tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post2837684455573362016..comments2024-02-12T17:59:33.534-06:00Comments on RAZORED ZEN: Writing ClassCharles Gramlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-6987211385716298872010-01-16T11:04:13.614-06:002010-01-16T11:04:13.614-06:00writtenwyrdd, as you see, I used your earlier comm...writtenwyrdd, as you see, I used your earlier comment as a jumping off place. I'm pretty much the opposite of you. I've never read a book on writing in e-version, but I always finish the print books on the subject that I start.<br /><br />ivan, I have a copy of the SUmming up around here and keep thinking I'll get to it. Alas, it hasn't happened so far.<br /><br />laughingwolf, haven't looked into that one. I'll check around.<br /><br />jennifer, oh wow, that's cool. I bet you will have a lot of fun with it. Congrats on taking that step. Let us know how things go.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-40846704957515832010-01-16T07:31:31.745-06:002010-01-16T07:31:31.745-06:00I have signed up for my first writing workshop!!! ...I have signed up for my first writing workshop!!! I had to share that with you :) This will be the first 'class' that I have taken in twenty years and I'm nervous (but excited too).jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08547226679311827501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-17938903971882522072010-01-15T12:24:46.451-06:002010-01-15T12:24:46.451-06:00current read:
'drawing words & writing p...current read: <br /><br />'drawing words & writing pictures', jessica abel & matt madden<br /><br />sure it's about cartooning, but so much more as well...laughingwolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873675614347328116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-86165259002024160702010-01-14T21:59:13.700-06:002010-01-14T21:59:13.700-06:00I think I would like to re-read W. Somerset Maugha...I think I would like to re-read W. Somerset Maugham's "The Summing Up", if I can find it again in my eclectic library.<br />The book, on the surface describes Maugham's early life as a short story writer. But it seems to have a subtext: How to think,how to live, how to write like a professional. I especially found good tips for the novelist or short story writer and ever better ones for the aspiring playwright, though it seems if you want to write plays you must practically live and breathe theatre--you can't just have the desire...Heh. Like you or me?<br />Present day critics say Maugham was a mediocre writer, but he could write plays. And how!<br /><br />After years of tinkering with novels, it has struck me that the play might indeed be the thing. Ah well. Enthusiasms. Current projects!ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05662075375182633162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-71098807382782703622010-01-14T13:04:24.237-06:002010-01-14T13:04:24.237-06:00I should probably clarify what I was thinking when...I should probably clarify what I was thinking when I said people could read about how to write on the web, Charles.<br /><br />Basically, I prefer books over the internet. But I own probably 30 books on how to write, and I have yet to read more than five of them cover-to-cover. I have glanced through them at random, gotten halfway through, and looked things up in them. But I don't find I sit down and read through the how to books like they deserve. <br /><br />So in that sense they are a waste of money, although never a waste of time. <br /><br />And when I made that comment I was thinking about many writers just starting out, who might not be able to invest money or time in reading books that aren't that useful to them at that point in time. (Realistically speaking, that is. No writing practice nor reading on how to write is wasted, imo!)writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-17979465648916754722010-01-14T10:59:45.766-06:002010-01-14T10:59:45.766-06:00writtenwyrdd, I still am old fashioned enough to t...writtenwyrdd, I still am old fashioned enough to think folks need to spend some quality time away from the net reading. Reading online lends itself to a quick and surface perusal, at least it seems that way to me.<br /><br />Mary Witzl, I am enjoying it, teaching with my own book, but it does create it's own stressors. I want to be good, for example! yes, online stuff can be very nice if mixed with printed material.<br /><br />Candy, I just ordered that one so I'll let you know what it's like.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-28037244177031354422010-01-14T10:33:02.185-06:002010-01-14T10:33:02.185-06:00I hate to admit it because grammar is important to...I hate to admit it because grammar is important to me, but I've always hated reading grammar books. My eyes glaze over. I've heard of Bryson's Troublesome Words and should get it; I can't imagine him boring me with anything--even grammar.cs harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708705800818667923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-23946398585326698552010-01-14T10:17:37.580-06:002010-01-14T10:17:37.580-06:00How incredibly cool that you've written your o...How incredibly cool that you've written your own book and get to teach with it!<br /><br />Your students are on an entirely different plane from mine. It's all we can do to get our students to look at, let alone understand, Raymond Murphy's Essential Grammar in Use. For teaching EFL students writing, the consensus is that NOTHING is adequate. <br /><br />It's fantastic having dictionaries and thesauruses on the internet now. I used to wear my shoulders and back out, lugging heavy Japanese-English dictionaries around: now I can find all I need in cyberspace and the only muscles I need are the ones in my fingers.