thoughts on my saturday movie marathon (the king's speech, 127 hours, & black swan)

In an effort to be as knowledgeable as possible by the time February 27 (the Academy Awards ceremony) rolls around, The Shutterbug and I went to see three movies this last Saturday: The King's Speech, 127 Hours, and Black Swan. In a departure from our normal range of topics on here, I would like to share my thoughts on all three films.

These are not movie reviews, and I am not a movie reviewer. I am an avid fan of ponderous cinema, and these are merely my reactions to these three movies.

If you're not big on art movies, feel free to depart forthwith. If you agree or disagree with my assertions, feel free to share your thoughts…

weekend writing discussion: computer, typewriter, or notebook & pen?

In one sense, I hate to follow up last week's immensely popular Weekend Writing Discussion with one that might apply to a much smaller range of writers, but...hey, curiosity has conquered me. I wonder whether anyone else even considers this to be a question...

This week's Weekend Writing Discussion:

When you write, do you prefer to use a computer, a typewriter, or a notebook and pen?

"pick out something impossible and do it, or be a bum the rest of your life"

As you know, I usually aim to provide you with original content on this page - thoughts of mine that I feel might help you as you progress through both your writing and your life (at those rare points, of course, where the two are not one and the same). Yesterday, however, I came across some thoughts that are not my own, but which I nevertheless cannot help but pass along.

These words are from Kurt Vonnegut's first novel, Player Piano. Ponder these words, and carry them in your pocket as you continue on your way.

the benefits of being a pocket messiah

Nearly a year ago (let's see…after my agent and I parted ways; before I landed a publishing deal for The Great Lenore), I wrote a post called Why You Need A Fellow Writer Who Makes You Fly. Some of the news and information in that post is outdated, but the foundation that post was built upon remains as solid as ever.

weekend writing discussion: to music or not to music?

This weekend's Weekend Writing Discussion is simple:

When you write, do you listen to music? Or do you prefer silence?

If you listen to music, what do you listen to?

...but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well

In honor of The Shutterbug opening a beautiful Twitter account yesterday (not sure why the link is not working, but until it starts working you can find her at @ShutterbugLovin), today seems like a good opportunity to post a post that begins with thoughts inspired by her…

weekend writing discussion: writers you have a hard time not hating

A couple weeks ago, I posted The Ten Commandments of Writing.

Today, I plan to bend (although...hopefully not break?) the 3rd Commandment.


The 3rd Commandment:

Respect the writers who came before you, even those you do not like

you can avoid killing dogs by reading every day

Yesterday, I nearly hit a dog when I was driving through my neighborhood.

thoughts on the all ice cream diet (and the intellectual obesity epidemic)

One of my old housemates used to work as a reporter for NPR. That has nothing to do with this post, but it gives you an idea of the sort of guy he was. You know - the kind of guy whose after-workout routine consisted of a cigarette and a single shot of tequila. The kind of guy who slept on a mattress on the floor, and whose room was lit with red lightbulbs that made it look like he emerged each morning from the antechamber of hell. The kind of guy who listened to The Smiths and read Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

the best writing advice. ever.

Nearly a year ago, I posted the best writing advice I had ever read or heard, and I asked readers to do the same. The post was a modest success, but since that time, the website has grown (and frankly, even the "best advice" that longtime readers have ever read or heard may have changed), so we are revisiting the topic for this week's Weekend Writing Discussion.

Here follows the best writing advice I have ever read or heard:

if you're thinking of being a writer, you might want to think again...right?

A few days ago, my dad sent me an email with this ominous headline:

Borders distributor halts shipment to chain