Mind." His exercises are not traditional writing exercises but unique techniques that stretch the imagination and waken the writer with calistenics for the brain.
This will be my first time through Cameron's twelve week process and Couturier's eleven step system. I'll keep you updated about this adventure and in the meantime encourage you to start your own writer's journey. Stimulate your right brain. Let me know how it goes.
Note: Painstaker, author of Writing Panes, has not received compensation in any form for the mention of any author's books listed in this blog. I would like to thank author Darnell Arnoult for her blog that mentioned Julia Cameron's work, which initiated my interest in taking a personal writer's journey.
Showing posts with label Darnell Arnoult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darnell Arnoult. Show all posts
Cozy Up to Characters
I've spent some time at the Paris Review website reading interviews that span six decades. These interviews share insight into The Art of Fiction through authors like Faulkner, Hemingway, Wilder, and Capote, Welty, Vidal, Shaw, and Steinbeck, Kerouac, Updike, White, and many more.
As writers, we can learn from these masters, these idols. In his interview, William Faulkner stated that he read Don Quixote once a year. Faulkner named a few of his favorite writers. Then, he made this remark "I’ve read these books so often that I don’t always begin at page one and read on to the end. I just read one scene, or about one character, just as you’d meet and talk to a friend for a few minutes."
We can cozy up to our favorite characters by practicing Faulkner's habit of reading, again and again, the books, scenes or characters that move us, inspire us, motivate us, teach us. My list of books to read for 2009 includes two I've read before: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and On Agate Hill by Lee Smith.
My re-reads for 2010 include:
Sufficient Grace by Darnell Arnoult
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Father and Son by Larry Brown, and
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
Each of these reads have well written scenes and characters. I've used a pencil to mark my favorites. And will "roll them around in my mouth like marbles" as Darnell Arnoult suggests in her blog, Dancing with the Gorilla.
Make a list of books you can reread next year. Mark your favorite passages so you too can return, as Faulkner did, to visit with your friends and hang out in familiar places. Cozy up to characters by reading and reading again. It's a great way to learn and improve your craft. Any questions?
As writers, we can learn from these masters, these idols. In his interview, William Faulkner stated that he read Don Quixote once a year. Faulkner named a few of his favorite writers. Then, he made this remark "I’ve read these books so often that I don’t always begin at page one and read on to the end. I just read one scene, or about one character, just as you’d meet and talk to a friend for a few minutes."
We can cozy up to our favorite characters by practicing Faulkner's habit of reading, again and again, the books, scenes or characters that move us, inspire us, motivate us, teach us. My list of books to read for 2009 includes two I've read before: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and On Agate Hill by Lee Smith.
My re-reads for 2010 include:
Sufficient Grace by Darnell Arnoult
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Father and Son by Larry Brown, and
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
Each of these reads have well written scenes and characters. I've used a pencil to mark my favorites. And will "roll them around in my mouth like marbles" as Darnell Arnoult suggests in her blog, Dancing with the Gorilla.
Make a list of books you can reread next year. Mark your favorite passages so you too can return, as Faulkner did, to visit with your friends and hang out in familiar places. Cozy up to characters by reading and reading again. It's a great way to learn and improve your craft. Any questions?
Writing Workshops
Here's a few words about writing workshops. Not all of them are worth the money. Yep, I said it. With all the hype and buzz how do you know which to pay for and which to pass on?
The answer might be: it comes with experience. Or, you can try this.
Make sure the speaking authors are great writers. Find out who they are and read some of their published works. If you like what you read, you may enjoy hearing about the technique(s) they practice. On the other hand, if you can't find much of their work, think about whether you want to pay out the cash. Look at the speaker's website. See if writing instructions are posted or available. You might be able to get a sneak peek to help you decide.
Be selective. Don't be in a hurry to attend every workshop that hits your area. New writers are prone to this. Saving your money for one fabulous workshop is better than spending it on ten events that leave you feeling ripped off and disappointed.
Make sure the group(s) sponsoring the event has a reputation of inviting good quality speakers. This will go a long way to help decide whether to pay or pass.
I've attended workshops and festivals that were priced right, and I went home with my money's worth. Darnell Arnoult, author of Sufficient Grace, is an exceptional workshop instructor, who is more than willing to share her expertise.
Before you pay for a writing event, check out the speaker(s) on line and in print, be selective, and look at the sponsoring group's reputation. Any questions?
The answer might be: it comes with experience. Or, you can try this.
Make sure the speaking authors are great writers. Find out who they are and read some of their published works. If you like what you read, you may enjoy hearing about the technique(s) they practice. On the other hand, if you can't find much of their work, think about whether you want to pay out the cash. Look at the speaker's website. See if writing instructions are posted or available. You might be able to get a sneak peek to help you decide.
Be selective. Don't be in a hurry to attend every workshop that hits your area. New writers are prone to this. Saving your money for one fabulous workshop is better than spending it on ten events that leave you feeling ripped off and disappointed.
Make sure the group(s) sponsoring the event has a reputation of inviting good quality speakers. This will go a long way to help decide whether to pay or pass.
I've attended workshops and festivals that were priced right, and I went home with my money's worth. Darnell Arnoult, author of Sufficient Grace, is an exceptional workshop instructor, who is more than willing to share her expertise.
Before you pay for a writing event, check out the speaker(s) on line and in print, be selective, and look at the sponsoring group's reputation. Any questions?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)