The weather people tell us that it will reach 111 degrees today, and we have no reason to doubt them. Nevertheless, the fall semester is underway and so, once again, is this blog. July and most of August were not good writing-months for me; vacation and family matters took up all my attention. With a little luck and work, I can mine some raw material out of those lost days.
I've signed up for Sit Down and Write, this semester moderated by Jimmy Berlin, and hope to push through a poetry project that I've been noodling on for some time. If anything comes of it I'll go into detail another day. I also signed up for Topics in Writing: First Books again, in hopes of having Sarah Vap as an instructor, but for the second time it is not to be. Sarah has left the college and the state for the northern clime -- Oregon or Washington, so I'm told. The last time this happened I was lucky enough to have Josh Rothkamp take over the class instead; I can only hope for that much fun again.
Today I have an appointment to speak with Lisa Miller about the CRW Certificate Program. I've taken most of the classes; I may as well do what is necessary to finish the program. More on that soon.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
June Writers' mags
In the June issue of Writer's Digest there's a terrific interview with the very funny (and successful!) Christopher Moore. In addition to offering some good advice, Mr. Moore talks about staying in touch with readers through his website. The magazine ties that in with an article on connecting with your audience using the web, signings, and interviews.
The Writer takes a look at writing for children, from the very young through middle school. They have chats with Elizabeth George, Alice Adams and Rick Moody. I most enjoyed an exploration on using the second-person voice -- maybe you will, too.
Both of these magazines are on the current display shelves here at Phoenix College.
The Writer takes a look at writing for children, from the very young through middle school. They have chats with Elizabeth George, Alice Adams and Rick Moody. I most enjoyed an exploration on using the second-person voice -- maybe you will, too.
Both of these magazines are on the current display shelves here at Phoenix College.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sit Down and Write -- or not
Okay, so I dragged my feet and didn't get into this class for summer. PC is offering it again in the fall, with Jimmy Berlin as instructor. Since I want to use the time to write sonnets -- off-beat, somewhat violent sonnets -- it might be just as well to wait until fall. I know Jimmy will enjoy the project.
I blame my foot-dragging on the heat. Everyone I know, everyone in my life, and that includes me, everyone is griping. Full bore hard core griping. It wears me down. Even writing here, in a peaceful, non-judgmental bluemoon world, I hear the gripe choruses in my mind. I've got to get away.
By the way, this is the day/night of a Blue Moon; the second full moon in a month. I really feel like I should find some way to recognize such an unusual event, but that bank may be empty. We'll see after work.
I blame my foot-dragging on the heat. Everyone I know, everyone in my life, and that includes me, everyone is griping. Full bore hard core griping. It wears me down. Even writing here, in a peaceful, non-judgmental bluemoon world, I hear the gripe choruses in my mind. I've got to get away.
By the way, this is the day/night of a Blue Moon; the second full moon in a month. I really feel like I should find some way to recognize such an unusual event, but that bank may be empty. We'll see after work.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Classes at Phoenix College
I'm going to enroll in the Topics in Writing: Fiction: Sit Down and Write, which is a 5 week summer class that meets online. I don't write fiction, but generally the intent of these kinds of classes is to keep people writing. The instructor for this session is Connie Flynn and she's just terrific.
The challenge and the beauty of this class is that it provides you both a motivation and an expectation to write each day. I've taken the class once before and it worked wonderfully; I wrote both on the project I'd set out to do and side projects that sprang up from the interaction of the students. I'd say of the 20-some students who registered, about a dozen were very active in sharing work, commenting on work, and posting side projects.
Another class being offered this summer is also a Topics in Writing: Fiction, but it's the quite frightening Draft a Novel in 30 Days. I knew a woman who went through this last fall, and after it was over, I saw her focusing on math courses a lot. But truly, she enjoyed the course and completed the challenge of 50,000 words. Sometimes I'm very glad I can't write fiction.
The challenge and the beauty of this class is that it provides you both a motivation and an expectation to write each day. I've taken the class once before and it worked wonderfully; I wrote both on the project I'd set out to do and side projects that sprang up from the interaction of the students. I'd say of the 20-some students who registered, about a dozen were very active in sharing work, commenting on work, and posting side projects.
Another class being offered this summer is also a Topics in Writing: Fiction, but it's the quite frightening Draft a Novel in 30 Days. I knew a woman who went through this last fall, and after it was over, I saw her focusing on math courses a lot. But truly, she enjoyed the course and completed the challenge of 50,000 words. Sometimes I'm very glad I can't write fiction.
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