Reading: The War of Art

I recently read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I didn't realize when I picked up this book that it was by the same author of The Legend of Bagger Vance. I've been reading several "legend" style stories lately (including a great play by the name This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing).

I mention this because one of my main goals in the summer is to put a dent in my enormous "to be read" pile. In this particular book, Pressfield shows the reader how we are our own worst enemy when it comes to creating (this does not mean publication, pay, etc. - just the act of creating). However, the book is not just aimed at writers, he shows how these same ideas apply to business and Pressfield tries to inspire his audience to seize their full potential.

This text is divided into three parts: 1) Resistance: Defining the Enemy, 2) Combating Resistance: Turning Pro, and 3) Beyond Resistance: The Higher Realm.

While this manual is not my favorite read about craft, it certainly offers some worthy insights, advice, and general wisdom for anyone in search of personal or professional fulfillment. This book is more about motivation than earning a specific skill. Pressfield begins with thoughts such as, “There's a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don't, and the secret is this: It's not the writing part that's hard.  What's hard is sitting down to write.” Each of the three sections is full of stories of his experiences and thoughts meant to prompt you not to give up, "Creative work is not a selfish act of a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being in it.  Don't cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you've got."

Overall, this book is a good read that can be completed in a single day or spread out over months. Some "chapters" are only a paragraph long while others are multiple pages. Go at your own pace, digest, then continue.

How about you? Have you read this book? Have your read anything else by this author? What are your thoughts?

Reading Lists and Ray Bradbury

A few years ago, I went through a Ray Bradbury phase. You can read about my fascination with him here: The Language of Ray Bradbury.  Also: Genius of Bradbury. Before that, I hadn't read much by him. 

I mention this because one of my main goals this summer was to put a dent in my enormous "to be read" pile. Recently, I was able to finish another of his books Zen in the Art of Writing. This book is a collection of essays the author wrote over the course of multiple decades on the joys and struggles of both reading and writing.

"Bradbury, all charged up, drunk on life, joyous with writing, puts together past essays on writing and creativity and discharges every ounce of zest and gusto in him."--Kirkus Reviews 

I enjoyed this book tremendously and found myself revisiting some of the essays multiple times in the last two months. He shares some of his personal experiences, wisdom, advice, and excitement for the craft.

"Zen and the Art of Writing is purely and simply Bradbury's love song to his craft."--Los Angeles Times

How about you? What goals are you working to accomplish? What are you doing to enjoy your love of the craft? I wish you the best of luck!

IWSG: Favorite Writing Craft Books

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

AUGUST QUESTION - What is your favorite writing craft book? Think of a book that every time you read it you learn something or you are inspired to write or try the new technique. And why?

MY ANSWER - There are about a dozen of these that I frequently revisit. Many of these I am certain you have heard of from most other writers. However, I will share two I feel are well worth your time and not as frequently touted as a "MUST READ."  First, is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and second is This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley. Both of these offer beautiful and inspiring glimpses into following your creativity regardless of fear and doubt. I wish I heard more people mention these two alongside such classics as:

- On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft  By Stephen King
- The Hero With A Thousand Faces  By Joseph Campbell
- The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers  By Christopher Vogler
- The Associated Press Stylebook  By Associated Press
- Writing 21st Century Fiction By Donald Maass
- Bird by Bird  By Anne Lamott
- Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within  By Natalie Goldberg

How about you? What is your favorite writing craft book?

May Scribbler Box: Theme

In April I talked about my March Scribbler box and mentioned how it would be my last shipment. This sevice has been hit or miss for me. I've only enjoyed maybe half of the books, and some of the "writerly gifts" - and seldom together. In other words, there were only a couple of those months where I loved everything inside - the novel, the gifts, the talk subscribers are invited to, etc. Thus, with everything else going on in life, my husband and I have decided to cut back on unnecessary purchases. Hence, I just couldn't see continuing with a service I wasn't 100% thrilled with EVERY month.

Well, surprise to me, hubby gifted me a three month continuation of this service (minus the April 2020 box which was digital). So, here is a peek into the thirteenth box I have received from this service. 

As always, the first thing you see upon opening the box is a writing exercise/contest postcard. Each month provides a new challenge for writers to practice. The deadline for this month is June 13th. 

The "Curated Writerly Gifts" this month include a beautifully ornate journal in black with a gold embossed sun, moon, and stars. Inside the box was also a Bic 4 Color pen, a temporary tattoo that looks like the dictionary entry for the word "writ-er (n)", and a pack of Chewie Fruities - a candy I had never heard of before this.

As usual, this box also came with an inside look at the publishing process for this months author, and an exclusive invitation to chat with a publishing professional: bestselling author Jessica Brody who has published over seventeen novels for all ages including Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. There was also the collectible 'Writing Passport' with the author discussing this months theme which is THEMES.

This months new release is STORIES WE NEVER TOLD by Sonja Yoerg.

From the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of True Places comes a suspenseful novel of love, secrets, and obsession.

Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thinks she’s over Harlan Crispin, her ex-lover and colleague. Why should she care if Harlan springs a new “friend” on her? After all, Jackie has everything she ever wanted: a loving husband and a thriving career. Still, she can’t help but be curious about Harlan’s latest.

Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and appallingly young. Worse, she’s the newest member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira, he’s breaking every single one. Why her? 

Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.

If you'd like to see learn about previous boxes, click on the "Scribbler" link in the labels below.

Do you subscribe to any boxing services? What do you recommend? Have you heard of SCRIBBLER? Are you tempted to join?

March Scribbler Box: Double Theme and Changes for April

I have received my twelfth and, for now at least, final box from Scribbler. You can learn about previous boxes, and why I subscribed by clicking the "Scribbler" link in the labels below.

I was pleasantly surprised  to find the box this month featured a DOUBLE theme: OPENINGS and HUMOR.

As always, the first thing you see upon opening the box is a writing exercise/contest postcard. Each month provides a new challenge for writers to practice. The deadline for this month is 4/15.

The "Curated Writerly Gifts" this month include a bookmark featuring one of the authors other books, a "Creating a Character" guide page, a lemon and coffee scented candle, and old-fashioned "Green Apple" hard candies that were quite good.

As usual, this box also came with an inside look at the publishing process for ONE of this months author's, and an exclusive invitation to chat with a publishing professional: Jane Dystel, agent and president of Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret LLC,  as well as the collectible 'Writing Passport' with each of the author's discussing one of this months themes - Darynda Jones on OPENINGS and David Sosnowski on HUMOR.

This months box included a copy of FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT by Darynda Jones and the new release novel BUZZ KILL by David Sosnowski. I've never read a book by either author, and I'm looking forward to both of these as the descriptions are very interesting:

First Grave on the Right (the first in a 13 book series) is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from Darynda Jones, an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

First Grave on the Right is the winner of the 2012 Rita Award for Best First Book.

“Along with the almost satirical rendering of the world, the lovely writing, and engaging plot, the characters of George and Pandora are brilliant.” —Booklist

Pandora Lynch lives in Alaska with her single dad, an online therapist for Silicon Valley’s brightest and squirreliest. Homeschooled by computer and a self-taught hacker, Pandora is about to enter high school to learn how to be normal. That’s the plan at least.

NorCal runaway George Jedson is a hacker too—one who leaves the systems he attacks working better than before. After being scooped up by a social media giant, will George go legit—or pull off the biggest hack ever? Not even his therapist knows for sure, but maybe the headshrinker’s daughter…

After meeting in cyberspace, the two young hackers combine their passions to conceive a brainchild named BUZZ. Can this baby AI learn to behave, or will it be like its parents and think outside the box?

With a hilarious and deeply empathetic narrative voice, this elegiac and unapologetically irreverent novel is both humorous and tragic without ever taking itself too seriously.

Scribbler made a few changes for April. So, if you're curious about this box, here is a cheaper chance to try it out - if you don't mind digital:

Due to the That Which Shall Not Be Named, we are offering an entirely digital Scribbler box for the first time ever! Hooray! 🎉 Each virtual box will include a digital Writing Passport with an introduction from Scribbler and an exclusive essay from a bestselling author on pulling readers' HEARTSTRINGS. This box will also include a digital Publishing Process Inside Look, an invitation to an online live chat with one of the most powerful literary agents in the industry, and a fun Writing Contest that's exclusive to the box. Our April Scribbler Box will hit your inbox on April 21 along with a buy link to an ebook that complements the included teaching materials. We'll be running book discussions with the Scribbler founders, so while the book isn't required to enjoy the box, it sure will sweeten the experience (and keep a hungry author fed!). See you April 21st for a month of learning and online fun! 


The company hopes to return to shipping their regular style boxes in May. To learn more about this monthly box service: https://www.goscribbler.com/

Do you subscribe to any boxing services? Have you heard of SCRIBBLER? Are you tempted to join?

February Scribbler Box: Author Career II

I just received my eleventh box from Scribbler. You can learn about previous boxes, and why I subscribed by clicking the "Scribbler" link in the labels below.

The theme this month is AUTHOR CAREER II. Yes, ANOTHER repeat theme. This company is only two years old and they have repeated themes on more than a couple of occasions when there are still so many they could be covering. I by no means am implying that there isn't more to say on the repeat themes, but why go back to something you've already done when you're such a young company. This is their 24th box - one a month for two years now.

As always, the first thing you see upon opening the box is a writing exercise/contest postcard. Each month provides a new challenge for writers to practice. The deadline for this month is 3/11.

The "Curated Writerly Gifts" this month include a coaster depicting the quote "Remember Why You Started", a sticker that states "Enjoy every moment" and has a picture of a typewriter, a package of dark roast coffee (I don't drink coffee, but my husband likes it), and a two-sided door hanger (one side reads "Caution - Writer on Deadline - enter at own risk" and the other side "Writers kill people in books - do not disturb").

As usual, this box also came with an inside look at the publishing process for this months author, and an exclusive invitation to chat with a publishing professional: Susan Raihofer, agent at the David Black Agency,  as well as the collectible 'Writing Passport' with the author discussing this months theme of AUTHOR CAREER II.

This months new release novel is IF YOU TELL by Gregg Olsen, and is based on a true story. In the few months since it's release, the book has become:

A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen’s shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters determined to survive their mother’s house of horrors.

After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word "mom", it claws like an eagle's talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now.

For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother's dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders.

Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor's story of absolute evil - and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today - loving, loved, and moving on.

To learn more about this monthly box service: https://www.goscribbler.com/

Do you subscribe to any boxing services? Have you heard of SCRIBBLER? Are you tempted to join?Gregg OlsenSusan