A regular feature with no long explanations… just photos of real life words…
Inspiration, wisdom and education all in one stack…..
Ranting that Writing is an Art Form….
March 9, 2011 By 1 Comment
I have been told by other writers that Ireland reveres its writers so much, that they allow them to live tax free in the Emerald Isle. Now I’m not sure if this is true or not, and perhaps some investigation is in order, but if that rumour isn’t reason enough to love the country, I don’t know what is!
It seems to me that often than not, if you are an art-tist in almost any field of creativity, you are given special treatment by the people around you. Fashion – especially haute-couture is seen (by its loyal followers) as art. In fact, it takes something as drastic and hideous such as an anti-Semitic rant to push society, who has forgiven your foibles such as rudeness and temper tantrums over the collective edge and tell you your behaviour is totally unacceptable, because, well, as an art-tist you are highly strung. 
Although, as an aside, if Natalie Portman hadn’t been the shoo-in for the Academy Award this year, garnering her so much media attention, would her statement of shock and disgust, that appeared to be the nail in the coffin for Mr Galliano’s career at Dior, have had as much strength behind it? And, just for the record, where is the news coverage of all the other shocked and outraged Jewish actors and actresses? What is the truth behind this story? Has this drunken, slurry rant, that allegedly occurred not long after Galliano’s lover had died, been around on a mobile phone for several months and only now just released at such an appropriate time as to best get rid of a designer that a fashion house had been struggling to set itself free from? Or am I just seeing conspiracies behind even hedge?
Visual modern art works, (Barnett Newman’s Voice of Fire or Jackson Pollock Blue Poles) even if the work looks, to my obviously uneducated eyes, like paint splatters or vaguely of a war medal, that my six year old can do and it is considered high art. Misogynistic or bimboette music stars are considered artists and paid millions for their work. As are people in Hollywood for pretending to be people they really are not, doing things they really cannot.
But ask the average punter what a writer is, and the term ‘artist’ is one that they will more than likely not be the one to out with. In fact, whilst reading of the demise of a favourite book store back home I was stunned to read in the comments that some people hold the opinion that books were not works of art. They were simply blocks of bound paper printed in the tens of thousands for the making of a profit.
Contrary to Corrie Perkins, I don’t see books being “works of art”. Art is a one-off creation; books are printed in their tens of thousands, by companies, for profit. They are indeed commodities. Authors such as Bryce Courtney, Wilbur Smith, Jackie Collins, etc are not artists, they write for a living, and often to a formula. au contraire | nsw – February 23, 2011, 8:09AM
I’m sorry….? Stories aren’t works of art? Excuuuuuuuuuse me? Unless you have spent hours in front of the computer researching, writing, editing, and sweating the small stuff such as word counts; if you have not poured over books and websites researching how to get an agent interested in your work (much less a publisher,) you have no idea of how hard a writer has worked for that piece of ‘non art’ you read for enjoyment or learning. Even the formula ones. And is there no greater sin in the book reading world than to be a profitable, commercial writer? Must all writers be starving, wondering when their next paying six month column gig in a local news rag will come along? Have a look at how much actors, actresses, music stars, reality television stars are commanding for their ‘art’ and see if there isn’t a hint of profiteering in there. And don’t get me started on the whole profiteering of artist’s such as Monet or Van Gogh with jigsaw puzzles, paint by numbers, bags, tea towels and whathaveyou!
All this ranting from reading one innocent article in the Irish newspaper, The Independent? Well thank goodness somewhere out there a nation sees writers as artists and worthy of being treasured. And phew - just imagine if I had planned to get up on a soap box and preach!
Real Life Words #3
March 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A regular feature with no long explanations… just photos of real life words…
English and French days and months of the year……
February Book List
March 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
After almost four years and 100+ books, Canadian writer Yann Martel has given up his self appointed role of literary mentor to the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper.
For years Martel has been sending books every two weeks to the Prime Minister in the hopes of getting him interested in great literature. And not just picking up any old book on sale at the local ChaptersIndigo book store…. noNoNO. Martel has taken the time to write about why and how the particular pick for the fortnight has impacted the world, readers and brought new ideas to the fore.
Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of more time than I am giving towards the Random House Inc reading challenge than I am already giving. Indeed, I may end up with less time if I manage to score a job in the next little while. For what its worth I am applying for a job in a bookstore – does the proverb letting a child loose in a candy store spring to mind anyone?
So here are the lucky nine books that I’ve managed to read in the month of February.
