Today is the National Writing Project's Why I Write: A Celebration of the National Day on Writing
It's made me stop and think a lot about why I write.
I write because it's an opportunity to explore my creative side. As a busy wife and mother, with a job at OSU and a family business to keep going - I don't have much time to be creative.
Writing lets me make the most of my creative moments. There are no limits. I can explore so many things - my soul, the lives of others, language, even imaginary worlds.
I also write because I am fascinated by the power of words. How things can be communicated, both successfully and unsuccessfully, based on word choice and word order. I love things like connotation, denotation, and context. I love to explore the aspects of language.
But mostly - I write because it's good for me.
And if I get good enough - Perhaps someday it will be 'good' for you too!
Why do you write?
Have a great day. Happy Thursday!
Chris
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Book Recommendation: David Orr’s Beautiful and Pointless * * * * *
I greatly enjoyed David Orr’s book Beautiful and Pointless.
It is intended to be an introduction to understanding modern poetry. I found the book to be interesting, enlightening, and well written. I was surprised and pleased with the unexpected humor found in the book.
I appreciated Orr’s examples and poetry recommendations. I now have several new artists to investigate.
I felt a kinship to Orr and his writing, as well as his take on poetry. I’m sincerely grateful someone recommended this book to me.
This week I’m reading The Discovery of Poetry by Frances Mayes (which I found mentioned in an Amazon review of Orr’s book), and Edge by Jeffery Deaver.
I think the Mayes book is going to be really good. It already made me cry, and I'm not even through the first chapter.
Relevant references:
Amazon Link to Beautiful and Pointless.
OSU library link to Beautiful and pointless.
OSU Library call number:
808.1
075b
Happy reading!
It is intended to be an introduction to understanding modern poetry. I found the book to be interesting, enlightening, and well written. I was surprised and pleased with the unexpected humor found in the book.
I appreciated Orr’s examples and poetry recommendations. I now have several new artists to investigate.
I felt a kinship to Orr and his writing, as well as his take on poetry. I’m sincerely grateful someone recommended this book to me.
This week I’m reading The Discovery of Poetry by Frances Mayes (which I found mentioned in an Amazon review of Orr’s book), and Edge by Jeffery Deaver.
I think the Mayes book is going to be really good. It already made me cry, and I'm not even through the first chapter.
Relevant references:
Amazon Link to Beautiful and Pointless.
OSU library link to Beautiful and pointless.
OSU Library call number:
808.1
075b
Happy reading!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Odd Thomas
I have been reading Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. I'm not a big scary book fan. I am more into suspense. But I've been struck by the poetry in Koontz's writing.
It really amazes me how it is written. Like this:
I also liked this -
What a depth of meaning in two short lines. I love it.
I've been using the Stephen King principle in my writing (KISS), just tell the story and get it done, don't put too many ruffles on it. But when I get good - really good - I hope I have some flavor of Koontz in my writing.
King doesn't seem to think much of Koontz. Go figure.
Luckily - I can love them both. Who do you think is better?
Happy Thursday!
It really amazes me how it is written. Like this:
"The soft features of his wan face brought to mind pale mushrooms that I once glimpsed in a dark dank corner of a basement, mealy puffballs clustered in a moist mounds of forest mast." Dean Koontz - Odd ThomasNow that's a whole lot different than saying perhaps - He had a pale mushy face. There is a greater depth of description, and it's beautiful.
I also liked this -
"She served it hot, kissing plate to counter without a rattle, as she always does." Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas
What a depth of meaning in two short lines. I love it.
I've been using the Stephen King principle in my writing (KISS), just tell the story and get it done, don't put too many ruffles on it. But when I get good - really good - I hope I have some flavor of Koontz in my writing.
King doesn't seem to think much of Koontz. Go figure.
Luckily - I can love them both. Who do you think is better?
Happy Thursday!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Poetry should ride the bus
I am a new fan of Ruth Forman's poetry, especially "Poetry should ride the bus"
I really like how she uses simple language and the tone of her culture to convey strong images and a rich history. "Poetry should ride the bus" gave me a window into a life I am not a part of, sat me down, and made me feel at home.
Poetry is for people from all walks of life, and we can find poetry in all things.
If you would like to listen to Ruth Forman read one of her poems in her own voice - courtsey of NPR, visit this link.
I think we should put poetry on Bob, and literally - ride a poetry bus.
Here's hoping you find a little poetry in your day.
Happy Friday.
I really like how she uses simple language and the tone of her culture to convey strong images and a rich history. "Poetry should ride the bus" gave me a window into a life I am not a part of, sat me down, and made me feel at home.
Poetry is for people from all walks of life, and we can find poetry in all things.
