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a.k.a writer

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Book Call: What’s on Your Summer Reading List?

June 2, 2010 — 4 Comments

Summer reading. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®Now that my nieces and nephews are free for the summer and the temps in Denver are in the 90s, my thoughts are on poolside reading. Between a slew of copywriting work (thankfully) and manuscripts to pre-read before the Aspen Summer Writer’s Retreat, I don’t have much time for pleasure reading. However, that hasn’t stopped me from building a list!

A few titles on my list (so far):

  • How Did You Get This Number? by Sloane Crosley, author of I Was Told There’d Be Cake. This new collection of essays by Crosley goes on sale June 15. I have to confess that I didn’t flip over her first collection, but I did enjoy it and this follow-up seems like perfect summer reading.
  • Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I am very eager to read this memoir by Kerman, who spent a year in prison. Everything I’ve read about her experience—including her fiancé’s Modern Love essay about visiting her every week—has been compelling.
  • The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch. I’m a big fan of this author’s blog Ask Allison because she’s so transparent about both her writing process and the publishing/ promoting process. Her books are whimsical, fun and still smart.
  • Wisenheimer: A Childhood Subject to Debate by Mark Oppenheimer. I have fun and traumatic memories (two CX debate partners getting pregnant in the same year) from debate in high school so this one had me at wisenheimer.

*links go to authors’ websites

Your turn. If you’ve read any of these books, what did you think about them? Is there something I should be reading that’s not on my list here? What’s on your summer reading list? Please share in the comments below.

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Cognitive Connection, May 21

May 21, 2010 — 2 Comments

Cognitive Connection. Thinking. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend in Denver and what am I going to be doing? Homework. Finishing critiques for a local workshop and diving into the pre-work required for the Aspen Summer Words Writers’ Retreat. At least maybe I can do it while soaking up some Vitamin D.

Here are a few reads for your weekend:

  • FreelanceFolder Would You Hire This Freelancer? It’s likely that you’ve already seen this, as it spread pretty quickly across Twitter. If you haven’t read it, this post is one client’s experience in hiring a freelancer. She shows you two responses (edited to protect the freelancer’s identity and rates) and tells you which one she hired. The shocking part for me was that she hired either one. Both responses had typos and grammatical errors; one was worse than the other. Would mistakes like that fly from a writer? Surely not.
  • Janice Erlbaum NoNaMeWriMo* (* Not National Memoir Writing Month) Although this post of Janice’s is from February, I just read it—and loved it. Any writer can appreciate the experience of writing and then trashing a full draft. It’s especially compelling for those of you working with memoir. And while you’re on her website, be sure to check out Janice’s book trailer for Have You Found Her. It’s one of the best I’ve seen.
  • The Atlantic Building a 21st Century Safety Net Writer Derek Thompson pens a powerful article on why “a 21st century workforce requires a different kind of safety net, with benefits that are more flexible, portable, personal.”

Your turn. Any great reads that you’d like to share with your fellow readers? Print counts, too, it doesn’t have to be something online. If you’re hooked on a new book or loved an article or essay in a magazine, include it here. Please share in the comments below. Thanks!

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Cognitive Connection January 22: Behind the Story

January 22, 2010 — 4 Comments

This question is directed at the writers here: do your friends and family call you nosey? Mine do—and always have. Even as a child, my favorite one-word question was “why?” and I liked to eavesdrop on conversations. I always wanted to know the story and what happened behind the story. Sometimes, when I’m watching movie or reading a great article, I want to know how the director got that shot or how the writer secured that tidbit of information.

While I know when to keep it in check, there’s no question that I am endlessly curious. One reason I love writing is because I’m always learning something!

With that, I give you my reading picks for the week, most of which focus on the story behind the story.

Your turn. What story or behind-the-story piece did you read this week that you’d like to share here?

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My Favorite Memoirist Says a Writer’s Voice is Key to Being Published

January 18, 2010 — 5 Comments

On the corkboard directly in front of my desk—visible every time I look up—is a quote from Mary Karr. She was writing about the late memoirist Frank McCourt and stated, “A memoir voice is the diamond in a sack of glass.”

Stacks of dusty books black and whiteKarr, a memoirist and poet who’s written The Liar’s Club, Cherry and the recent Lit, is one of my literary heroes. When I attended her reading at Denver’s Tattered Cover in November, she was also emphatic that memoir is about voice and, if you have an original voice, you will get published.

In contrast, I caught several comments on Twitter last Friday. According to a recent WSJ article, the slush pile is dead. Several agents I follow on Twitter declared just the opposite, with agent Janet Reid posting this rebuttal on her blog: “What I mean by the phrase ‘slush works’ is that sending a good query with good pages will get you the attention of an agent. You don’t need anything more than that if you write compelling fiction.”

While I have to admit that I felt a twinge of skepticism when I heard Karr’s comment about your voice being the key to publishing, I don’t want to believe that the slush pile is dead. Call me Pollyanna, but I want to know that talented, hard-working writers without big literary connections can secure an agent and be published.

