Midge Raymond's Blog, page 54

A space of one's own

A few weeks ago, I inadvertently re-created my writing space in a way that led to efficiency and clear thinking. It didn't last long, sadly — and now that I'm back to being buried, I'm wondering how I achieved that level of organization and productivity.

It was surprisingly simple: I was getting ready for a short trip, and when I glanced at my desk, I noticed what a disaster area it was. Not wanting to come home to such a seemingly hopeless mess, I cleaned up (which basically meant shoving...

Stuff for writers

While most writers know that book titles can't be copyrighted, we have yet to see another Moby-Dick or Gone with the Wind. What's far more common, as this site shows, is using same cover art for many different books.

Doesn't every writer love a good malapropism? This NY Times article reminded me of my days living in Taipei, when I'd encounter various bizarre English translations. Visitors to Shanghai won't be able to enjoy thanks to the Shanghai Commission for the Management of...

May is National Short Story Month!

It's been only a couple of years since National Short Story Month was designated by Dan Wickett of the Emerging Writers Network — and as this Poets & Writers article notes, the idea was first floated by The Story Prize's Larry Dark back in 2003: "I think the story needs advocacy as a cultural institution the way poetry has done … There's a national poetry month, and I think there should be a national short-story month, too."

While National Short Story month may not yet have the organizational ...

Location, location, location

I (finally) saw the film Up in the Air, and as I watched it with my Midwestern husband, I learned a few interesting things. One, that the wedding scenes' "rural Wisconsin" hotel was actually the Chesire Inn in St. Louis. Two, that George Clooney's character's "Omaha, Nebraska" apartment is actually in the Mansion House, also in St. Louis. And three, that the Vera Farmiga character's "Chicago" brownstone is also, yes, in St. Louis (right down the street from my brother-in-law's house, in...

Free books!

In honor of National Poetry Month, poet and blogger Kelli Russell Agodon has gathered together 51 generous people to give the gift of poetry, i.e., free books. What better way to celebrate?

To enter the drawings, visit Kelli's blog for links to the participating bloggers/poets/poetry lovers.

Enjoy — and spread the word!

Happy National Poetry Month.

Writing exercise

This weekend, spend some time outside (if possible — I know "spring" doesn't always mean good weather; but you can also do this exercise by sitting in a cafe, pub, etc., as long as you're near a window).

Write two pages about a stranger you see — on the street, in the park, near you at the movies, etc.

The idea is, whether you're working on a novel already filled with characters or whether you're starting a new piece from scratch, it's great to take some time to observe those around you. So...

The new counterculture

I'm not usually one to make New Year's Resolutions (because I inevitably break them), but while out of town (and mostly disconnected from the Internet), I did make an April Fool's Day resolution: to spend at least one day a week offline.

As it turns out, I chose the right holiday to make that one.

I've since spent not a single day offline, but, as I used to say back when I made New Year's resolutions, it's early yet. And I'm still thinking I'll give it a try. I discovered last week that...

Embrace the boredom

A couple of months ago I was struggling, as I often do, with an unwieldy first draft when I decided to let go of it for a while, work on other things, try to come back to it with a little more objectivity. I felt guilty about taking a long break from a project that I'd hoped would keep moving forward — but a couple days later, wandering through the Seattle Art Museum, I had an epiphany about this very project, and it sent me racing back to the computer.

What is it about getting away from our w...

Brain sex

As a writer, I'm always looking for new ways to define and explore character, and this Sex I.D. test from the BBC is a cool one. Its enticing web site offers: Get a brain sex profile and find out if you think like a man or a woman. See if you can gaze into someone's eyes and know what they're thinking. Find out why scientists are interested in the length of your fingers.

So if course, I did it — for myself this time (kind of fun: as it turns out, I'm very empathetic but not much of a...

Stuff for writers

Inspired by Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing, the Guardian recently asked other writers for a few rules of their own, including Margaret Atwood ("Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don't whine"), Roddy Doyle ("Do be kind to yourself"), Richard Ford ("Don't drink and write at the same time"), and Helen Dunmore ("Reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite").

You may also enjoy responses to this piece from writers at The Huffington Post ("NEVER WRITE AGAIN") and Salon (offering "five...