If you would like to listen to Ruth Forman read one of her poems in her own voice - courtsey of NPR, visit this link.
I think we should put poetry on Bob, and literally - ride a poetry bus.
Here's hoping you find a little poetry in your day.
Happy Friday.
Friday, June 3, 2011
On Writing
I haven't been writing much lately. For the last couple of weeks - I might try to blame it on second child's graduation from HS, Father-in-law's week in the hospital, oldest child's massive eye infection and subsequent week-long set of doctor's visits, husband's promotion or something like that. But it might just be that I don't have the energy.
Poetry (and other forms of writing) seems to take a great deal of concentration and energy. And...time.
Do you find that does for you as well?
I hope to recapture some time, very soon. But until than, I'll just do my second favorite thing to do - read.
But sometime, hopefully sometime soon - I'll get back on my writing 'horse.'
Best wishes,
Chris
Poetry (and other forms of writing) seems to take a great deal of concentration and energy. And...time.
Do you find that does for you as well?
I hope to recapture some time, very soon. But until than, I'll just do my second favorite thing to do - read.
But sometime, hopefully sometime soon - I'll get back on my writing 'horse.'
Best wishes,
Chris
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
left to my own devices
Some days I write with a thick pencil,
ham fisted in a Big Chief tablet,
barely literate - smudged and smeared,
unwieldy, childish prose.
Every now and again,
I write with a scalpel,
All bloody and pain wrecked -
words excised, still dripping.
On Fridays, I write with a rain gutter,
catching the words as a down pour,
sluicing them in the general direction
of a downspout, wet and soggy.
More often, I write with a plow.
Heavy lifting, dirt worked
in the hot sun, sweaty seeding
hoping for something besides a weed.
Most days, I write with a shovel,
heaving sticky piles of steamy manure,
from one plop
to the other.
On a very rare day,
no matter my device,
everything...
works.
ham fisted in a Big Chief tablet,
barely literate - smudged and smeared,
unwieldy, childish prose.
Every now and again,
I write with a scalpel,
All bloody and pain wrecked -
words excised, still dripping.
On Fridays, I write with a rain gutter,
catching the words as a down pour,
sluicing them in the general direction
of a downspout, wet and soggy.
More often, I write with a plow.
Heavy lifting, dirt worked
in the hot sun, sweaty seeding
hoping for something besides a weed.
Most days, I write with a shovel,
heaving sticky piles of steamy manure,
from one plop
to the other.
On a very rare day,
no matter my device,
everything...
works.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Poetry as art
I have been haunting the literary boards lately, looking at writing submitted by others, and listening (as objectively as possible) to critques about my own.
During this process it seemed to me there seem to be a variety of reasons people write poetry. Some people seem to write to 1) Get in touch with their own emotions; 2) deal with past experiences; and 3) relate to other people. I'm interested in all the reasons people write poetry.
Here are some of my reflections:
When some people write poetry, they seem to examine more deeply their own emotions, in order to accurately share them to others.
Sometimes, people write poetry as therapy. They use the process to purge demons, cement their memories, or describe a state of being or experience.
I also think that people write poetry to share, display, work, and enrich their own lives by connecting with others.
The unique thing about poetry is the artistry.
Each and every poet is an artist.
Sometimes the poetry picture flows and is easy on the eye, and you catch your breath at the wonder of it. Sometimes, it shocks and rips you open. Sometimes, it is vanilla bland, cheesy or mundane.
Perhaps the paint the poet has used is not your favorite color. Perhaps the lines they draw are bolder, or thinner, then you would use. Perhaps the subject is not your favorite... But what you take from the writing, is your unique experience. What you take from the poetry picture, is up to you.
Why do you write?
During this process it seemed to me there seem to be a variety of reasons people write poetry. Some people seem to write to 1) Get in touch with their own emotions; 2) deal with past experiences; and 3) relate to other people. I'm interested in all the reasons people write poetry.
Here are some of my reflections:
When some people write poetry, they seem to examine more deeply their own emotions, in order to accurately share them to others.
Sometimes, people write poetry as therapy. They use the process to purge demons, cement their memories, or describe a state of being or experience.
I also think that people write poetry to share, display, work, and enrich their own lives by connecting with others.
The unique thing about poetry is the artistry.
Each and every poet is an artist.
Sometimes the poetry picture flows and is easy on the eye, and you catch your breath at the wonder of it. Sometimes, it shocks and rips you open. Sometimes, it is vanilla bland, cheesy or mundane.
Perhaps the paint the poet has used is not your favorite color. Perhaps the lines they draw are bolder, or thinner, then you would use. Perhaps the subject is not your favorite... But what you take from the writing, is your unique experience. What you take from the poetry picture, is up to you.
Why do you write?
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