Follow Friday (005)
Well well well! The new year is almost upon us!
I thought this FF question was appropriate,
and a much-needed motivation for keeping up with the blog.
Thanks to Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read for hosting Follow Friday!
Q: The New Year is here — and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?
Very good question! I think one of my main goals is to try to be better at commenting. This includes visiting and commenting on other blogs, as well as responding to comments on my own posts. A huge thing that I’d like to work on next year is organization. I have been here and there with organization since I started up the blog, but I’d like to be more consistent with posting, especially since I do more than just book blogging here. I came up with the Toaster Tuesdays and Workshop Wednesdays to give the blog a little more structure, but I’d like to take it a step further if I can. I definitely want to be better at posting updates on Twitter, and possibly on a Facebook page or other social media of that sort. In that vein, I’m also going to look into more ways people can follow the blog, because there have been some requests for that.
Wowsers, think I can do all that in the next year? We shall see! 
Thanks for stopping by!
Workshop Wednesday (006): Picking and Choosing
“High, high above the North Pole, on the first day of 1969,
two professors of English Literature approached each other
at a combined velocity of 1200 miles per hour.”
Changing Places by David Lodge
So what exactly is Workshop Wednesday? Well, it’s going to be an ongoing discussion of ways to read and critique (and hopefully improve) writing. Basically, I’m going to be drawing on my experiences in writing workshops through undergraduate and graduate studies and sharing them with you all. These posts are for everyone, whether you’re wondering how you can give good feedback to a writer friend, or whether you’re a writer yourself and want to find new ways to look at your writing. Hopefully these discussions will be helpful. And hopefully seeing a compelling first line in each post will inspire you to write your own, or to read the rest of that story!
Hey all! Today’s post is a little different, but I think it’s just as important in critiquing and writing as my past posts. I’d like to ramble on for a bit about fit.
I’ve noted previously that even if your writing friend hands you a manuscript that happens to be the type of story that you despise, you can still offer good criticism. It’s true. Granted, it would probably be difficult for both of you, but it’s certainly not impossible. I think it’s a rather genius method of getting someone to look at elements of craft that might be overlooked by a writer who specializes in the same genre. This is why I think workshops, while sometimes painful, can be awesome.
That said, though, there may be times when you offer a critique that just does not fit. This could happen for any reason. Neither of you should stress over it. You are absolutely entitled to offer what you bring to the table, and the writer is equally entitled to do with that feedback what she will. Please don’t be offended. The simple truth is that the writer must go with her gut, and ultimately, writing is about the choices she makes. Sure, that thing that bugged you may still be present in the story, but that thing makes the writer happy and is in line with her vision. If she will fight for it, it deserves to stay in.
As I’ve said before, never be afraid to say something. Just remember that your writer is in a tough spot and must listen to you as well as her little writing heart.
Beg, Borrow, and Steal (020)
Hey all! Happy holidays! Or just happy weekend.
Another one of my friends gave me a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas, so you can thank the other M in my life for a lot of this Beg, Borr0w, & Steal post.
These posts are my take on the In My Mailbox meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Just a way to showcase the books in my life, because not all of them will be reviewed. 
I guess you can say I’ve been doing a little Christmas shopping for myself while looking for gifts for other people… Let’s see what I broke down and bought this week.
Begged
Books I absolutely had to have.
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
Finally! Finally I have this book. Ugh, want to read NOW!
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Yeah, I hate scary movies, but scary books I seem to be okay with.
And I actually like the fact that this has a male protagonist.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Cool cover, and I am intrigued by the premise.
Steals
Nookbooks purchased via giftcard.
Shadowmagic by John Lenahan
I can tell by the first page that I’m gonna like this book.
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Entwined by Heather Dixon
A play on the dancing princesses fairy tale. Uh, yes please!
Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Starlighter by Bryan Davis
Sounds like a cool start to a neat series.
Thank you, Mel!
And thanks to you all for stopping by my IMM post.
I am cooking up some cool giveaways so be on the lookout this winter!
If you’re here for the Mid-Winter’s Eve Giveaway, it’s at this page.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
Mid-Winter’s Eve Giveaway Hop 2011
Thanks for stopping by!
This blog hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Oasis For YA.
Much thanks to them for hosting!
Some rules:
-Must be over 13 years old. If you are under 18, you must have parent/guardian permission.
-Giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to you. Check here.
-Giveaway ends on December 27, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST.
-Two winners will be chosen by random.org.
-You contact information provided on THIS FORM counts as your entry.
-You are not required to re-post or follow me to enter this giveaway, but it is appreciated.
I will send an email to the winners after the giveaway ends.
The winners must respond within 72 hours or new winners will be chosen.
Now, what do you get?
I know this isn’t a holiday season for everyone around the world,
but I thought I’d support the idea of family for this hop.
So I’m offering up to $20 (US) worth of books where family plays a major role (good or bad).
This can be interpreted in different ways.
Think of Mackie and Tate’s respective families in Brenna Yovanoff’s The Replacement,
Coraline’s two families in Coraline by Neil Gaiman,
or even the Pevensies in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.
These are just suggestions. There are so many possibilities with this theme.
Godparents and the like count as well. Sometimes family is more than blood.
The books will come from either from Amazon or The Book Depository.
I will be asking for some choices on the form. These can change.
CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE ENTRY FORM
Good luck everyone!
Thanks for stopping by!
Remember to visit I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Oasis For YA
to see the other hundreds of blogs participating in the hop!
Beg, Borrow, and Steal (019)
Hey all! Brief BBS post because I’m so happy to share these books, but don’t have time or energy to hunt down all of my current library loans. Hahaha… Me? Have too many books? Pshaw…
These posts are my take on the In My Mailbox meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Just a way to showcase the books in my life, because not all of them will be reviewed.
Let’s cut to the chase!
Steals
Early Christmas presents!
Possess by Gretchen McNeil
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Can we say cover love?
I gave my friend a list of books I wanted to own,
and he chose these for the covers! Haha!
-_- We are so alike.
Thanks to my friend, M!
And thanks to you for stopping by!
I’ll make up for the small post by participating in
the Mid-Winter’s Eve Giveaway Hop next week!
I know, it’s been a while! Time to give more stuff away!
And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about you followers.
I’ll be counting the entries for my last follower giveaway soon. 
Library Post: Volunteering
It’s been some time since I’ve written a library post. Recently at my work we’ve had an influx of volunteers because of a class requirement and it motivated me to write about volunteering at your local library.
So what do I think about volunteering at the library? I think it’s absolutely awesome. It’s a great way to give back to your community and promote literacy and really help out an institution that probably needs it. I know this from personal experience–not just by watching volunteers in action, but because I used to be a volunteer myself.
Library work can be very rewarding, even if you’re just finding books on the shelves. I suppose it depends on what you like to do and how you like to spend your time, but if you’re reading my blog I’m thinking you probably like books or writing or both. I’m sure the duties vary by library, so I can’t really comment about them here. There will probably be shelving involved, which I always like because I end up finding interesting books that I didn’t know existed. You might get assigned to different tasks ranging from running the summer reading program to putting up/taking down seasonal decorations. Don’t feel daunted by the possibilities. You might ask about volunteer tasks before you commit to hours so you know what you’re getting into.
One thing that’s great about the library is the fact that it’s an institution based on helping people. It’s not about making a sale, it’s about finding the information or media in question. Yeah, it’s not exactly the business of saving lives, but I always feel good when I help someone find the section or book they’re looking for. I manage to accomplish something without too much stress.
Spending time at the library also helps you get acquainted with the organization system, and with the people who work there, which can be a benefit if you want to one day work in a library, or even if you just want to get more out of your library experience. I like to talk books with The Children’s Librarian, and we tend to recommend books to each other. It’s also nice to make new friends with fellow volunteers, or get to know the other people in your community who come in as patrons.
And there you have it! I highly recommend volunteering at your local library. Who knows–if you’re there when a new batch of books are processed, you might be able to call dibs on the newest big thing!
Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Juliette has been locked away for over 200 days because of a lethal incident she couldn’t control. An incident involving what happens to people when they touch her skin. When a male roommmate cellmate moves into her confined space, it’s only the beginning of a new chapter of her life. Not only does she have to relearn how to interact with another human being, his presence heralds a time of change; The Reestablishment, who have taken over the outside world, want to offer Juliette a place on their side. But Juliette, with her roommate’s help, will finally find it in herself to fight to live her own life.
