Deborah (of 32 Poems) invites interested persons to write a poem a day for the next 30 days. The invite was sent out on Sunday (and I didn’t read it until today… so, I’m a bit late), but I think I’m up for the challenge. Anyone else?
Read more details about the challenge here: 30 Poems in 30 Days.
Creative-writing programs are designed on the theory that students who have never published a poem can teach other students who have never published a poem how to write a publishable poem.
“Show or Tell: Should creative writing be taught?” by Louis Menand in The New Yorker (via somethingchanged)
… the people of the creative class are fairly certain they are destined to be creative, but can never be certain about just how creative they are. So they must seek outward signs of their blessed inner superiority, must seek or contrive recognition for their creativity whenever possible. This is that class’s essential self-consciousness, and when it is acute, it becomes hipsterism.
“Creative writing and crippling self-consciousness,” Marginal Utility (via somethingchanged)
language matters… language is not merely descriptive. it’s creative.
verb • /tər-jĭv’ər-sāt’/ • 1) to change repeatedly one’s attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.; equivocate. 2) to turn renegade.
From Latin tergum, “back”, and versare, “to turn”
Does one really create ideas? I suspect I know what this writer is attempting to say. However, writing prose is about the story not the idea. Ideas embedded in the story make it great, but the idea itself won’t sell the story. The etymology of the word “idea” is “figure, image, symbol” and “to see.” A great idea is nothing unless it has a narrative substance. Besides, does one create an idea or does one have an idea?
The magazine editor asked me to write reviews. Can’t wait to start reading… and then writing.
writing activates a cluster of neurological pathways…. people coping with cancer diagnoses and other serious conditions are increasingly seeking—and finding—solace in the blogosphere. “Blogging undoubtedly affords similar benefits” to expressive writing, says Morgan, who wants to incorporate writing programs into supportive care for cancer patients.
Jessica Wapner, Scientific American1
NOTES:
1) Jessica Wapner, “Blogging–It’s Good for You,” June 1, 2008, Scientific American, accessed June 5, 2008, http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-healthy-type
…students don’t consult enough sources. Wikipedia is so easy and accessible that it stands out from all other reference works. Thirty years ago, students might check several encyclopedias…. Now, it’s Wikipedia first and, too often, last.
Mark Bauerlein, via The Chronicle of Higher Education. Link.
Next week, I start another 30-day Poetry Marathon… I’ll write one poem per day.
Deborah Ager. Link.
For the last four or five weeks I’ve been tormented. Should I, or shouldn’t I continue contributing to Write Stuff1. See, I’ve been extremely busy in my professional life (of publishing other people’s books) that I felt that my contributions were lacking the quality I wanted to deliver. So I emailed the site’s leader this weekend and politely resigned and promised to deliver one final contribution: “Rainless among marram”.2
This morning I read today’s Write Stuff post about defining genres and left a comment. That was deleted! I mean, is it necessary to delete the comment?
My comment mentioned that genres are mainly decided by publishing companies to help bookstores sell books. In the same manner, the recording industry uses the same strategy to sell albums by differentiating their target audience by marketing a project as ‘country’ or ‘alt country’ or ‘punk americana country.’ I referenced Peter Rubie’s book Telling the Story: How to Write and Sell Narrative Nonfiction
So, crassly speaking, genres help sell books. Or not so crassly, genres help publishers deliver titles to the correct audiences.
Why would that get deleted? I don’t get it. Whatever. I go back to work now.
UPDATE: Not only was my post deleted, but someone else’s (username Square1) was also deleted. Thanks to Google Reader (I RSS the Write Stuff comments), I was able to learn this detail. I wonder if there is a glitch in their comments software, because Square1 left a comment on my final Write Stuff post, “Rainless among marram” that was not deleted.
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved to a new home Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
2) Matthew Mulder, “Rainless among marram”, October 15, 2007, Write Anything, accessed April 24, 2026, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/rainless-among-marram/
I’ve been sharing what I learned during a 5-week writing course in my Write Stuff1 columns. This week’s piece, “Rain–everyone needs it like everyone needs a great narrative”,2 continues the story.
Last week’s post, “Rain intensifies the drama of the question”,3 evoked the following response:
…one of the most profound statements I’ve ever read. —Tammi
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved to a new home Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
2) Matthew Mulder, “Rain—everyone needs it like everyone needs a great narrative”, August 13, 2007, Write Anything, accessed April 24, 2026, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/rain%e2%80%94everyone-needs-it-like-everyone-needs-a-great-narrative/
3) Matthew Mulder, “Rain intensifies the drama of the question”, August 6, 2007, Write Anything, accessed April 24, 2026, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/2007/08/06/rain-intensifies-the-drama-of-the-question/
Write Stuff1 writers and readers have expressed their interest and learning what I learned during a 5-week writing course and a 1-week writer residency. This week’s piece2 begins the story of my experience and what I’ve learned and hope to share.
