1. I'm always on the prowl for new things to read. So tell me, what is your all-time favorite book or books, who wrote them, what are they about, and why do you love them. There are no wrong answers.
2. If you were to walk into a library or bookstore this afternoon, what section would you head to? What kind of new story are you in the mood for today?
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Reading Confessions
I love a good story. I don't care whether it's through a book, a movie, TV, or even straight from someone else's mouth, I appreciate good storytelling. I'll bet all of you do too.
I read more than the average person, I daresay (again, like most of you) but with one caveat: I don't buy books before I've read them and I only buy books I know I'll read again. Here, I'm not average. At times I feel twinges of guilt that I don't blow all my change on books to support other writers. Then I remember that not only am I a writer, I'm also a consumer.
I do utilize the library. Wouldn't know where to be without one! I also love that my library lets you make order requests for books and movies. So inadvertently, I have supported other writers by getting my library to order their books. Honestly though, I'd say that 85% of the books the library orders in for me to read turn out to be a disappointment or not what I thought they would be. From a consumer point-of-view, I've saved loads of money. Other library patrons, however, may pick up those books and love them.
Why don't I blindly buy books? While covers and summaries are enticing or I've enjoyed a writer's other stories before, it doesn't mean I'm going to love their next work or that the actual story between the cover will meet the expectations I get from the summary. Money's always been a precious and rare resource for me so I can't indulge. I don't want to indulge. I'm like a book detective, taste-tester, or a consumer literary agent, I want to spend my money only on the stories I love.
This is another reason why I get into beta reading. I get to try out new stories for free and discover new stories and writers (and root for their story to reach publication so I can buy it!) I think there are quite a few unpublished stories that have stuck in my mind longer than some published ones.
So what does any of this have to do with you? First off, I'm an oddball. There are still tons of people out there who blindly buy books based on word-of-mouth, a great cover, or summary. But, if you get an oddball like me to buy your book because I truly love it, you've got a die-hard fan for life. I don't just browse the best-seller lists, although I sometimes will read a book based on the recommendations of others. I'm hunting for a good story with unforgettable characters. I do sometimes buy a light, frothy book because it makes me laugh or the setting was unique but mostly I'm looking for those great reads that I can glean something new from each time I pull it off my shelf to read. (No, I'm not a literary genre snob by any means, though I do enjoy a lot of classic literature.)
I support you as a writer if you write from the heart and with the truth you know inside. If you can spin a world I want to visit over and over or introduce me to a character or two I can't get enough of. If you can thwart my ability to second-guess plot or surprise me by making me laugh out loud, I support you. If you can have something noble and worthwhile about a character or underlying theme, and can make me cheer because good conquered bad, I support you. I love characters with willpower and self-restraint, even if they have a plethora of weaknesses and challenges to overcome. I like to learn new things and see what it's like from other perspectives and cultures. I’m a sucker for a good adventure story or a battle of wits and wiles. I want to feel good or even thoughtful after putting a book down.
You've got the gist of my general subjective preferences. Feel like chiming in? Put up a similar post on what sort of book buyer you are and what makes you open your wallet and heart to a story on your blog. Be sure to send me the link because I'd love to read what you have to say. Or post in the comments.
I read more than the average person, I daresay (again, like most of you) but with one caveat: I don't buy books before I've read them and I only buy books I know I'll read again. Here, I'm not average. At times I feel twinges of guilt that I don't blow all my change on books to support other writers. Then I remember that not only am I a writer, I'm also a consumer.
I do utilize the library. Wouldn't know where to be without one! I also love that my library lets you make order requests for books and movies. So inadvertently, I have supported other writers by getting my library to order their books. Honestly though, I'd say that 85% of the books the library orders in for me to read turn out to be a disappointment or not what I thought they would be. From a consumer point-of-view, I've saved loads of money. Other library patrons, however, may pick up those books and love them.
Why don't I blindly buy books? While covers and summaries are enticing or I've enjoyed a writer's other stories before, it doesn't mean I'm going to love their next work or that the actual story between the cover will meet the expectations I get from the summary. Money's always been a precious and rare resource for me so I can't indulge. I don't want to indulge. I'm like a book detective, taste-tester, or a consumer literary agent, I want to spend my money only on the stories I love.
This is another reason why I get into beta reading. I get to try out new stories for free and discover new stories and writers (and root for their story to reach publication so I can buy it!) I think there are quite a few unpublished stories that have stuck in my mind longer than some published ones.
So what does any of this have to do with you? First off, I'm an oddball. There are still tons of people out there who blindly buy books based on word-of-mouth, a great cover, or summary. But, if you get an oddball like me to buy your book because I truly love it, you've got a die-hard fan for life. I don't just browse the best-seller lists, although I sometimes will read a book based on the recommendations of others. I'm hunting for a good story with unforgettable characters. I do sometimes buy a light, frothy book because it makes me laugh or the setting was unique but mostly I'm looking for those great reads that I can glean something new from each time I pull it off my shelf to read. (No, I'm not a literary genre snob by any means, though I do enjoy a lot of classic literature.)