Whew! <– That was my first reaction when I first picked up this book. I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews and hype surrounding this book, and let me tell you–this one deserves it all. This book was so fantastic that when I was stalled on my own thesis novel, I picked it up and suddenly, it was as if the world was made new. All of the changes that had been suggested in my most recent workshop, I saw come alive in Ms. Mafi’s writing. It was as if this book were a manual on how good writing gets done. Like it was speaking to me as a writer. (My classmates and friends will tell you–I recommended the darn thing to every single person who would listen.)
That said, I have to talk about the quality of writing. The story was compelling from the first page–I immediately wanted to know about Juliette, her world, how she would change by the end of the story. And she kept me in suspense the whole time. I’m still in suspense, but it’s even worse now because I want to read book two! (Argh!) I thought the backstory was dispersed evenly throughout the first half. I never felt as if there were info-dumps, or that the story got bogged down in description or history. There was an even pacing and flow to the narrative, as if the story was always moving, and I never felt bored. (I even read the book faster than my usual snail’s pace!) And, of course, it’s told in first-person, and the language itself is very distinctive. Ms. Mafi’s descriptions play with hyperbolic metaphor, but not in a bad way. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming, but these moments are overshadowed by moments when I feel the narrative is painting a picture in strokes of vivid, exquisite language. Sometimes I just wanted to hug my book, sigh, and sit back in my chair to savor those poetic lines.
The story itself is pretty cool. Juliette is a bit like Rogue from The X-Men, and the fact that someone wants to use her to hurt people is a very good motivation for her to finally take a stand against people trying to control or confine her. Warner is a twisted guy, and I pretty much was expecting the little “twist” near the end, but I think it was meant to be all-but-stated. Kenji is funny, but doesn’t show up until late in the story. As for Adam, he’s a pretty good male lead. I don’t really see anything very distinctive about him, but I actually love him for the way he treats other people. Just your typical, upstanding good guy. Who wouldn’t want to curl up against him?
And, yes, there is romance! And I didn’t mind it at all! Actually, I barely noticed it for at least the first half of the book. It got more prominent in the second half, but I think it emerged seamlessly so that I wasn’t all “what the–why are they??” as I sometimes am. Ms. Mafi did a good job of keeping the story grounded in the immediacy of the situations and events so that I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the romantic elements. And that’s just how I like my romance. And the couple’s backstory breaks my heart and warms it at the same time. Lots of “awwwww” from me, imagining them as sad little kids. 
I’m pretty new to the dystopian genre, so I can’t really comment on how well it hits the dystopic button. But I can say that I felt like there was a good amount of worldbuilding. There are things wrong with the world, and there’s an explanation to why things are wrong with the world, and it all seems logical to me now that I’ve read to the end. However, I don’t really quite understand the structure of the institution where Juliette is locked up in the beginning. But I’m hoping this gets addressed in later books.
Something I loved about this book was the relationship portrayed between self-perception and power. Juliette is on the verge of insanity at the start, and she is afraid of herself, and how she can hurt other people because people deem her worthy of being locked up. Warner treats her like a pet tiger, Kenji refers to her as the “psycho chick.” Adam treats her like a human being. It isn’t until Juliette believes she can be on the same level as human beings that she finds the inspiration to fight against the system. It isn’t until a person values her or himself that one can see true worth. It’s very well-threaded throughout the story.
Well, I think I’ve rambled on quite a bit. Bottom line: Good book. Very good book. It will hook into you, then make you hungry for a sequel. And it’s a fast read. What’s not to like?
Review copy acquired from the publisher at San Diego Comic Con.
Workshop Wednesday (004): Don’t Take the Good for Granted
“Every summer Lin Kong returned to Goose Village to divorce his wife, Shuyu.”
Waiting by Ha Jin
So what exactly is Workshop Wednesday? Well, it’s going to be an ongoing discussion of ways to read and critique (and hopefully improve) writing. Basically, I’m going to be drawing on my experiences in writing workshops through undergraduate and graduate studies and sharing them with you all. These posts are for everyone, whether you’re wondering how you can give good feedback to a writer friend, or whether you’re a writer yourself and want to find new ways to look at your writing. Hopefully these discussions will be helpful. And hopefully seeing a compelling first line in each post will inspire you to write your own, or to read the rest of that story!
Welcome back to Workshop Wednesday! I know it’s been a while, but hopefully I’ll be able to make up for it now that I’m officially on Winter Break.
