There are plenty of difficult aspects of writing fiction, but one of the hardest things to do is set a scene that really comes to life for the reader. A lot of writers struggle with White Room Syndrome—a common issue in which the writing has become so involved with the characters and dialogue that the…
In many mythologies and ancient worldviews, almost every little aspect of life is designated by some kind of deity. Quite often in these histories, it is as if the emotions and concepts themselves have been personified and prompted to action. The Greek god of love, Eros, for example, designated who was going to fall in…
I once saw this question being posed to the online community, and I honestly wasn’t quite sure how I’d respond to it then, and I’m not quite sure how I would respond to it now. I’d thought that as far as literary studies go, there were a number of specific styles of “reading,” but when…
A book from an author whose stories were more my style when I was younger. As an adult, I am too distracted by the aspects of it that don’t live up to my expectations. In the long run, this is a book that is probably more fitting for a younger reader.
I’m listening to “One Song Glory,” from the motion picture version of Rent filmed in 2005. And I’m thinking about what Douglas Adams said—about how “the idea of art kills creativity.” Last year I was fortunate enough to see a performance of Rent at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. And don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed…