Darius Jones's Blog: A Writer Begins, page 14

Giving a Little Comics Help

Well…Life is always giving us opportunities: to learn, to live, to make new friends, join new adventures. But we have to make sure we’re receptive to these new adventures. So that when the right opportunity presents itself we’re ready and can say, “Yes, let’s go!”

So, my good friend D—, the Renaissance Man from the Upper Midwest—was talking to me last month. About getting more time, in his case, more time for his art. And art for him lately is tending toward the graphic: sketches, drawing,...

The Final Achievement: Simplicity

“Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.” – Chopin

So let me riff, jam, groove, improvise on this theme today. Simplicity. What is it? How does one achieve it?

Funny. Seems no one is aiming at simplicity these days. They seem to be aiming at money or success or something else. But simplicity? Who seems to be aiming for that? I can’t say many are, even me. But I like to t...

Nothing Much to Say

Just a-writing along and thinking of Juan Rulfo selling tires. I don’t have much to say right now, just reading, thinking, writing. And then getting up and doing it all over again.

Loving all things Elvis lately, (especially Last Train to Memphis, what a book!) and reading Eric Hoffer’s The True Believer. Thinking a lot about Hoffer’s link between “frustration” and fanaticism. And how they can become an explosive mixture, able to transform societies in positive and negative ways…The book see...

The Craft: Research, How Much Is Too Much?

[This is part of a continuing series on the art of writing fiction.]

I’m trying to get the balance right between research and writing. One thing I don’t want to do when writing fiction is research too much.

The other day, I read an interview with Tom Stoppard, the playwright. I haven’t been able to track down the exact one again. But the important point was: can one over-research before sitting down to write a story? Is there  a point where you should be begin writing before you know too much...

No Reading Fiction While Working!

Here’s something I picked up while reading a quick, great interview with Paul Auster, the American writer. It seems Auster will NOT read fiction when he’s writing fiction:

What do you read when you’re working on a book? And what kind of reading do you avoid when writing?

No fiction while working on a novel — only after I’m done and before I’ve started something new — but poetry, history and biographies are acceptable, along with books to help me research various things related to the book I...

Did Hemingway “Write Drunk, Edit Sober”?

It’s no secret writers—especially American writers—like their drink. In fact, one of my earliest memories from English class in high school was one of my teachers telling us: Never become a writer because as an American you could win the Nobel, yes, but you’d more likely end up dead before your time or at least a hopeless alcoholic. I was skeptical at first, but I started to do some research starting with some of the American writes who won the Nobel. And turns out, my English teacher was mor...

The Craft: How to Make Your Characters Like Metamorphic Rock

[This is part of a continuing series on the art of writing fiction...]

[Spoiler alert: This post contains plots details from Hamlet and Moby Dick.]

I hope you forgive this very extended metaphor…

I wonder if my fellow writers out there have ever considered how their characters are (or ought to be) like metamorphic rock? Hmmm…I don’t see many hands going up or nods of agreement out there, so let me explain.

It  turns out that there are not three forms of rock like we learned in school: the ig...

The Writing of the Fiction

Guys, getting into the writing…of the fiction…this week. So, I’ve got to post and run.

I thought I would like to talk about events at large, and I started this writing day fully intending to do that, but it just melted inside me…and was gone. I almost threw down the book I was going to quote from. It just no longer worked and I had no motivation to write about it.  

But in fiction writing, it’s whole different story. I’m reading, absorbing, researching, submitting, writing. All good stuff,...

Still Writing, Still Dreaming

All, I’m going to take a little break from updates on my writing. I will still be here and writing, but will take a step back from updating you EVERY BIT OF THE WAY on my works in progress. But, rest assured, I’m going to continue writing fiction. In order to do THAT, I’m going to have to continue to make these posts short and telegraphic. And maybe focus on larger issues in writing and life…but, you know, in a concise way.

So to recap, here’s a quick review of where things stand:

1. I’ve su...

Where My Writing Is Going in 2017

It’s a little late for resolutions, but I wanted to post this before 2017 gets too far away from us.

First, let me say I’m pretty pleased with where my writing is at. So, these are more like adjustments than “resolutions.” Overall, I’m keeping disciplined and writing “what I know and love.” So, all’s pretty good. But I was noodling on what to change and these three things came up. So, here are my writing resolutions for 2017.

1. No More Novellas
Well, well, well. Here’s the deal: I love writi...