IWSG: Too Much Reading

Check out other writers on Alex Cavanaugh's blog.

Summer Break was amazing!  I read a lot of books, but the lack of a schedule really took me away from my writing routine.  I did not keep current on any of my blogs and I did not make any progress on my manuscripts :(

Also, reading a lot of books made me feel a little insecure about my own writing.  First I read Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind and learned what it looks like when someone tells without showing.  Later I read Offworld by Robin Parrish which taught me the importance of a good plot.  The book started out with a great premise- a group of astronauts return from Mars to find no one living on Earth -but the plot was so boring.  I almost gave up.  Towards the end of the story, the plot got so ridiculous that it held my attention, but only because I could not really believe what was happening.  Both books made me think about my own writing in a critical way.  Now I am afraid to look back at what I have written; I fear I have made some of the same mistakes :(

The most recent book I read was The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.  If you have not read it yet, drop everything and find that book!  It is amazing.  I want to read the rest of the series immediately, but I don't think it is even published yet.  Her writing style, subject, plot and characterization are awesome.  I could not put it down.... and I know that my writing is nowhere near her level.  I keep telling myself that she had editing time that I have not gotten to yet, that I am just working on laying down the first draft, but part of me doesn't believe it.  Part of me thinks I can never reach that high of a level.

I am nervous about picking up my manuscripts again.  Meanwhile another story is clamoring to get out of my head and onto paper.

WOTW: Mensch

Mensch:  (noun)  a person of integrity and honor.
New Oxford American Dictionary

I have heard this word often.  Most recently I read it in Michael J. Fox's book, Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Future, where the author uses the word to describe his brother.

In the past few weeks, I have been seeing this word a lot, since I have been relearning the German language with the help of Duolingo.com.  I recommend the site.  It is really fun.  Well, in German, Mensch means person, Menschen means people.  I have been familiar with this definition for many years, but I never really understood the meaning when used as part of the English language (as defined above).  It is interesting to me that a word can be borrowed from another language and then have more meaning added to it.

Have you tried Duolingo yet? 

IWSG: Handwritten Letters

Insecure Writer's Support Group is hosted by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

In February, I participated in the Month of Letters Challenge.  At the time I had just finished reading Jane Austen's Emma and was in love with the idea of handwriting letters as communication.  I instantly picked up paper and pen and wrote a letter to my sister.  Back in the days before email became the norm, I loved writing letters.  I had a German penpal throughout high school, I wrote to friends I had left behind in Ireland and even stayed in contact with some friends I met during my student exchange to Chile.  I received and sent seven-page letters on a regular basis.  Then email took over, and I stopped writing letters.

It turns out that my sister loves the whole letter-writing idea as much as I do.  We have started a much more regular communication now that we write each other.  For some reason, we have never been able to keep up regular communication by phone or email, but suddenly we are writing letters and cards to each other.  There is something so personal and special about receiving a handwritten letter in the mail.

I did not complete the Month of Letters Challenge.  I liked the challenge so much that I decided to make it a year-long project :)  I plan to continue sending letters to my friends and family throughout the year.  I have had such positive feedback from the people who received letters.  It really made their day to receive a handwritten note in the mail.  I even included handmade items with some of my letters.  

I like that writing letters allows me to practice my writing in a different format than usual.  It is more personal, like a journal, but still published in a way.  I find that I go through a different process when I write a letter.  I find it to be an inspiring experience in its own way.

Do you ever handwrite letters?  

WOTW: Autodidact

Autodidact (noun):  a self-taught person

New Oxford American Dictionary

Found in Michael J. Fox's book, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future:

"I used to tell people that I was an autodidact, then smile smugly when I could tell, by the look on their face, that I was so autodidactic that I had taught myself a word they didn't even know."

Sounds like something I would have done when I was younger :)

What I'm Reading Wednesday: So Many Books!

This week, I finished two books and started a third.

First, I completed reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton.  I was mesmerized.  Wharton's writing style was really enjoyable.  Easy to read and full of description.  It is difficult to believe that the whole book is about a man who is thinking about cheating on or leaving his wife.  The plot can be summed up so succinctly, but the book is so much more than that.  Remember this book was recommended by both my sister and a good friend.  I have always trusted my sister's recommendations.  She has led me to many great books and authors, and now I have someone else I can go to for recommendations :)

My second book this week was Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Future by Michael J. Fox. This was an interesting memoir about how Michael received his "college education" in the real world.  There were some interesting anecdotes about his life, and overall it was an enjoyable read.

Finally I have started reading Terry Goodkind's Stone of Tears, the second book in the Sword of Truth series.  I read the first book in this series a number of years ago.  Now that I am returning to the series, I find that Goodkind's writing style is no longer very appealing to me.  It seems stiff and contrived at times.  Hopefully I'm just making an adjustment between this and my last fiction book.  I'm not sure if I will make it through this one.

What are you reading this week?

WOTW: Mien

mien (noun):  a person's look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.
Source: New Oxford American Dictionary

Found in Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
"Every one in Starkfield knew him and gave him a greeting tempered to his own grave mien."

What I'm Reading Wednesday (a Day Late)

I have been having a very hard time getting back to my regular posting since the end of the A to Z Challenge, but I think I have worked up a writing schedule that I can work with.

Currently I am reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton.

Image Source:  readinginthegarden.blogspot.com

This book comes highly recommended by two separate people: my sister and one of my best friends.  I couldn't resist.  I've just started, so I can't really say how I feel about the book yet, but I do love the language.

Before that, I read A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin

Image Source:  oregonlive.com

This book is book number five in the Song of Fire and Ice Series, and I am still hooked.

In this book readers get to reconnect with Tyrion Lannister, quite possibly my favorite character.  I have enjoyed his antics since the very beginning of this series.  He's a smart-ass and he always manages to get out of every scrape and difficult situation somehow.  It was good to read about his adventures again.

Daenerys is also a big part of this book.  Her story has always interested me too.  However, in this book, her story was less fascinating, in my opinion.  I got tired of her life in Meereen and the whole slavery problem.  I almost wished the author had just skipped the whole thing.  I am glad that she finally got to ride a dragon, although I still can't decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

There were some very surprising deaths at the end of the book.  At one point I almost cried.  I was reading on a break at work, so I managed to hold back my tears :)  It's difficult to imagine the series without this character, but that seems to be a theme since book number one when Ned Stark was killed.

I already cannot wait for the next installment!

What are you reading right now?  Have you read either of these books?  

What did you think of them?