Read the first Merrily Watkins book last month and couldn’t wait to start another one. The book I read was out of order of the series, so this one is heading back as far at the Ottawa Public Library will allow me to go. Easy to read mystery book that mixes faith with mystical and comes out with an enjoyable read for this bookworm.
This book was easy to read. It was enjoyable and I did finish it (I often give up on a book if there are no redeeming features at all) but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read anymore by Susan Lewis. Quite honestly, it felt too obvious.
I recall seeing the launch of this series (‘Extraordinary Canadians’) on television a while ago, so I was excited to read the book written about Lucy Maud Montgomery. I liked that it wasn’t a ‘she was born on a cold winters day… she lived and died eventually’ kind of outline for the book, but rather Jane Urquhart took different themes on L.M.’s life and wrote about it in its entirety, and then moved onto the next big theme. Interesting, thought provoking and a good read.
I read “Moral Disorder” a year or so ago and hated it! Swore up and down to my writing group that I would never read another of her books. But then I read about Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban using a gestational carrier to have their second daughter, and over the course of a few weeks, a furore broke out about the use of women to carry a baby for another couple in this manner. How access to a surrogate of any kind is really the privilege of the rich. That it demoralises poorer women who tend to be viewed as doing it because their uterus the only thing of value to society. And the reference to ‘The Handmaids Tale’ was made. I had to read it, and will be eating humble pie. At least this slice of the Atwood pie was tasty.
I read this on my e-reader. I love my e-reader. I hate how expensive e-books are when they are not tangible objects. I cant wait for e-books to become cheaper. But I love J.K. Rowling and I can’t help but love that my daughter was telling me on Saturday night that Harry Potter was calling her on her (broken) mobile phone, and that Voldermort had managed to get into her phone and wipe out all her messages! Yeah for characters that become real things to children.
OK. So I read yet another of the Merrily Watkins books. And I have two more sitting on my shelves right now for the March book list. I’m hooked. Any author who can wrap Prince Charles, The Knights Templar and gruesome murders together in a story that moves along at a decent pace deserves to be read.
I decided to read this book on the strength of the David Nicholls book ‘One Day’ which I loved. I didn’t love this one quite as much. I didn’t feel the attachment to the characters who were self absorbed, boring twits and were, in a manner, repulsive. An interesting idea of ’behind the scenes’ of fame and what it takes to get there (and are you willing to do it), with some humorous points, but on the whole, no, it really didn’t grab me the way ‘One Day’ did.
I really enjoyed this book…. until the end. The end was so abrupt I actually checked for the telltale signs of jaggered paper to make sure nobody had ripped out the last chapter of the book. They hadn’t. It was just a strange place to end. Very ‘European film-ish’ in that there is no nice wrap up at the end. No comeuppance for the jerk, no happily every after for everyone…. just… life goes on. Still, I liked the characters and wanted them to get their happy endings, so I can imagine it for them – right?
Real Life Words #2
February 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A regular feature with no long explanations… just photos of real life words…
Only hope my favourite clothing store back home keeps sending catalogues out after three years of none….
A New Enid Blyton…..
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Enid Blyton.
I’m fairly certain that every child in the UK or Australia has read at least some of her works. Apparently she was an author of some repute throughout the Commonwealth, but I hesitate to say for sure in Canada (nothing about this new country of mine is quite the same….) but with books translated into 90 different languages, you would be forgiven for thinking that almost the entire world has read at least one Blyton book in their younger days: The Magic Faraway Tree anyone?
My special love was the series ‘Famous Five’. When I was younger I was crazy about them, and any time Mum went into the city for the day she would come home having visited the book shop with a new book or two (sometimes three!) for me to add to my collection. Sadly the books are all back home in Australia right now, and I will either have to ship them out for Bronwen (or more likely if I’m still in Canada get them on e-reader) when the time is right so that I can share a part of my literary heritage with her.
Blyton wrote almost 800 books over the course of a 40 year career (take that Nora Roberts,) is apparently the fifth most translated author in the world and there are at least 600 million copies of her books scattered around the globe. *phew*
So one can imagine the shock someone had when they initially discovered in a pile of old manuscripts an unpublished story after buying the box of manuscripts at auction. Imagine that amongst the drafts of Famous Five, Secret Seven, Noddy and Malory Towers, a new story….a Mr Tumpy’s Caravan suddenly came to your attention. Quite possibly an early attempt at a novel…. just … imagine.
One cant help but wonder, will the publishing house that bought the box of manuscripts publish the book now for old times sake, or the money making potential that is undoubtedly has with Blyton devotees - even if the story is really poorly written? Think Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl” series and the reputed forth novel he was writing before his death, the debate over that being published one day or not, according to who wins out in the Swedish courts over the rights to his property. Anything is possible.
