Kindle?

May 4, 2009 at 5:59 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , ,

I’m curious to know what everyone thinks of the Kindle. It is Amazon’s wireless reading device that you can buy books from and read them right on the screen. I’m all for saving trees and everything, but I just think that there still needs to be a market for…real books.

The Kindle does have plenty of pros. It’s obviously so convenient; it’s like being able to bring your iPod on a plane instead of lugging a bunch of CDs. Now you can just bring the Kindle and leave all the books at home. But maybe instead of just leaving the books at home people will stop buying them altogether? I guess that is what upsets me about it. Even though it is convenient, cheaper, and it saves paper, I still have reservations. I think it will change the publishing industry dramatically, just like the iPod and downloading in general has changed the music industry.

I used to buy CDs like crazy and now I use iTunes a lot more. But when a CD comes out that I really love, I still buy the actual CD. So maybe that will be how it is for the Kindle? If someone really likes a book they will still buy it, but if they aren’t so sure they will buy the cheaper version for Kindle first. So maybe that isn’t so bad after all?

What do you think?

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Just thought i’d share…

May 3, 2009 at 11:32 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

the reason why I am a writing arts major. Sarah Mclachlan is hands down my biggest inspiration…she writes her own music, and is extremely inspirational. This is her appearance on Oprah singing “World on Fire”. Thought you guys would like it!

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Another opinion on writing workshops…

May 3, 2009 at 11:27 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

I agree that when I was exposed to my first writing workshop in Camden County College about two years ago, I was nervous yet excited. The thought of being forced to share my work with my peers was terrifying at first, but after the first workshop I quickly opened up to the idea. In our workshops, we were required to print out enough copies for each member of the class, and to not put our names on the copies. Our professor would pass out the copies and after reading the story/poem, each student would give positive feedback and suggestions for improving the pieces. At the end of the workshop, the authors of each piece would collect their copies and be able to review the comments that each student left on their copy. This was an amazing way to get feedback on my own work, and without these workshops I would never have been able to find out what appeals to the audience I intend to write for.

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I love writer’s workshops

May 3, 2009 at 10:43 pm · Filed under Teaching Writing, Writing Tips ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Writing Workshop

Writing Workshop

I was first introduced to the writer’s workshop last year in my creative writing class. I cannot believe that I was not exposed to this sooner. When my professor initially described the concept to our class, I was less than thrilled. I don’t know why I had reservations about sharing my work with my fellow classmates when I am eager to eventually share my work with the entire world.

I suppose the reasons for my negative feelings had to do with previous encounters with sharing my work in class. Often, classmates do not really care about your work and do not offer constructive advice. Many people are afraid to say anything negative about other people’s work so they lie and praise errors which makes the process useless.

However, last year I was lucky to be put in a group of people who were equally serious about their writing  and the experience was eye opening. Our process was that we would bring our first draft to the group, another member would read it aloud and discuss its positive and negative points with the group while the author remained silent. Then the author had a chance to make explanations, ask questions, and leave with plenty of productive feedback to further perfect the piece.

I feel that this type of collaboration is extremely beneficial to the writing process and should be utilized whenever writer’s have the chance.

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Writing a Villanelle

May 2, 2009 at 9:19 pm · Filed under Writing Tips ·Tagged , , , ,

Last semester in my creative writing class I learned how to write a lot of different types of poems. One of my favorite forms was the villanelle which incorporates rhyme and repetition to create an entrancing, rhythmic sound.

Here is the official villanelle form:

   A1 b  A2          – Lines in first tercet.   a  b  A1          – Lines in second tercet.

  a  b  A2          – Lines in third tercet.

  a  b  A1          – Lines in fourth tercet.

  a  b  A2          – Lines in fifth tercet.

  a  b  A1 A2       – Lines in final quatrain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘A1’ and ‘A2’ rhyme, and these lines are repeated throughout the entire program.

