Amy Laurens's Blog, page 58

Zip Lining in Vegas!

So one of the non-business things I got to do in Vegas (one of few, let it be known) was zip lining down Fremont Street! So much fun, though you do have to line up for 1.5 hours even with time-slotted tickets to do it. There were 7 of us who went – four instructors and three students – and Dean Wesley Smith, one of the key instructors, did the GoPro thing. In the beginning of the video, I’m the one in the blue shirt with the tan boots at the far end on the right

So Many Things

All the things in the works. Inkprint has acquired a new author (much squee), I’ve had an acceptance for some non-fiction articles that you’ll hear about closer to the time, and might have some new serial fiction for y’all to read in a bit too through another website. Basically, here I am, vaguely squeeing about all the behind-the-scene stuff that’s going on right now. So much awesome.

Now I’m going to go finish day-job stuff and crash into bed. *waves*

Writers Bundle – Super Good Deal

Just popping by today to note that if any of you out there are writery people, you might want to consider this bundle I found. David Farland was one of the instructors at the Masterclass I attended last week, and he really knows his stuff. It was *fantastic* hearing his insights into working with Hollywood, and what to watch out for.

David’s also a well-known script-doctor, an excellent writer himself, and a writing mentor, who helped develop the careers of people you’ve heard of – Brandon Sa...

Catching Up: Why I’m Going To Stop Spinning And The World Isn’t

Wow. Wow-Wow.

So, as you know if you’ve been following along, I spent last week in Las Vegas for the WMG Writing Business Masterclass with a host of incredible, amazing people – participants and presenters alike. I have 50 pages of handwritten notes, an action list longer than my arm (which I need to sort through, but soon, once the day job is caught up), and my head is exploding in the most positive way from the learning I did, which was not only professional, but also intensely personal, as...

People Don’t Go From 0 – 60

Just thought this was worth reposting

Whoa No Way, Books Are Good For Kids!

Whoa, I’m, like, so shocked: new study ‘reveals’ that growing up with a large* home library results in significantly improved literacy, numeracy, and digital communication skills!

Five Reasons Why Fiction Is Critically Important In Human Culture (pt 2)

See yesterday’s post for Reasons 1 through 3.

REASON FOUR: SOCIAL/POWER STRUCTURES

In all of this, there may be some interesting things going on with our background psychology. Some monkey scientists (as in scientists who study monkeys, not, you know, unusually inquiring and intellectual monkeys) have suggested that when monkeys groom each other, it’s not actually primarily about hygiene and keeping parasites/pests down after all: the act of grooming, they suggest, plays an important social r...

Five Reasons Why Fiction Is Critically Important In Human Culture (pt 1)

One of my friends got tangled in an argument on Twitter last week about why fiction even matters in the first place. Conveniently, I actually addressed that in one of my recent non-fiction books, so I thought I’d repost here tagged accordingly. This is in two parts – part two will post tomorrow. 

 

Storytelling has been around for at least as long as writing has, and given the centrality of oral storytelling in many cultures, it’s safe to assume it’s been around a lot longer than that.

The fi...

Made It Monday: Sketchy Drawing Things

Welcome to #MadeItMonday, where I post something I’ve made in the previous week, and where you can join in and post something you made too! The rules are easy: post a pic somewhere of something you’ve made in the last week (ish; let’s say in the last month as the hard-and-fast) and tag it. Sit back and enjoy scrolling through all the beautiful things we’ve collectively created, and celebrate the fact that humans can be awesome!

White Winter Hymnal

A darling friend let me talk through like ALL my current writing projects to her via email this week, which, if you want to make a writer person happy, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT, just saying :’D

Anyway, as part of that, I had to pull this song out to explain something, and whoa, this is a cool video clip. So, happy Friday, everyone!