Amy Bourret – Mothers and Other Liars
February 23, 2011 By 1 Comment
There was one book that I read in January that affected me emotionally enough that I did something that I have never, in all my years of being a book lover, ever done. I sat down and wrote an email to the author telling her how her novel impacted me. Oh yeah… I really did.
How far will a mother go to save her child?
Ten years ago, Ruby Leander was a drifting nineteen-year-old who made a split-second decision at an Oklahoma rest stop. Fast forward nine years: Ruby and her daughter Lark live in New Mexico. Lark is a precocious, animal loving imp, and Ruby has built a family for them with a wonderful community of friends and her boyfriend of three years. Life is good. Until the day Ruby reads a magazine article about parents searching for an infant kidnapped by car-jackers. Then Ruby faces a choice no mother should have to make. A choice that will change both her and Lark’s lives forever.
January 28th 2011
Dear Amy,
I feel like I can call you by your first name because I assume I already know you, having just finished reading “Mothers and Other Liars.” Authors always give away a part of themselves when they tell a story; they reveal a part of who they are. Open themselves up to outsiders who assume to see a glimpse of the author from what they write. It’s impossible, I think, to not do so. Otherwise, how can an author write a story that has any emotional power? But that means you get emails from complete strangers who seem to think they can call you by your first name.
I started your novel last night and finished it not long after 2pm. The power of your work has actually brought me to my computer to write to you; something I never do. But I knew as the image of Ruby watching Lark and Charlie at the beach danced in my imagination I was going to have to write to you.
Because you managed to make me cry, not once, but twice.
Last night I cried as I read of the separation of mother and daughter when Lark was to be ‘returned’ to the Tinsdales care. Lark’s mouth opens, forms one silent word, “Mama!” Then she disappears behind the shutting door. I think that maybe my heart split in two at that scene. And today, as I was looking after my own daughter (who turns six next month and is home sick from school,) I cried once again as I read the baptism/goodbye ceremony for Charlie before the social worked pried Ruby’s fingers one by one off her son to take him away. Cried perhaps isn’t strong enough a word. Maybe sobbed would be a better, more honest description of my reaction. The tears rolled down my cheeks and no matter how many times I reminded myself “it’s only a story” like I do when my daughter gets upset over things in books or on television, the pain I felt for the situation was real. And that, Amy, is when I knew you were a story teller with a rare but precious skill.
So I just wanted to write and say thank you for sharing your story with me. Truly it was a lucky last minute grab off the bookshelf. I loved it so much and can’t wait to read your next novel!
Courtney
I didn’t stop to edit what I wrote three or four times like I normally would. Because I knew that if I took too long contemplating about what I was writing I would have contemplated myself right out of writing to Amy Bourret at all. And I must confess that as a wannabe writer, I like the idea of telling someone else when they had got it right by me. Of telling someone that the hard work of sitting behind a desk, or in front of a blank piece of paper had been worth it, because someone else saw and valued the vision. So imagine my surprise when I received this back the very next day….
Thank you so much Courtney! Writing happens in such a vacuum that feedback like yours really means a lot to me.
always,
Amy
Obviously I’m so inspired by this success ( getting a reply) that I may very well take the risk of writing to another author whose book I truly adore again because WOW. A real life published author who writes back to fan mail. Cool.
Editorial Savvy – The Lost Art of Editing
February 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I will go out on a limb and suggest that its common knowledge to any wannabe writer who has read even just one ‘how to’ book on the publishing industry that you really want to send in your very best work to be seriously considered for publication. Typos, spelling mistakes or grammatical errors can change the means of whole sentences and is a serious blunder in the striving towards the goal of immortality of the written word. That if you are serious you will have done several major edits, maybe even paid a freelance editor to go over the work too before you entertain the thought of trying to get an agent to represent you and your work to a publishing house. That your work is as perfect in every detail as you can get it.
When I started writing, I was hesitant to even show my work to even the most trusted of friends. The fear of not being good enough, of not being a clever enough wordsmith and having that confronting truth found out would be a terrible trauma. One day, in a fit of bravado, I asked some of my friends if they would be interested in reading and editing an article I was writing. Rachel, a friend and talented writer who had won several awards in the UK for her work, agreed to do a serious edit. She said that most of the time that people asked for help, what they were really looking for was someone to say that their work was great just as it was and that they weren’t interested in partaking in the real editorial process. The results of her editing were a revelation to me. Far from being a fearful experience, it became exhilarating and stimulating. Her insights to mistakes, the dare to be more descriptive and the tightening of the word count without losing meaning was a challenge worth rising to.
