can't help telling stories
Writers, like anyone else, have comfort zones. This interview from The Atlantic encourages us to push a little further, to take our own hero’s quest.
By Heart: Anna North on Writing as a Quest – The Atlantic.
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/05/by-heart-writing-means-wandering-into-the-unknown/393602/
I don’t know how zen these five steps really are — unless it has to do with the way preparation can make you ready for the moment — but they are good tips. If you’re getting ready for JuNoWriMo, considr them. They could make all the difference. What’s chocolate got to do with it? Click the link to see.
The Zen of Organized Writing: 5 Steps You Can Take Today | Write to Done.
http://writetodone.com/organized-writing/
This semi-academic discussion about Agatha Christie and her detectives is a brief introduction to the mystery genre. By comparing Christie to her male contemporaries it outlines the broad distinctions between what have come to be called “cozies” and “hard boiled” mystery stories. I like the comparisons to Shakespeare’s plots. And I’ve heard a few people say Christie was the inspiration for Cabot Cove’s Jessica Fletcher (although there is an argument for P.D. James, too).
Miss Marple vs. the Mansplainers: Agatha Christie’s Feminist Detective Hero
http://electricliterature.com/miss-marple-vs-the-mansplainers-agatha-christies-feminist-detective-hero/
Imagine being so isolated, you see no humans outside your family for 40 years. What would your life be like? This Smithsonian Magazine article tells a true story of such isolation. What an interesting premise for a piece of fiction. I can already imagine day-to-day interactions.
For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II | History | Smithsonian.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/for-40-years-this-russian-family-was-cut-off-from-all-human-contact-unaware-of-world-war-ii-7354256/
One of my favorite people, Terri Reid, writes paranormal mysteries. She’s incredibly generous to aspiring writers, sharing tips she’s learned about successful self-publishing at conferences. Her background is in marketing. Here’s a Forbe’s interview with another self-published author, Mark Dawson, who’s also done quite well with his marketing approach. Of course, it helps to have stories worth reading, too.
How This Self-Published Author Made $450,000: Part 2 – Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2015/05/12/how-this-self-published-author-made-450000-part-2/
sharon p. lynn 