Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 157
January 29, 2014
Does Writing Have To Be A Lonely Profession?
Image courtesy of Julia Freeman-Woolpert ~ http://www.sxc.hu/profile/juliaf
I do all my writing alone.
But, I’m not lonely when I do it…
There’s always my Ol’ Muse there to keep me company :-)
But, writers show a vast range of differences in the ways they approach their craft.
And, with the amazing communication opportunities we now have, many writers are opening their study doors to other writers.
I get my own creative writing done while alone; but, I do hang out with other writers and share knowl...
January 28, 2014
Are Writing Contests Worth The Effort?
Image courtesy of Billy Frank Alexander
Writers do all kinds of things to improve their abilities.
Certain activities take a bit of courage; though, for most folks, writing itself takes a lot courage :-)
Also, a writer is constantly being judged—first by themselves, then by anyone reading their work.
Some feel they need to submit to Literary Contests before they publish—a trial-period to hone their skills…
Some do contests just to, hopefully, win some cash.
January 27, 2014
Breaking The “Rules” of Writing
See that boy in the picture who’s pointing?
Image from Horton Web Design ~ http://www.HortonGroup.com
I can’t help but think I used to play with him—the kid who changes the rules in the middle of the game :-)
Sure, there are things in life that must have rigid rules—spaceflight for one—but, I truly don’t think writing is one of them…
In my short novel (which my co-author swears is not a novel), Notes from An Alien, I broke the rule that “Novels should not have prologues”.
I also just broke a rule...
January 24, 2014
Friday Fantasy ~~~ Number Eight
~Copyright, 2014, Alexander M Zoltai~
~ Read More Friday Fantasy ~
The Scribe and The Sun of Truth
~ He was running for his life.
Image from http://www.sxc.hu/profile/iphone5s
The Sun was falling and he had to get to the Ocean before he was engulfed in Its Flames.
Just as he reached the shore…
He woke up.
Ninevas sat up on his cot and spoke to the Dream:
“Mercy! I hear your command yet know not how to comply…“
He waited for confirmation…
No voice, no evidentiary animal sound, no alteration in his humble s...
January 23, 2014
The View from The Top Is Usually Blind . . .
The people who enjoy the rare privilegeof having a bestseller can’t usually relate to folks who write books just as good or even better, but never hit it big…
Check out this quote from John Green, New York Times bestselling author:
Image from http://www.sxc.hu/profile/sofamonkez
“We must strike down the insidious lie that a book is the creation of an individual soul labouring in isolation. We must strike it down because it threatens the overall quality and breadth of American literature…“
There i...
January 22, 2014
Let’s Visit An All-Digital Library . . .
I can hear a few folks saying, “An all-digital library isn’t a real library!”.
Well, “library” comes from theLatinlibraria”bookshop” andlibrarius”relating to books”.
So, are digital “objects” with words and stories actually books?
Mho is Yes.
Last August, I wrote the post,A Library Without Books?, with my first sentence being, “Well, not quite—all the books will be E-books:-)“
That library has opened its doors, and e-readers, to the public in San Antonio, Texas, in the USA.
A few excerpts from an a...
January 21, 2014
How Do Writers Decide What To Write?
Even if you’re just writing a letter to a friend, you have to decide what to write…
image by Zsuzsanna Kilian
Writers under contract, like a hard-slogging journalist or a ghost-writer, are usually told what to write but have some control over how it’s written.
Those creating fiction have the opportunity to write whatever they want; though, deciding exactly what to write might be one of their greatest hurdles…
Seven weeks ago, I started writing a new Fantasy short story every Friday.
I chose a rath...
January 20, 2014
10 of Literature’s Most Evil Corporations
There’s nothing inherently evil in the basic structure of a corporation.
It’s just a particular type of business organization that’s been too frequently co-opted by folks who just can’t seem to care about their fellow humans…
So, it’s no wonder that novelists have crafted some remarkably evil corporations.
I’m fairly sure I don’t need to educate anyone on the ever-present dangers we all face, daily, from real-life corporations.
Yet, I wonder how many of you realize that certain corporations are q...
January 17, 2014
Friday Fantasy ~~~ Number Seven
Copyright, 2014, Alexander M Zoltai
Read More Friday Fantasy
And The Lowly Shall Rise
Every soul had scattered, but one.
The people of the village ran, terrified, into the hills—the Outcast, Fremqul, walked down the steep path from his hideout in the hills.
The people had been warned about the HydraWoman approaching the village—Fremqul didn’t have a clue.
He did wonder at their mass exodus but decided the Sun was, quite surprisingly, blessing him.
Plenty of time to ransack their huts—find those gems...
January 16, 2014
Do You Read Out Loud?
“Read me a story!”
The cry of children—all over the world—yet, over 250 million kids can’t read or write…
Last March, I woke up to a challenge and featured a post about LitWorld‘s World Read Aloud Day and how You can help:
“For these children, for all of us, the stories inside books are more than a gentle escape.
They are a life raft.”
Are you able to do any of the following?
I will celebrate independently (spreading the word, hosting an event, as a guest reader, with my friends or family, etc.)
I w...