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-84908453367233928782010-01-14T08:47:53.850-06:002010-01-14T08:47:53.850-06:00This sounds really dumb, but honestly, a lot of wr...This sounds really dumb, but honestly, a lot of writer wannabes do not have a good dictionary or thesaurus! Also a basic style book like Strunk & Whites' is good.<br /><br />As far as most writing books go, I think books on plot are very useful, but, really, they can read about any of this stuff on the net if they want.writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-34104644407886583942010-01-14T08:23:03.040-06:002010-01-14T08:23:03.040-06:00Erik, I definitly think having hard copies availab...Erik, I definitly think having hard copies available is important. I talked about how they can often find good dictionaries and such at library books sales.<br /><br />jodi, thanks for the kind words. I did have one student drop the class. I think it was the work load she didn't want.<br /><br />Shauna Roberts, I still use my Taber's quite a bit, and I have some bio dictionaries that cover a lot of the same information. But yes, a medical dictionary is a handy thing to have.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-52437482402591392462010-01-13T16:10:49.215-06:002010-01-13T16:10:49.215-06:00I think a medical dictionary is important. Medical...I think a medical dictionary is important. Medical news is in the newspaper and on TV all the time, and Web sites about medical problems don't always define words or define them confusingly. <br /><br />As a medical writer, I own several medical dictionaries. The one I like best is <em>Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary</em>. For people who don't want to spend a lot of money, some of the medical dictionaries come in an abridged paperback form.Shauna Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871768714926149114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-33380562385827885952010-01-13T16:05:33.651-06:002010-01-13T16:05:33.651-06:00Charles, who wouldn't want to take your class?...Charles, who wouldn't want to take your class? Altho I realize it must make all the work so much more time consuming. I have NO idea, for recommendations since I only tell stories--not write.jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798858210138821711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-3494139476445580512010-01-13T12:08:13.477-06:002010-01-13T12:08:13.477-06:00Charles, these sound right on. I wonder about trad...Charles, these sound right on. I wonder about traditional dictionaries, though, given current online versions. I guess it's like learning how to do basic math manually -- and how to write longhand -- good to know when the power goes out or no easy device access, and a little different in terms of mind-body processing.Erik Donald Francehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332500850365598564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-10022275357308019522010-01-13T09:52:06.475-06:002010-01-13T09:52:06.475-06:00Demon Hunter, I've heard a lot about the self-...Demon Hunter, I've heard a lot about the self-editing book and just ordered it from B&N last night. I'll check the other one out as well.<br /><br />jennifer, I'm weird in that I actually rather enjoy just browsing through books about words and grammar.<br /><br />Mark, well, there's no guarantee they help anyway. I just rather enjoy them myself. And I imagine they do help some folks. It's probably much less of an issue in writing poetry than if you were going to do technical writing maybe.<br /><br />Greg Schwartz, I enjoyed a book I had called "the Describer's Dictionary," which showed words used in context in lovely prose.<br /><br />pattinase, I ordered a couple of writing books last night and will look for the Wood book. I use zinsser all the time.<br /><br />Stewart Sternberg, we spend a lot of time in this class on organizing information, trying to make it hang together, and culling and narrowing to get to your point. I agree that that's a weakness of many college students.<br />I do give students also examples of fine Nonfic writing in science to study.<br /><br />Bernita, we talk a lot about references for sure, although footnotes aren't commonly used in psychology. We spend a lot of time on references though.<br /> <br />ninthmuse, I don't remember when we first added that class. It would have been a pleasure to have you as a student in it.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-88900548687028001152010-01-13T08:16:13.109-06:002010-01-13T08:16:13.109-06:00Hey, you didn't offer this when I was at Xavie...Hey, you didn't offer this when I was at Xavier! I definitely would have signed up for it!ninthmuse (roz m)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14052804993066868391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-68566392099910151042010-01-13T08:05:50.750-06:002010-01-13T08:05:50.750-06:00I imagine the cited aids include the formatting of...I imagine the cited aids include the formatting of footnotes and bibliography - things I always managed to screw up.Bernitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264585685253812090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-70946793054302683722010-01-13T07:00:36.076-06:002010-01-13T07:00:36.076-06:00You know, one thing I've noticed about college...You know, one thing I've noticed about college students is that they lack a fundamental understanding of how to construct an academic paper. When they are throwing information at a reader, trying to make up for uncertainty with bulk, they often present supporting point after supporting point, building an untidy house of cards without an appreciation for how their positions may be picked apart by a critical reader.