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
2) Matthew Mulder, “Where does rain come from?”, July 30, 2007, Write Anything, accessed April 27, 2026, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/where-does-rain-come-from/
Recently inspired by the poetical form sometimes referred to as a “definition poem” (akin to a recipe poem), I offered a poem sketch on Write Stuff.1 Link.
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
As stated last week, this is a bit controversial: writing contests are bad business for both writers and publishers… why is this bad business for publishers? Write Stuff1 read more »
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
The first in of a series titled “The Economics of Writing” appears here on Write Stuff.1 Let’s face it, every writer wants to be #1 on the NYT bestseller list. No writer wants to find copies of their beloved manuscript on the $1 rack at Barnes and Noble. Which means every writer wants to succeed. In order to succeed one needs a plan. I began writing this piece as a way to re-examine my writing/publishing strategy.
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
This week’s contribution to Write Stuff1 is a Valintine’s Day Card.
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
A quick review of last night’s Warren Wilson College public reading at the Fellowship Hall behind the Chapel. I arrived early and chatted with a local poet who is enrolled in the MFA program. He let me read some of his poems as we discussed future Flood Fine Art Center poetry readings–more on that later.
I don’t remember the first reader. She is a novelist and, with all due respect, I couldn’t really get into her prose. It didn’t interest me in the least. I’m sure she is a good writer, but her story just didn’t engage me at all.
The highlight of the evening for me was Mark Jarman’s reading. He read from a forth coming book titled “Epistles” that evoked such lines as: “to some, bliss is when the body becomes words…” and “God has committed you to memory…” Jarman read each line as if delivering a homily; consistent, calculating the gravity of each word, line, poem. This is my first exposure to Mark Jarman so I don’t know if he always reads in that manner or not. But he reminded me of the way a clergyman reads a creed or prayer or scriptures. He doesn’t look up from his text until he is done. And in that case it is a quick glance to where his chair is located. I’m drawn to his new material and look forward to reading his book when it is made available.
I anticipated hearing Stephen Dobyns but there was a change in schedule. I notice Mr. Dobyns isn’t reading at all. I hope he is still doing his lecture on “The Nature of Metaphor.”
Anyway, it was a pleasure to listen to Percival Everett read from a new manuscript–a non sequential novel. Mr. Everett displays a keen wit with ideas and words and reads through his work rather quickly–almost in a manner that suggests he is reading it more for himself that the audience–that sometimes I felt like I missed essential parts of his story. So it was profound when he stumbled over a word, paused for an long silence, and announced “sorry, I just found a typo and I don’t have a pencil to correct it.” He laughed and continued reading at the same pace as before the discovery of a typo. I’ve only recently been introduced to his work and am interested in reading more of it.
The Indie features part one of my creative non-fiction comic, Strange Familiar Place, this month. It has been a year of trying to find a place courageous enough to take the risk on a no-name amateur artist.
The Indie is available at: Malaprops, True Blue Arts, Pack Library, Woolworth Walk, Rosetta’s Kitchen, Mellow Mushroom, Hannah Flannagan’s, Fine Arts Theater, Early Girl Eatery, Port City Java, Burgermeisters, Lucky Otter, West End Bakery and many other locations.
Previous thoughts and intimations on creative non-fiction comics: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
The publisher received the first installment of my creative non-fiction comic this week. It has been almost a year since a posted about a creative non-fiction comic I’ve been illustrating and writing. Previous posts on creative non-fiction comics: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
The irony is that Drawn, an illustration and cartooning blog, posted this on Monday:”Goodbye one-page diary comics; everyone’s blogging now.”
It appears the one the inspirations for my work now has a blog (which isn’t bad) but he posted this: “In the old days i’d have made a one-page … but today we squander our narratives in a blog.”
The first installment is due to hit the streets in December and the medium is horribly dated. Another source of inspiration has a blog as well but hasn’t updated since 2003. However, Vertigo released a five-issue miniseries by him that began in September.
Maybe it’s not as bad as Drawn considered.
This week’s Write Stuff1 post: Lit–the Drug.
Excerpt:
I’d rather be down at the Flood Gallery (in the River Arts District) listening to emerging writers… or sitting on the floor of the kitchen reading Soft Skull Press’s Tear Down the Mountain on a windy Saturday afternoon.
Tags: [writing, creative, writers, Write Stuff]
NOTES:
1) Write Stuff, accessed April 9, 2009, http://www.take2max.com/writing/ (page no longer available, web site deactivated. Write Stuff published blog posts from 2006 to 2008. Write Stuff moved Write Anything, https://writeanything.wordpress.com/)
Coffeehouse Junkie 