From Electric Lit: Lindsay Merbaum confesses how self-doubt holds her back as a writer. Like many writers, I can definitely relate to a lot of her points.
Secondhand Inspiration
The Origins of Creativity.
Check out this interesting piece from Scientific American on where creativity comes from.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-creativity-comes-from/
“On Bravery and Writing”
“Writing, on its own, isn’t bravery.” So very true.
It’s one of many truths on display in this beautiful post by Scott Nadelson.
http://hawthornebooks.com/blog/article/scott-nadelson-the-next-scott-nadelson-a-life-in-progress
Breaking New Territory.
I found this article about nine women nonfiction pioneers, including Roxane Gay, Wendy C. Ortiz, and Eula Biss, to be inspirational. I’ve been experimenting with writing more nonfiction lately, especially as my personal muse has seemingly drifted from poetry towards more prose.
Not only did this article give me some candidates for my books to read list, it was also interesting to learn about women writers who are challenging convention and exploring new territory. I want to find my angle and do something unconventional like these authors have in order to find my niche in nonfiction. After all, we all have a story to tell…
http://www.bustle.com/articles/150778-9-women-writers-who-are-breaking-new-nonfiction-territory
When You Cannot Write a Single Word.
In Writers Recommend, poet Lo Kwa Mei-en describes what she does when she cannot write a single word:
"I have taken to picking up a book from my past that I have been hungering to reread and typing it out word for word, at a speed slow enough to feel the words relating to each other and hear new things in their music that I had not heard before. I will retype another's book until I feel love and not despair."
The Science Behind Adult Coloring Books.
Fellow creatives, science says there are hormones behind the pleasure of adult coloring books.
It just might be time to go buy some crayons and colored pencils. :)
Muhammad Ali as Poet.
“Mrs. Moore and I are going to write a sonnet about my upcoming fight…”
Among the countless stories floating around the internet about the late legendary Muhammed Ali, this one has a literary lean, documenting a meeting between poet Marianne Moore and Muhammad Ali.
https://bookhaven.stanford.edu/2016/06/poet-marianne-moore-meets-muhammad-ali-im-a-poet-too-he-says/
Where's Your Novel?
From a fiction standpoint, I’m a flash fiction/short story writer. As a result, I’ve often been confronted with the question, “But where’s your novel?”
So although I’m far from being a famous short story writer, I can identify with Amber Sparks’ article on Electric Literature: “Let Us Now Praise Famous Short Story Writers (And Demand They Write a Novel).”
Words Unlocked.
From NPR: Young poets in juvenile corrections – and their poems of fury, loss and beauty.
Cult (Books) of Personality.
Cult books, as with films that are considered cult favorites, often contain elements of the extreme, bizarre, or subversive--their power to inspire and persuade seemingly just on the edge of propriety. That is why I thought it would be great to share this awesome top-fifty list of cult books. These books are great to put into your personal reading queue, and I bet some will spark some original ideas for your own writing. Happy reading!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/50-best-cult-books/
30 Non-Fiction Books a Well-Rounded Person Should Read
Bookmarked for future use: Paul Nowak from Iris Reading has compiled a great list of 30 Non-Fiction Books a Well-Rounded Person Should Read.
As a person who devours reading material, I sometimes wonder if there are books I’ve missed that can help in my never-ending quest to become better-rounded. At a glance, this list can be a great place to start. I was happy to see I’ve already read some of these. I see the value in spending some time with the others and maybe even revisiting ones that I studied previously. Happy reading!
Remembering Prince.
From Electric Literature: Catherine LaSota asks authors to reflect on Prince.
http://electricliterature.com/dearly-beloved-authors-pay-tribute-to-prince/
Counterintuitive advice.
A plea for writers to please stop thinking: an interview with Kathryn Harrison by Joe Fassler.
One great quote from this interview: “And I don’t sit there waiting for that perfect, beautiful sentence, because I know I’m going to sit there forever.” So true, so true.
Protect Yourself Against “Non Writing”
From Poets & Writers: Rita Mae Reese discusses how to fight off “non-writing,” which she likens to a virus. Interesting quick read.
Why Writers Run.
Since I’m training for a race in early June (and maybe another one later in the summer), this one hits home for me - The Atlantic‘s Nick Ripatrazone looks at why writers run. I definitely agree with the sentiment that, “the steady accumulation of miles mirrors the accumulation of pages...”
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/11/why-writers-run/415146/
Secondhand Inspiration: Advice for Younger Writers
A recent blog post from Jane Friedman includes some excellent writing advice for the children and teens in our lives. I think it is worth passing along to younger writers as a bit of encouragement and guidance.
The post also presents adults with a viable question: Should the writing advice we give to children or teenagers differ from the advice I give to adults? Check out the link and find out Jane’s insight on this.
https://janefriedman.com/writing-advice-for-children-and-teens/
Secondhand Inspiration: Writer Podcasts
It can be easy to get a tad overwhelmed by all the podcasts that are out there. But here’s a useful list of podcasts that are recommended “for writers, word nerds, and book lovers.” Check out Crystal King’s post for Grub Daily. There’s bound to be a few podcasts on this list that will interest you, and maybe even motivate you.
https://grubstreet.org/grub-daily/podcasts-for-writers-word-nerds-and-book-lovers/
Goal setting.
The focus in 2016 is to not allow my intermittent trickle of creative work get subsumed under the rising tide of other things – the day job and other general life stuff that inundates my existence.
To continue doing what makes me happy in terms of writing and creativity, and not what I feel like I should or shouldn't be doing…according to writing world, academia, friends, family, or others. I finally found my voice in 2015, and I don’t plan on shutting up just because that voice doesn’t match what’s popular in modern writing.
To create with purpose and goals, but not to let them become the master of me.
What are your goals – creative or other?
Productivity.
From the BookBaby blog: Here’s seven writing tips to increase your productivity. Productivity is a recurring problem for all writers, so these tips may serve as inspiration to push you towards being more industrious in your creative endeavors.
Day Jobs.
From the Electric Lit blog: Here’s a fun infographic on day jobs that inspired famous authors.
A little bit of motivation for those of us who hold down a career while also slogging through the morass of a writer’s life.
http://electricliterature.com/the-day-jobs-that-inspired-famous-authors/