‘a’ lines are different each time they occur in the poem, but they must rhyme with ‘A1’ and ‘A2’

‘b’ lines are also different each time they occur in the poem. They do not rhyme with the rest of the lines, but must rhyme with the other ‘b’ lines.

To find out more in-depth information about the villanelle, visit the Poetry Form website.

Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”  is an example of a famous villanelle:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

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Anne Lamott

May 2, 2009 at 7:46 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , ,

“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere . . .You don’t have to dress up, for instance, and you can’t hear them boo you right away.” 

That is a quote from a book I just bought called “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott. I just started it last night and so far it seems really good. Here is an interview with the author. It isn’t a how-to book, although it contains a lot of helpful ideas and exercises to try, she is writing about her own experiences becoming a writer. So far it seems like it will be informative and pretty funny too!

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The things people say….

May 2, 2009 at 7:26 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Being a writer means a lot of observing. You can create interesting characters just by people watching at the mall, or overhearing a funny conversation. This website is all about the crazy things that people say. Maybe one of the quotes will inspire you to write something!

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Keeping a Creative Writing Journal

April 30, 2009 at 11:15 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Last semester I took a Creative Writing course. I thoroughly enjoy writing and hope someday to become a published author so this was something right up my alley. On the first day of class my professor told us that we would be keeping a creative writing journal. She wanted us to write in it at least five times a week. She gave us free reign of what we wanted to write. We could write poems, short stories, memoirs, even develop character sketches for future writing assignments.

At first, I found this task to be quite a burden. I had a million other things to do for my other classes and now I figured I had to keep a creative writing journal. However, once I got started and got into the swing of things, I found this journal to be quite a soothing exercise and very helpful for the class. With this journal I was able to be more adventurous with my writing. I used this journal to work and re-work my pieces of writing. This was an outlet where I was able to revise my pieces to a point that i had never been able to do in other classes.

Although the class is over I still write in my creative writing journal. It gives me a place where I can runaway from the restrictions of all my other classwork. I look back at my journal and see the progress I have made over just a semester. My pieces are more fluid and much more visual for the reader.

I encourage everyone who wants to be a writer or anyone that is just looking for a relaxing hobby to begin a creative writing journal. Its easy. I just picked out a marble composition tablet. I took prompts from the weather outside, what happened to me that day, or even what happened to me years ago. WRITE ABOUT ANYTHING, as long as you are writing about something. You might be surprised at what you are able to do with your writing.

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Tips and Writing Tools Website

April 30, 2009 at 10:56 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

For many writers I think there are many times where you do not know exactly where you want to start or how you should get started. I found a neat website that gives free writing tips and even has tools for grammar rules, punctuation, finding the right word you want to use. Its easy to use if you want to fix just one sentence, paragraph or even an entire essay. Follow this link to the page. I hope some find it helpful.

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Response to Thompson Article

April 30, 2009 at 7:40 pm · Filed under Reading Response ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

For class on Tuesday I read the article Brave New World of Digital Intimacy by Clive Thompson. The article dealt with privacy issues on the internet and the effects that being digitally close (which is much different than being close in real life) to a wide realm of people is having on human communication. Features like newsfeed and status updates on Facebook make it easy to keep track of as many friends or acquaintances you choose. Some people love this. They enjoy being able to have a glimpse into the lives of others at the tip of their fingers. Others feel that such features are an invasion of privacy and lead to stalker-like tendencies.

            Another new phenomenon that some people swear by and others find to be “stalkerish” is Twitter. Twitter is a site in which people constantly update their status (up to 140 characters) and publish these short blasts to anyone who chooses to follow them. It can be as simple as, “I am making a sandwich.”

         I have yet to understand the whole Twitter craze. What exactly do people see in it? I signed up for Twitter but have not used it yet because I don’t particularly get it. One woman who was highlighted in the article, Laura Fitton a social-media Consultant said that updating her status led her to be calmer and happier because it forced her to look at the events she posted about in an objective way, and she began to see them more clearly. Any Twitter addicts with some thoughts on the matter?

 Twitter

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