Maybe that’s why I follow so many agents on Twitter and read so many of their blogs. These agents are offering insight and tips to aspiring authors. On January 14, several agents let readers peek behind the curtain with #agentsday, with agents posting their tasks as they went about a “typical” workday. This LA Times article is a great resource for more about #agentsday, as well as a links to several participating agents. One correction: the article states that popular blogging agent Nathan Bransford did not participate; he did once he overcame computer issues.

Okay, what’s my point with all of this? My dream is to publish a memoir. It’s not something I discuss much and very few people know that I’ve been working on it. But I’ve been chipping away at it for a while and have even taken several writing class that made enormous differences. Then the economy tanked, so I decided I would focus on writing the book, rather than selling it. One of my goals this year is to get serious movement with this and write a full draft. I went the route of developing a proposal and earning a few rejections.

So that’s me being really person. And I want to believe that Karr is right.

What about you? What keeps you motivated and positive when headlines are screaming the demise of publishing? Is there an author, friend, mentor or teacher who keeps you going? Please share your experiences in the comments below.

Photo attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinevan/ / CC BY 2.0

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Fall Reading List: Memoirs for Me. What’s Yours?

October 8, 2009 — 1 Comment

Book stack. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®If it’s fall, it must be memoir season—at least for me. There’s something about the crisp air and bright leaves of October and November that always inspires me to write. I just seem to be a little better about carving out time for more personal work, like essays and creative nonfiction.

And it also means I’m hungry for memoirs. I’m always on the lookout for a great, true tale—even more so in the fall.

Here’s what I’ve got on my list, at least so far. (Book links go to the authors’ websites or publishers’ websites.)

  • Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater by Frank Bruni I discovered this book when I read Bruni’s essay I Was a Baby Bulimic in the New York Times Magazine. It’s not just his love of food that pulled me in; he’s an engaging storyteller. After reading his essay, I wanted more.
  • The Kids Are All Right: A Memoir by Diana Welch, Liz Welch, Amanda Welch, Dan Welch Four siblings recount their experiences with being orphaned and then being separated from each other. While my childhood wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine, at least my brother and I were together. Just reading a brief interview with two of the sisters had me choked up. I can’t wait to read their full stories.
  • Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls. The author of The Glass Castle brings us the story of her real-life grandmother. Where does the “true-life novel” part come in? Walls writes in first-person, giving voice to an amazing woman. This Entertainment Weekly review confirms some of my doubts about the book—and reaffirms my desire to read Walls’ follow up to her riveting memoir.

Counting the Days

The book I can’t wait to read is Mary Karr’s new memoir Lit, which follows her descent into alcoholism and madness. The publisher’s description of the book says that Lit is “also about getting drunk and getting sober; becoming a mother by letting go of a mother; and learning to write by learning to live.” I am especially interested in reading more about Karr’s relationship with her mother and how it evolved. To be released November 3. (My birthday. I know what I’m doing that day!)

Okay, your turn. What are you reading as the leaves fall?

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Four Favorite Writing-Related Books: The Quick-Grab Shelf

June 28, 2009

writing-book_Old-Friend-From-Far-AwayWhen I moved from Seattle to Denver last winter, there was no denying my love for reading or my collection of books. The proof: more than 50 book boxes. No joke!

My walls are lined with bookshelves, but there are a few writing-related books that stay within easy reach and frequently find themselves on my desk. Here are four such books. *The links below go to the authors’ websites.

Old Friend From Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir by Natalie Goldberg. Like a writing class collected into 310 pages, this great book also contains thoughtful exercises to help you recall memories. writing-book_AP-Stylebook-2009Anyone with an interest in writing memoir or essays based on personal experiences can gain great insight and guidance from Goldberg.

The AP Stylebook (also known as “The Journalist’s Bible”). Ask any aspiring editor the first book I recommend and they will tell you it’s this. It’s been my go-to style manual for many years. Even though you can get an annual subscription and look up everything online, I still keep a hardcopy within arm’s reach at all times. Familiar with this book? You’ll also get a kick out of following @APStylebook on twitter.

writing book_My So-Called Freelance Life My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive As a Creative Professional for Hire by Michelle Goodman. Since my honey did most of the driving between Seattle and Denver, I re-read this amazing resource and mapped out my plan for launching a.k.a writer. From tips on reaching out to potential clients to planning for quarterly estimated taxes, Goodman offers frank how-tos for aspiring as well as seasoned freelance writers. I still refer to this book for a refresher – or a second opinion.

Only As Good As Your Word by Susan Shapiro. More memoir than how-to, Shapiro shares her writing journey and quest to be a freelance writer with wit and wisdom. writing-book_Only-As-Good-As-Your-WordSince I don’t live close enough to New York to take one of her classes, at least I can pick up pointers as Shapiro shares personal experience as well as writing lessons from her favorite literary gurus.

Your turn. What are your favorite go-to books related to writing?
Share what makes them so special – and useful – to you.

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