All right, last week I started talking about the actual process of giving feedback. I know it was pretty condensed, but I’m definitely going to be delving further into all of my tips, and many more I did not list. This week, though, I’d like to focus one overlooked but very important related point: Constructive criticism will always help a writer, but don’t forget to let the writer know what is actually working in the piece.
Not only is hearing positive feedback important for preserving the writer’s sense of self-worth (we’re a sensitive people), but it helps the writer to figure out his or her strengths. It is through these strengths that a writer can try to solve some of the problems that the critic is pointing out. For instance, I noticed a trend among a few of my fellow writers in their ability to give vivid, specific physical descriptions, but then this specificity of detail does not show up in portraying characters’ emotions. I will often write in my comments that these writers should use their strengths to their advantage and use this eye for detail to address other aspects of the story.
Sometimes good feedback simply helps a writer to know what to preserve in edits and revisions, or to know what they’re doing right in their writing. If a writer knows that she does a good job of portraying a certain character as a full-fledged, well-rounded human being, then she might be inspired to give this character more page space as a way of keeping her audience compelled to read.
Of course, even things you like may need to be cut from a manuscript. This may be hard to tell a writer, but if a narrative description is bogging down the story, don’t be afraid to give your writer the positive feedback, then advise her to make the good part even more concise.
Conversely, if you enjoy a particular passage examining the protagonist’s emotions, but it’s only two lines long, encourage your writer to write more. Don’t feel restricted by what’s on the page. Imagine what your writer can do if she pushes her narrative eye just a little deeper under the surface. Don’t be afraid of encouraging overwriting–there’s always the possibility of cutting later.
And that’s a brief discussion of positive feedback. Don’t forget to point out positives! Actually, if you’re like me when I was just entering the world of workshops, positives will probably be the bulk of your critique. Don’t let this discourage you! It took me years, literally, to learn how to give helpful critiques. And I’m still not as good at it as some of my illustrious classmates.
Hope this helps!
Flashback Review: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
These reviews are going to be different because the books aren’t as fresh in my memory (we’re talking from last year to as long as a decade ago… maybe even further back). I’ve decided to do this because there are a lot of books out there just waiting to be read, and I think they deserve hype once in a while, too. Consider these glorified book recommendations, of a sort. I’ll do my best to recall the reading experience, but you’ll have to bear with me.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Blurb from Goodreads:
First published in 1844, Alexandre Dumas’s swashbuckling epic chronicles the adventures of D’Artagnan, a gallant young nobleman who journeys to Paris in 1625 hoping to join the ranks of musketeers guarding Louis XIII. He soon finds himself fighting alongside three heroic comrades—Athos, Porthos, and Aramis—who seek to uphold the honor of the king by foiling the wicked plots of Cardinal Richelieu and the beautiful spy “Milady.” As Clifton Fadiman reflected, “We read The Three Musketeers to experience a sense of romance and for the sheer excitement of the story. In these violent pages all is action, intrigue, suspense, surprise—an almost endless chain of duels, murders, love affairs, unmaskings, ambushes, hairbreadth escapes, wild rides. It is all impossible and it is all magnificent.”
… Actually that is a pretty accurate description, and a lot more eloquent than what I have to say. But hey, this is my blog, so I’m gonna say it anyway.
Right, so I watched the new film at the discount theater last night. And having actually read the book, I have to be honest: I enjoyed myself. If you’ve read the book and are offended, you have every right to be. But I tend to judge movies by their own merit. Yes, it was over-the-top (literally) at times, but I actually really liked the soundtrack, the action scenes were pretty awesome, and how can anyone not love D’Artagnan and the musketeers in question???
But I get ahead of myself. Here’s what I think about the book. I loved it. It’s incredibly funny, but not laugh-out-loud spur-of-the-moment humor. It’s more like situational humor, or humor that keeps you smiling for a long period–over the course of the unfolding plot–rather than evoking the laughter all at one time. (Okay, maybe there are a few of those moments, too.) For instance, D’Artagnan and the musketeers go on a road trip, and D’Argtanan loses all three of them. Not at the same time–separately. Then he has to go back and collect them again. It doesn’t sound like it could possibly be funny, but with these guys, trust me, it is. The best part of the humor is that the characters don’t realize they’re being funny. They’re just being them. It’s us, the readers, who get to figure out what the heck is actually going on.
