[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsAFdZRRAFk] [tweetmeme source=”jjdanz” only_single=false service=ow.ly] Yet more brilliant writing from Cormac McCarthy in cinematic form. McCarthy originally wrote No Country for Old Men as a screenplay, so the dialogue you’ve seen here is pretty much directly from the book. And it’s solid. Beats sit neatly between the lines. Subtext simmers under the spoken words. The …
[tweetmeme source=”jjdanz” only_single=false service=ow.ly] My earlier post about nuance in story, about delving into subtext and abstraction, did little more than scratch the surface. However, it brought me back to the the idea of showing rather than telling. Why? As writers, we hear this edict all the time. Sometimes I have a hard time determining …
[tweetmeme source=”jjdanz” only_single=false service=ow.ly] I’ve been enjoying exploring the nuances of story telling, ideas that build on fundamental concepts such as story structure, word and punctuation usage, and writing discipline. Over at Tribal Writer, novelist Justine Musk has offers two great posts (among many, really) on microtension and theme. Both posts underscored my goal for …
My lovely wife and I have come to an agreement: She gets to spend $50 on art supplies and I get to spend $50 on whatever floats my boat. I’ve chosen books. More specifically, I intend to expand my writing library. Jeff VanderMeer posts his list of favorite books on writing at Booklifenow.com. Go check …
[tweetmeme source=”jjdanz” only_single=false service=bit.ly] I’ve toiled along for the past 9+ months learning what works for me in terms of productivity. I’m feeling pretty good about that part of my writing process as I near the end of my second draft of my novel. I also know that I’ve got so much more to learn. …
I’m working on a dream Though sometimes it feels so far away I’m working on a dream And i know it will be mine someday Rain pourin’ down, i swing my hammer My hands are rough from working on a dream Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream I took the time this past Monday to …
I never read as much as I’d like. Does anyone? When I do read, I like the stories to be thought-provoking, and resonant. I like to care about the people about whom I’m reading, whether fiction or non-fiction. Of the books I read in 2009, these are the ones that lingered longest (in a good …
I posted the other day that I subscribe to writing blogs that post link salads once a week or, in Jay Lake’s case, daily. I thought I would post the ones that I enjoy the most: Jay Lake Link Salad (Every Day) Teresa Frohock’s Lunchtime Links (Weekly) Bibliophile Stalker’s Links and Plugs (Every Day) Nathan …
I subscribe to a number of helpful blogs for writers and blogs by writers (Check out the blog roll to the right). I can barely keep up with all the posts, especially the link salad posts, which I love. I rely on these posts to provide a synopsis of the current goings on in the …
The imagery of this post’s title is awful, but I like the meaning. I’ve hared off and slung a whole bunch of words down on my laptop and am close to wrapping up the first draft of my first novel. Part of me thinks I should have studied more about the craft: plot, characterization, setting, …