✎ on writing on writing
What is 'Memoir Plus' and why is it so hot right now? — Nour Sallam - Literary Agent
Nour Sallamnoursallam.com
I pored over several of Roxane Gay’s New York Times op-eds. I studied how she approached them and how she framed her arguments, paying particular attention to structure, tone, and word choice.
Mallary Tenore Tarpley • Skip the diet talk today (+3 writing-related tips)
read the work of your favorite authors, diagram the structure, study the tone
Horizontal and Vertical: Horizontal is the events of the story as they take place (in chronological order). Vertical is the memories and feelings the events evoke, or as Chuck puts it, the “increase in physical, emotional, and physiological tension.” So, when a significant event takes place in the novel, how can you branch out from that event like ... See more
Erin Karbuczky • Can Writing Be Dangerous? (Spoiler: It Already Is)
or, how to navigate space-time (as in, tell a story linearly + travel back and forth [mostly back] in time about what the present brings and vice-versa)
Instead of establishing your authority on a topic by infodumping, use your character to establish authority through the way they think and speak. For example, if your character is a bird expert, they may describe objects and people using language and phrasing normally reserved for birds.
Can Writing Be Dangerous? (Spoiler: It Already Is)
When a writer labels a work that resembles prose as poetry, they’re suggesting the work be evaluated in the court of poetry rather than that of prose. Pay less attention to plot, narrative and other prosaic devices, and instead the building blocks of poetry: sound, rhythm, and, most importantly, image, the sensory details conjured in our minds.
KOPI BREAK ORDER #020 — Czander Tan: “Manila Skyline”
on wtf is prose poetry—and also: “If a line break truncates a thought into sizable chunks, using pauses to mediate the reading experience, this poem wants us not to pause, to quickly take in…”
I read a lot that was repetitive. I still felt like it was worth it. It took time to learn and absorb the material, especially the science, so reading the same thing ten times would drill that into me more. But also, that’s how you learn what is a cliche. You start to realize: Everyone says this, so I won't say it the same way.
Erika Hayasaki • Going From Idea to Published Book
when you learn about an issue and you see everyone is saying the same things about it, don’t say those things again
I read all this history, and archival newspaper clips. I really enjoy that. I wrote multiple chapters of history. But I ended up totally scrapping them. Later, I integrated some of that history into the book. But I basically tore up my first drafts.
When I’m writing early drafts, I start by laying out material I’ve gotten from interviews and researc... See more
When I’m writing early drafts, I start by laying out material I’ve gotten from interviews and researc... See more
Erika Hayasaki • Going From Idea to Published Book
an example of how to piece things together non-linearly: she started with history, then scrapped it, then made an outline and wrote factual stuff, then went back in and added some color, some story, some personal touch
get the name of the dog, or the make and model of the car, or the slogan on the T-shirt. In other words, always be on the lookout for details that tell you something about a person and their surroundings.
Often, these details open up points of relatability for readers.
Often, these details open up points of relatability for readers.
Mallary Tenore Tarpley • How to get better at capturing details during interviews (Part 1)
get the name of the dog — details are points of relatability for readers