"I'm long on ideas, but short on time." Thomas Edison.
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Amazon is a dangerous thing for people like me. Putting a librarian (and writer) in front of a computer with unlimited access to all kinds of new and used books is like putting a fat lady in a candy store. I have no will power, no restraint. Unfortunately I bought all the books on my Christmas list--and then some. Still, I got great deals! The only thing I need to work out is where to store all these books.
I've been reading books on color therapy, color psychology, and reading auras. I can't say I'm getting any better at seeing auras, but I've learned a lot about how we see color, and how color affects us in all kinds of ways that we often don't realize. All this reading is my way of letting IFFY perk up there in my head. Keep adding things to the pot and eventually something will come out. (Now if I can just finish this Free Lunch rewrite!)
I've also been reading about how to draw the human figure--and even how to draw people clothed! And despite the fact that you seldom get to (or have to, depending on the person) see naked people walking around, there is way more books on how to draw naked figures than people wearing clothes.
I just wish there was more time to read, and write, and study naked figures--I mean draw! Seriously, life is grand. So much to learn, so much to do--including raking way too many leaves. (I went to take off my coat today and almost got stuck because, evidently, writing doesn't do much for one's triceps, but raking does.)
This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for all of you wonderful writers out there that make my life so interesting and enlightening. Go you!
I've been reading books on color therapy, color psychology, and reading auras. I can't say I'm getting any better at seeing auras, but I've learned a lot about how we see color, and how color affects us in all kinds of ways that we often don't realize. All this reading is my way of letting IFFY perk up there in my head. Keep adding things to the pot and eventually something will come out. (Now if I can just finish this Free Lunch rewrite!)
I've also been reading about how to draw the human figure--and even how to draw people clothed! And despite the fact that you seldom get to (or have to, depending on the person) see naked people walking around, there is way more books on how to draw naked figures than people wearing clothes.
I just wish there was more time to read, and write, and study naked figures--I mean draw! Seriously, life is grand. So much to learn, so much to do--including raking way too many leaves. (I went to take off my coat today and almost got stuck because, evidently, writing doesn't do much for one's triceps, but raking does.)
This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for all of you wonderful writers out there that make my life so interesting and enlightening. Go you!
5 comments:
Sarah;
I sure hear you about books!!! I have books stacked here, there and everywhere, including my bookcase. I also have about 20-plus years of magazines in by one-day-to-be-office in the basement. You are much wider read than I. Mine are all outdoor/nature related. The writing is so eloquent, so much more than in the magazines out today. Kind of reflects today's outdoorspeople--they want information and fast.
My nude figures and clothed are one in the same. That's the nice thing about stick figures, you can let the viewer see what he or she wants to see.
I'm thankful for all the great outdoor writers that took me along, gave me a reverence for land and wildlife, or made me laugh. There so much more to see out there than through the scope's crosshairs or above the barrel. A few days ago, I found a dead shrew on one of my walks, confirming their residency. A few years ago a flying squirrel raised a litter in one of our blebird nest boxes. Bittersweet, salamanders, pond insects and a fallen leaf mosaic thrill my inner child. A discovered turtle nest begs the question, hatched or destroyed?
Hoping you and you family and everyone out there a Happy Thanksgiving.
Larry,
Since I've been a librarian for going on 16 years, I've definitely seen the style of writing change. Probably due to the internet more than anything else. Most information comes in bite-sizes now. Even books have pull-out boxes and charts and lots of bold headings and white space. No more page after page of nothing but text.
I have mixed feelings about it. Brain research shows that our brains LOVE patterns and colors, so some of the new style of writing makes a lot of sense. However, I think that we--kids especially--tend to lose some of the connectedness of information. The ability to see the big picture comes harder when you are fed bite-size pieces.
As writers we can always seek to change things. Bring the wonder and awe that you see in nature back to the readers. Good writing will never completely go out of style.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Sarah,
I should have bought stock in Amazon. Not just books, but also music - I get so much of my music through them - people often assume that because I host a radio show I receive tons of free music. Not true. Nearly the entire stock of the music I play on air I've personally bought, often through Amazon, because used is cheaper than new.
I also admire your research. I did little research for the first book but have done quite a bit for the one I'm working on, set it New York. I've read books, purchased several maps and city guides, serached out web sites, interviewed New Yorkers, watched movies set in the neighborhood of my story (Greenwich Village). And I will have to visit the city again to do some more up close research, if I decide to continue writing it.
I'd like to express my gratitude for your watch over this blog.
Mike
Hey Mike,
I hear you about buying music from Amazon. I love that I can buy used CDs for not a whole lot of money. Makes me willing to take a risk on something new. Funny how fast it can all add up though.
And you are welcome. I like blogging, but it would be nothing without all of you. I love knowing there are other writers trying to fit writing in amidst regular life.
And sometimes, when I don't seem to be getting anywhere with this particular dream, it's encouraging to hear from you all.
It's 2:45 a.m. and I couldn't sleep. While gathering an armload of wood for the stove, I heard coyotes somewhere beyond the powerline. Talk about some wild music!! Don't know if they discovered a deer carcas or are just howling for the pure joy of it.
The other day, I heard wild shrieking from high overhead. Barely visible, a flock of snow geese winged its way east. Sandhill cranes would have flown even higher and whinnied like a rusty gate. Spurred an idea to write about all the sounds--well at least some of them--in nature. We take so much for granted: crickets on a warm summer night, spring peepers, cardinals and other songbirds, the plaintive barking of Canada geese, or the cheery bobwhite! bobwhite!
I thank you too, Sarah, for the blog. It's gotten me to write when my muse is on strike.
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