KGB! Bar!!--I'd do it again

Last week I was able to visit the KGB! Bar in New York City to see poet Shelley Stenouse read from her most recent publication. This was my first time to an author’s reading so I didn’t know what to expect. Other than arriving about fifteen-ish minutes late, everything went smoothly--if you like to stand in an over-crowed room or a staircase. 

The place was packed. Let me repeat this, the place had bodies everywhere! I didn’t know that a poet would have such a fan base! This was actually a relief. It’s nice to see that people still respect good art. 

Shelley’s poetry was, to say in fewer words, graphic. Listening from the staircase, I heard her talking about her pet turtle and dildos. Risqué is cool; she did it quite well. I do look forward to attending more readings, even at the uber packed KGB! Bar.  

Good Bad Writers

Even though this post is supposed to be about ‘good writing,’ I have decided that the term is very subjective and not fair. Maybe this is the start of ‘good writing.’ However, the link that I found most fascinating is Bad Writing: What is it Good For? By Laura Miller. 

“Sadly, if bad writers have one thing in common it’s that they’re all firmly convinced that they’re good writers. Really good writers.” 

This, I find, is very true. Though, I’m not sure where I fit in on that scale. I don’t think I’m a good writer and I’m surely not being pretentious. 

Then again, this article did come from Salon.com 

Literary Magazine: Poets & Writers

Poking around on my Nook, the Barnes and Noble remake of the Kindle, I found an intriguing literary magazine--Poets & Writers. I never heard of this publication so I figured I’d pay the $2.99 monthly subscription and see where it goes. After all, it does say it’s the ‘publication for the professional writer’. How bad could it be? 

There was an interesting article that parallels my last post on ‘Keeping It Fresh’. It is hard for me to sit down and actually write, but this submission by Ellen Sussman hit all the right chords with me. 

First, she explains that even if you’re, say, an accountant, tell people that your profession is writing; even if you’re not published. This was odd to me. I felt like I was infringing on something that I had no right to step on--the world of the published writer. Though, the more I thought about it, there was only one thing that separates the ‘professional writer‘ and myself: they’re published, I’m not. Who cares, really? 

“Take yourself seriously,” Sussman says. I guess that’s an important first step. You’re not an alcoholic until you realize you have a drinking problem. 

She goes on to talk about structuring your day around your writing. Sit down for 45 minutes and commit to writing. Don’t stop. Keep pecking at the keys. Then, for 15 minutes, walk away. Don’t think about writing. Go garden. Go walk the dog. The subconscious is very powerful, she explains. You’ll get ideas that you’d never think of staring at a monitor. 

Maybe I’ll go running for the 15 minutes; I really don’t want a dog. 

       Sussman threw out the idea that you should be disconnected from the internet when you write. How true is this?! I check my emails, or Facebook, or my next hotspot in the city--every ten minutes. I don't have A.D.D. but I do have the internet and that might be just as worse. She uses a program called Freedom  that cuts you from the net for the exact time you specify. No internet for one hour? You're cut…end of story-- well, maybe 'start of story.'   

Keeping It Fresh

     Adam, my roommate, shared a link with me a few weeks ago that has, ever since, kept my writing fresh. The simple steps that I now take time for everyday has helped me sit down and do what my creativity expects: solid writing. Catherine Franz, who is a professional writing coach, has compiled 20 simple steps to keep your brain from hitting a wall. If someone told me to go look at some colors, or add strong scents to the room, in an effort to progress my writing and inspire creativity--I’d call it witchcraft.

    However, printing out these little tidbits of motivational gold and posting them on my bedroom wall, I have kept my writing completely progressive. This article just may be the antidote to writer’s block...for now. 

Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story

Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story, by Russell Banks, has the most intriguing and peculiar introduction to the characters. The entire work is made up of only a handful of characters and scenes, and the dialogue is clear and crisp. Starting the story though, Banks describes the the story in the most interesting way. 

He starts out by placing the story in Concord, New Hampshire; then goes on to explain that it could also not have happened in New Hampshire. Banks just wanted to white wash the setting in order to tell his story better. He also describes that the main character, Sarah, would die within a few sentences of the story. This, I believe, was a bold move. 

Starting this story, I didn’t want to put it down. I would fully recommend this good read.     

The Second One.

       He saw the orange glow that was resting in front of himself. It was a cool autumn day and Dave was over caffeinated.

       "What's this glare?" Dave asked his girlfriend.

        She was a slim girl, around 24-24. She wasn't telling. 

       "Hell if I know." she said with her eyes closed and falling asleep. 

      Dave's hands gripped the wheel as hard a she could and wondered what her saw in this woman. 

       "Can't you just play along and stop fighting me with everything?" uttered Dave. He was tired of the bickering that would dominate their relationship. "It's just an orange hue that I can't figure out."

       "I'm going to sleep, Dave. Leave me alone."

         Dave felt annoyed and turned the next corner so hard that his girlfriend was pushed to one side of the seat. 

         Dave looked over, took off his sunglasses and said, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

 

     

 

Blog The First...

Jane Austen Review

One work of fiction that has inspired me has to be Jane Austen’s, ‘Pride And Prejudice.’ She is one of the greatest English authors of her time. Her works have been quoted, adapted, and translated in many forms though out the years. Some of the most inspirational quotes have been interred in the vaults of literary history. The most famous include:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. (pg.5)

You mistake me, my dear, I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least. (pg.7)

I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but no one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh. (pg.369)

These quotes surmise the very nature of Jane Austen’s work. She is delightfully cunning, witty, and sarcastic. She is not, however, an easy read. All of Austen’s works are written in a manner that is not very common in ‘literature‘ today. If you are a novice reader, sit down with a cup of coffee, and allow yourself about an hour a chapter to fully experience 19th Century English life. 

(All excerpts/quotes are directly from Jane Austen’s, ‘Pride and Prejudice.’)  

     

         'Sense and Sensibility', another favorite by Austen, has an amazing open forum at the Pemberley website. It is user submitted and offers insight into history, culture, and even alternate theories of the book. An intriguing collection for an avid Austen reader. 

         

                 Open Forum

         This website is another user-submitted forum, however, it is a complete review. It is useful for understanding, 'Pride and Prejudice' further. 


                Austen Review