But there is a world of difference between sending out a piece of work to a friend and allowing complete strangers give their editorial opinions. Being serious about attempting to achieve the holy grail of writing (being published) I knew that taking part in a serious writing group was in order. I started a writing group with my friend Stephanie and we gathered a small group of women who were earnest about the goal of publication; indeed, we named our group PoD – Publish or Die. Despite being ballsy (Steph’s term, not mine!) to get a group going, I was nervous that I really had no ability nor the training to offer any real insight into other peoples work. The women in this group have agents and master’s degrees, have had plays professionally performed and short articles in magazines published. Finding spelling mistakes, wondering where the semi-colon goes and if it changes the meaning of the text is way beyond my editorial skills. But over time with the group I discovered a different editorial ability; reading for meaning. Reading for continuity, for mistakes in settings and for character development is something I’m really good at, and an important part of the editorial process.
The article in The Guardian, about whether publishing houses and editors are doing editorial work or not now was interesting to say the least. Flicking through the March 2011 issue of “Movie Entertainment” magazine (from Rogers Cable) and finding the article “Errors of Biblical Proportions” (page 37) about editorial boo-boos in the Bible was a humorous reminder that a good editor was always and still is a gift in the world of writers. Do publishing houses now throw most of the editorial work onto the authors themselves? Has the job of editor been transferred in all but name to agents? Do all agents actually help their clients with polishing the work a little more? Or is it just an urban myth? Do editors at publishing houses get red pens (or track changes) out when they are going through a new piece and want to make it as wonderful as the author initially dreamt to be? And will there ever really be a clear cut answer to this question before I myself work with an agent and editor at a publishing house?
Time will tell – I hope.
Real Life Words #1
February 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Something Amis about Writing for Children
February 15, 2011 By 2 Comments
For personal reasons I’ve hit the wall in regards to writing my novel…. a very frustrating event in which the less that’s said about it the better. But a writer writes…. right? And being desperate for inspiration I decided to look over work that was started in previous years and found a children’s story idea that I started back in 2007; a lifetime of experiences and learning ago.
Knowing that a published young children’s picture story is around 150 words or less, and with a word count of 473, my original story was far too long. Time to scale back and find the truth of the storyline in as few, but still as descriptive words as possible. And that can be tough, because if you have children of your own, or if you have ever read a story to a child, keeping their interest in the story can be hard work.
”People ask me if I ever thought of writing a children’s book,” Amis said, in a sideways excursion from a chat about John Self, the antihero of his 1984 novel Money. “I say, ‘If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children’s book’, but otherwise the idea of being conscious of who you’re directing the story to is anathema to me, because, in my view, fiction is freedom and any restraints on that are intolerable. I would never write about someone that forced me to write at a lower register than what I can write,” he added. Martin Amis
A-hem.
Of course writing adult age appropriate fiction is easier. You can take two paragraphs or more depending upon your particular bent towards descriptive prose to describe something. Unlike a children’s picture book in which telling a story must be whittled down to as few as words as possible.
Adults will allow a story to unfold and generally will read up to the first 50 pages before deciding that the story isn’t working for them and putting the book down. Good luck with getting a 12 year old to read even 15 pages if they find the story line taking too long to develop. You don’t even get 50 pages in a picture book.
Coats said that as a children’s writer she certainly did not “write down” to her young readership. “Children are astute observers of tone – they loathe adults who patronise them with a passion, adults who somehow assume they are not sentient beings because they are children,” she said.
“It’s not a feat of the writer’s art exclusive to highbrow literary fiction. When I write, I think about language, the richness and complexity and wonder of it, and I use it to hook the reader into my story, to ensnare them in my net of words, to take them so far that they forget that what they are seeing is only print on a page of a dead tree. I say the reader – and that means whoever is reading my book regardless of age.” Lucy Coats
Writing for children, my original desire and goal was so daunting because of how very tight the word counts, the magnitude of the story themes and the expanding beauty of the storyline is such that I gave up the dream even before I gave it a determined attempt. More than once I’ve read that getting a children’s picture book published is much harder than getting a full length adults fiction book is.
So Martin Amis, of course you can write a much more sophisticated story than a child can appreciate. Of course your power over the written word is more adept than a six year old can handle. But the ability to weave a story together that holds the imagination and attention of a child takes a skill that requires more talent than would appear obvious. I guess the proof would be in the pudding…. try it before you decide its not worthy of your talents sir.
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