Friday’s Links
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Before we get to the links, Justine and I want to thank all of you faithful friends, followers, clients and readers for a wonderful 2010. It was difficult to leave behind so many of you in Florida, but the reception we’ve received here in Austin has been even better than we’d hoped for. We have some big plans for 2011 and beyond, both in Austin and … well, beyond. We’ll be sharing some of those plans with you in this space, so why not subscribe to our blog at the bottom of the page? You can also catch updates in places like Facebook and Twitter. And this is a two-way street, so if there’s anything WBN could be doing better, or a service we’re not currently offering that you would like to see, don’t hesitate to contact us.
And now on to the good stuff. read more
Friday's Links
Before we get to the links, Justine and I want to thank all of you faithful friends, followers, clients and readers for a wonderful 2010. It was difficult to leave behind so many of you in Florida, but the reception we’ve received here in Austin has been even better than we’d hoped for. We have some big plans for 2011 and beyond, both in Austin and … well, beyond. We’ll be sharing some of those plans with you in this space, so why not subscribe to our blog at the bottom of the page? You can also catch updates in places like Facebook and Twitter. And this is a two-way street, so if there’s anything WBN could be doing better, or a service we’re not currently offering that you would like to see, don’t hesitate to contact us.
And now on to the good stuff. read more
Writings From a Past Life: Hobart the … Something
This week’s “Writings From a Past Life” comes from the baseball-obsessed mind of a David Duhr of indeterminate age. Friends have asked why baseball crops up in so much of my writing. I don’t have an answer for that (outside of “Because I like baseball”), but this story is representative of most of my writings from youth. I’m sure there’s a clue in here somewhere.
Friday’s Links
I know I said that there would probably be no more Friday Links in 2010, but let’s face it–I have little else to do with my time.
Besides, youth wants to know.
–A few of weeks ago we touched on (oh, what an awful, awful choice of words) the gentleman who wrote The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure. Phillip R. Greaves has now been arrested and brought up on obscenity charges. He was taken at his Colorado home (“home” = windowless van, no doubt) and shipped to Florida to await trial.
Friday's Links
I know I said that there would probably be no more Friday Links in 2010, but let’s face it–I have little else to do with my time.
Besides, youth wants to know.
–A few of weeks ago we touched on (oh, what an awful, awful choice of words) the gentleman who wrote The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure. Phillip R. Greaves has now been arrested and brought up on obscenity charges. He was taken at his Colorado home (“home” = windowless van, no doubt) and shipped to Florida to await trial.
Inspiration and the Creative Process
Austin-based writer Richard Crenwelge shares his thoughts on the creative process, and how and where a writer should look for inspiration:
Finding inspiration for my writing has always been the most important part of the creative process, although I strongly believe that subject matter is not nearly as important as the way it is packaged. When I first began writing, everything from the subject to the text had to be hard-hitting, shocking, or somehow reveal a universal truth. I was never in short supply of these ideas, either, because I was young and emotional, and I purposely placed myself in new or risky situations, all in an effort to avoid becoming creatively stagnant. This covered a large spectrum of activity, also, whether it be the typical sex, drugs, and violence, or simply just traveling to other places without any money or resources. I was just convinced that everything had to be exciting.
Writings From a Past Life: Installment 1
Writers write and grow. That’s what we do. Oftentimes, it feels like that’s all we do. So, in an effort to celebrate what we’re good at, send us work from your childhood or teenage years for inclusion in our newest online series: Writings From a Past Life. We’ll post it here on our blog, and across all the major social media channels.
You know you were a prodigy. Now the world will know too.
The first installment, “The Expendable 38,” comes from WriteByNight owner Justine Tal Goldberg. Goldberg wrote this little story at the ripe age of 13. Her teenage angst was just beginning to sprout. Believe us, it got worse from there. read more
Friday’s Links
How about an end-of-the-year links dump? I’ve already dumped twice today. What’s once more?
– David Sedaris puts out a tip jar at readings, barfing the opinion that “It’s funny to give money to someone who doesn’t need it.” Regular people giving their money to the wealthy. Yup, that is a real knee-slapper.