I support you as a writer if you write from the heart and with the truth you know inside. If you can spin a world I want to visit over and over or introduce me to a character or two I can't get enough of. If you can thwart my ability to second-guess plot or surprise me by making me laugh out loud, I support you. If you can have something noble and worthwhile about a character or underlying theme, and can make me cheer because good conquered bad, I support you. I love characters with willpower and self-restraint, even if they have a plethora of weaknesses and challenges to overcome. I like to learn new things and see what it's like from other perspectives and cultures. I’m a sucker for a good adventure story or a battle of wits and wiles. I want to feel good or even thoughtful after putting a book down.
You've got the gist of my general subjective preferences. Feel like chiming in? Put up a similar post on what sort of book buyer you are and what makes you open your wallet and heart to a story on your blog. Be sure to send me the link because I'd love to read what you have to say. Or post in the comments.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
A Request For Guest Posts
I'm looking for anyone (whether you blog or not) who might be interested in guest posting on my blog. Ideally I'd love to have five volunteers but if more people want to join in I probably won't say no. The theme details will be divulged to those who volunteer.
So if you love doing guest blogs, or love to read blogs, and are a writer, don't be shy. You can volunteer in the comments or send me an e-mail at: cspenser14@gmail.com if you're interested.
So if you love doing guest blogs, or love to read blogs, and are a writer, don't be shy. You can volunteer in the comments or send me an e-mail at: cspenser14@gmail.com if you're interested.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Cycling
Ever notice how in stories people/places/events/dialogue/situations etc. get cycled? It's part of storytelling--to make everything count, or to use symbolism, irony, or even turn something small into the last straw on the camel's back.
For an example--I saw an action movie the awhile back (for the first time, I might add, so I was paying sharp attention to everything). The way things were cycled in that movie really stood out to me. How the little conversation at the beginning about scrunching your toes barefoot in the carpet to get over jet lag ended up leaving the protag without his shoes throughout most of the movie (which became painful when he had to run through broken glass). Early on the movie shows that the protag's wife was awarded with a fancy Rolex watch--at the end of the movie she's dangling half-way out a window with the antagonist pulling on her and the only way to free her is to get rid of the same watch. How a conversation between the protag and a cop about why the cop doesn't like to actually fire his gun at anybody has more meaning when the cop gets one of the bad guys at the end. There were lots of these kinds of examples, just in this one movie.
It makes you think. How do even the little things matter in your story? How necessary are things? Are you using your story elements to their utmost potential? Not that everything has to become important, or repeated. There are ways of overdoing cycling--even cheesy ways (think C3PO's one-liners from movies 4-6 being brought back in movies 1-3).
So to get this discussion going--what are your thoughts on cycling? Can you think of a story (either book or movie) where this works? What are some examples of things that don't work?
For an example--I saw an action movie the awhile back (for the first time, I might add, so I was paying sharp attention to everything). The way things were cycled in that movie really stood out to me. How the little conversation at the beginning about scrunching your toes barefoot in the carpet to get over jet lag ended up leaving the protag without his shoes throughout most of the movie (which became painful when he had to run through broken glass). Early on the movie shows that the protag's wife was awarded with a fancy Rolex watch--at the end of the movie she's dangling half-way out a window with the antagonist pulling on her and the only way to free her is to get rid of the same watch. How a conversation between the protag and a cop about why the cop doesn't like to actually fire his gun at anybody has more meaning when the cop gets one of the bad guys at the end. There were lots of these kinds of examples, just in this one movie.
It makes you think. How do even the little things matter in your story? How necessary are things? Are you using your story elements to their utmost potential? Not that everything has to become important, or repeated. There are ways of overdoing cycling--even cheesy ways (think C3PO's one-liners from movies 4-6 being brought back in movies 1-3).
So to get this discussion going--what are your thoughts on cycling? Can you think of a story (either book or movie) where this works? What are some examples of things that don't work?
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Improv
Once upon a time when I used to breath the air of the theater and took drama, one of my favorite exercises was to improvise a scene. Since then I've always appreciated people who improv. Here is a witty bit of improv in a scene from the movie: The Court Jester.
In this scene the new jester has arrived at the castle the only problem is the real jester was waylaid on the road and the man standing in for him, while a natural comic, is really a spy and impromptu agent for a group of rebels in the forest. The whole film is a classic medieval comedy like they don't make anymore.
And for a bit of tongue-twister fun here's a later scene. The jester now must fight in a joust to the death for the hand of the princess but his armor's been magnetized by a lightning bolt and the princess's witch-maid has been ordered to make sure the jester succeeds. Too bad he doesn't know how to fight! I found a clip that includes the jousting scene too.
In this scene the new jester has arrived at the castle the only problem is the real jester was waylaid on the road and the man standing in for him, while a natural comic, is really a spy and impromptu agent for a group of rebels in the forest. The whole film is a classic medieval comedy like they don't make anymore.
And for a bit of tongue-twister fun here's a later scene. The jester now must fight in a joust to the death for the hand of the princess but his armor's been magnetized by a lightning bolt and the princess's witch-maid has been ordered to make sure the jester succeeds. Too bad he doesn't know how to fight! I found a clip that includes the jousting scene too.
Enjoy! And have a great weekend.
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