The Writing Life

Currently, Rebecca, I'm not reading much of anything right now. I leaf through magazine recipes and an occasional cookbook for techniques and inspiration.

The Great Gatsby is waiting in my old office for me to have time to read it before going back to writing fiction. Candide is on the shelf next to me just because I've always wanted to read it. (And I need a good influence. LOL!)

There's a spicy food cookbook on my table that's pressing a leaf from my okra plant to mount and send to my grandson. Under that is a bread cookbook to actually bake from some day soon.

What am I learning? Hopefully I'm learning that you can't edit a classic.

JudyB

I'm not reading much of anything either.  I have 2 novels that I have started but not finished-and these are novels that a year ago I would have read in 1-2 days.  Ah, the joys of having an infant in the house. 

I am making SLLLLLLOOOOOWWWW progress on my research for "Happy" and I'm learning quite a bit.  For instance, did you know that one theory of why our brains are so big is that we need them to gossip?  Seriously-the theory is that we evolved as social animals and the way cooperative societies work is in a "you scratch my back, I scratch yours" sort of way.  But in order to know who you can trust to scratch back you rely on gossip-the reputation of the people around you.  The bigger the group the bigger the brain.  We are best suited for living in a group of 100-150 people, that's how many people we can keep track of through gossip.

Cool huh?

I'm working on a couple things right now: Plotnik's "Elements of Editing" and Dressier's "An American Tragedy." It's been a while since I've undertaken a classic, gravitating instead for fluffy, summer reading (i.e.: Hello, "P.S. I love you" Haha). It's nice to challenge my brain a little bit.

What am I learning? I've learned that an editing manual can be enjoyable reading. (I was shocked!) I've relearned the mutual struggle and enjoyment that comes from reading a classic. And I've learned that an easy writing style and a likable main character aren't always necessary for a good story.

Ada

Ada, those are some awesome things to learn!  I should really read some editing books, but I just don't feel ready to be there yet, KWIM?  When Lily was in the NICU I got a list of classic literature and I started working my way through it.  It was a good way to pass the time when I couldn't hold her and I did find out a few things about myself and my taste in reading.