Thank goodness it’s such an uncommon practice in this nation. (Where’s that new sarcasm punctuation when I need it?)
– How about some good old fashioned human hypocrisy? A Scandinavian writer tells a reporter that she loses sleep over the amount of money she’s lost to the piracy of her books. “I can not stand the thought of someone stealing something,” Anne B. Ragde says.
Then, when asked about pirated handbags, Ragde says “Yes, I do buy them.”
Oops.
Then her son chimes in, adding that 1,800 songs on her iPod are illegal downloads.
Double oops.
Friday's Links
How about an end-of-the-year links dump? I’ve already dumped twice today. What’s once more?
– David Sedaris puts out a tip jar at readings, barfing the opinion that “It’s funny to give money to someone who doesn’t need it.” Regular people giving their money to the wealthy. Yup, that is a real knee-slapper.
Thank goodness it’s such an uncommon practice in this nation. (Where’s that new sarcasm punctuation when I need it?)
– How about some good old fashioned human hypocrisy? A Scandinavian writer tells a reporter that she loses sleep over the amount of money she’s lost to the piracy of her books. “I can not stand the thought of someone stealing something,” Anne B. Ragde says.
Then, when asked about pirated handbags, Ragde says “Yes, I do buy them.”
Oops.
Then her son chimes in, adding that 1,800 songs on her iPod are illegal downloads.
Double oops.
Friday’s Links
Let’s get right to the point this week. The one thing I can’t stand is shilly-shallying. (At least, shilly-shallying is one among the many, many things I can’t stand.)
– Steve Martin speaks at the 92nd Street Y in NYC.
Steve Martin does not talk about television or The Jerk, but instead talks about art and his latest book.
Viewers watching on television send emails protesting the artistic bent of the conversation.
92nd Street Y apologizes to all attendees, and sends them $50 tickets for any future event of their choice.
Carolyn Kellogg, among others, dismisses the audience as Philistines.
I’m initially inclined to do the same, but some who were there defend the audience and the Y, and it (sort of) makes sense.
Friday's Links
Let’s get right to the point this week. The one thing I can’t stand is shilly-shallying. (At least, shilly-shallying is one among the many, many things I can’t stand.)
– Steve Martin speaks at the 92nd Street Y in NYC.
Steve Martin does not talk about television or The Jerk, but instead talks about art and his latest book.
Viewers watching on television send emails protesting the artistic bent of the conversation.
92nd Street Y apologizes to all attendees, and sends them $50 tickets for any future event of their choice.
Carolyn Kellogg, among others, dismisses the audience as Philistines.
I’m initially inclined to do the same, but some who were there defend the audience and the Y, and it (sort of) makes sense.
New to WBN Library
A few of the new titles added in recent days to our member library:
The Wilding — Benjamin Percy
Sunset Park — Paul Auster
The Autobiography of Mark Twain — Anonymous (just kidding. It’s an autobiography)
One Story, no. 142
n + 1, no. 10
Tin House, 46
Gulf Coast, 23.1
Ploughshares, 36.4
And many others. Don’t believe me? Stop in during our next Write Here and scan our shelves.
Titles available for checkout by WBN members only. Become a WriteByNight member between now and December 31 and receive a 20% discount. (Tell ‘em David sent you)
Friday’s Links
We lead this week with two lengthy but absorbing pieces about the future of writing and bookselling. Seriously, give these an hour over the weekend.
-- In The Chronicle of Higher Education, an anonymous contributor writes about his/her career ghostwriting papers for college students. This person takes assignments (often well-paid) from students who write like this:
“did u get the sorce I send
please where you are now?
Desprit to pass spring projict”
and turns those assignments into passable college-level term papers.
Friday's Links
We lead this week with two lengthy but absorbing pieces about the future of writing and bookselling. Seriously, give these an hour over the weekend.
-- In The Chronicle of Higher Education, an anonymous contributor writes about his/her career ghostwriting papers for college students. This person takes assignments (often well-paid) from students who write like this:
“did u get the sorce I send
please where you are now?
Desprit to pass spring projict”
and turns those assignments into passable college-level term papers.
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