<br /><br />As for fiction writing, I'm with Christine in Wood's "How Fiction Works". However, I warn that that text is a more advanced work for the serious student of creative writing and not for someone just starting out.<br /><br />I guess if I were teaching creative writing, there would be two books; one explaining the basics of craft (you know, writing for dummies) and another book composed of great short stories. I think too often writers write without an appreciation of what has come before and how the best do what they do.Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-48402386200096680392010-01-13T06:21:57.087-06:002010-01-13T06:21:57.087-06:00Zinsser's book is great. I've been meaning...Zinsser's book is great. I've been meaning to get the James Wood book. I get a lot out of Stephen King's ON WRITING, too. But not for your course, of course.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-698935884639796472010-01-13T05:39:40.126-06:002010-01-13T05:39:40.126-06:00I've never read "On Writing Well" --...I've never read "On Writing Well" -- I'll have to look it up. I bought a Random House book once called "Word Menu" or something similar (it's packed in a box now), which was a unique way of looking up words by subject and other attributes. I remember it being kind of neat, though I probably didn't take advantage of it like I should have.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15344808703550376121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-9495561898038767302010-01-13T05:36:30.993-06:002010-01-13T05:36:30.993-06:00I probably shouldn't admit that I have never r...I probably shouldn't admit that I have never read a book on "how to write." <br /><br />King's was recommended once a decade or so ago but I never got around to it.the walking manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10058913927297370740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-70242692988542227632010-01-13T00:11:23.022-06:002010-01-13T00:11:23.022-06:00Believe it or not, I have some books on grammar as...Believe it or not, I have some books on grammar as well as a good dictionary and thesarus. I kept ONE text book from college - it was about writing.<br /><br />I need to utilize those tools more.jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08547226679311827501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-11506622090913415692010-01-12T23:07:32.062-06:002010-01-12T23:07:32.062-06:00Charles,
I do have the Elements of Style. But mig...Charles, <br />I do have the Elements of Style. But might I suggest two more that I've found handy? :-D<br /><br />SIN and SYNTAX by Constance Hale<br />SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS by Dave King and Renni BrowneTyhitia Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14070000168178880911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-30318177812169438192010-01-12T20:55:01.717-06:002010-01-12T20:55:01.717-06:00benjibopper, I definitely find the King James vers...benjibopper, I definitely find the King James version of the Bible to be amazingly well written.<br /><br />Voidwalker, thanks for the kind words. I think we're going to have some fun in the class, although they're going to work.<br /><br />Natasha Fondren, I haven't just read in my dictionaries in a long time but I did always enjoy that. BTW, I don't know why but in my google reader your last post yesterday took me to some kind of commercial site. Not sure what happened.<br /><br />Lana Gramlich, well when I need some information on books on Pink Floyd I will call upon you sweetness.<br /><br />Steve Malley, I'll look for that book. I don't have it. But I have heard of it.<br /><br />Cloudia, one of the things the students need to know is about how you need to know the rules before you can successfully break them.<br /><br />G, I'm going to have to get that self editing book. Sounds intersting.<br /><br />Richard Prosch, I have Bradbury's Zen but I think it applies mostly to fiction, which we're not really talking about in this class. Interseting book, though.<br /><br />Travis, I love to keep my dictionaries too. I've even bought a few at booksales that were very old.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-10810912331893046562010-01-12T20:29:38.847-06:002010-01-12T20:29:38.847-06:00I have most of those in my reference library, exce...I have most of those in my reference library, except for the one specific to psychology. I bought a new dictionary not long ago, but I still have the one I bought in 1981 for my first semester in college.Travis Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06192526507760146748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-23880849603084772010-01-12T18:10:17.359-06:002010-01-12T18:10:17.359-06:00I second James Wood, HOW FICTION WORKS. Also, ZEN ...I second James Wood, HOW FICTION WORKS. Also, ZEN AND THE ART OF WRITING by Ray Bradbury. And any of Harlan Ellison's nonfiction essay collections.Richard Proschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08314680709014254183noreply@blogger.com