The evil characters pack a punch as well. They’re not actually funny. They’re just really, really well-written evil characters. They want to bring war, and they’ll stop at nothing to do it. Milady is one crazy, diabolical lady. She hasn’t got Milla Jovovich’s moves, but she can hold her own in different ways.
And of course there are the duels. There is a lot of fighting in the story. People actually die or get hurt quite a lot. Doctors show up quite often, and days pass to heal. But I love this fact, because it keeps things realistic.
Oh, and the romance. OH, the ROMANCE. My relationship with book romance is sketchy, but I couldn’t keep myself from getting behind D’Artagnan’s pure, innocent love! And Aramis is totally a player, but that makes him so much cooler. Athos has his reasons for being the way he is, and when we find out–WOW.
I’m pretty sure Dumas knew what he was doing when he sat down to write this book. Similar to Douglas Adams’s work in the Dirk Gently series, everything seems to matter. With its twists and turns, all of the events are interrelated and have consequences for better and for worse. Every character has an agenda, good and evil, and by this fact alone one can say this is superb writing.
This book is truly classic literature. Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are amazing, multi-faceted characters. They have strengths, weaknesses, desires, fears, regrets, and hopes–all of which effect the plot in magnificent ways. Most of all, they have their ideals and their cause–to preserve France and its rulers. All for one, and one for all!
Workshop Wednesday (005): The Line
December 14, 2011 at 11:22 PM (Workshop Wednesday, Writing) (constructive comments, feedback, workshop, Workshop Wednesday, writing)
“He woke, and remembered dying.”
The Stone Canal by Ken MacLeod
So what exactly is Workshop Wednesday? Well, it’s going to be an ongoing discussion of ways to read and critique (and hopefully improve) writing. Basically, I’m going to be drawing on my experiences in writing workshops through undergraduate and graduate studies and sharing them with you all. These posts are for everyone, whether you’re wondering how you can give good feedback to a writer friend, or whether you’re a writer yourself and want to find new ways to look at your writing. Hopefully these discussions will be helpful. And hopefully seeing a compelling first line in each post will inspire you to write your own, or to read the rest of that story!
Hey everyone! This week I’d like to delve into one aspect of what makes a workshop helpful for a writer. Let’s say you’ve read, and made notes, and have constructive comments all planned out in your head. Maybe you’re worried about your comments being enough. I know I had tons of trouble for a long time coming up with enough substantial comments to not sound like an idiot in workshop. (Though I know now, finally, that you have to throw that fear out of the window. Because all comments matter.) But is there such a thing as saying too much?
Honestly, I can’t answer that question. It will depend on the writer how much feedback is helpful. I’m sure there are lots of writers out there who prefer to have a more condensed, concise list of revisions to be made. I’m sure there are just as many writers out there who want critiques that dig down to the very nuts and bolts of the writing. I, as usual, am somewhere in the middle. I prefer to take notes on everything that is said in workshop, then let my writing and the notes sit, and let the possible changes emerge as I have these comments simmering in the back of my mind. Usually I try to think of solutions that solve more than one problem at a time. (Good writing will do more than one thing at a time.) Then I look at my list, and see what changes I’m willing (and can) make, and go from there.
I will say, however, that personally I think there is a line that you have to maintain in giving a critique. I think I’ve touched on this in the past, but I’ll put it into focus: don’t write for your writer. I’m very fortunate that I have wonderful friends and fellow writers who respect my ideas and my writing, and never try to walk all over my work. I’m not saying that you will do this, but it is something to be conscious of going into the process. Giving a critique isn’t about how you personally would write a scene word for word. It’s about how you can make what’s on the page better. Sure, sometimes this means you have to scrap the page. Sometimes it means pushing your writer so that she looks deeper into the character in question, the setting in question, even the minor details in question. How can your writer do justice to the work she has already done?
For example, let’s say there’s a scene between a couple at a cafe on Valentine’s Day. They meet, they kiss, and they have coffee. Maybe they have a fight. Maybe you think the scene would be much more exciting if the characters shouted at each other more, or threw things at each other more because you think the fight isn’t angry enough. This could very well be a valid point–but are these the types of characters who would be that angry at this point in the story? Maybe their anger is meant to build more over time. Maybe they’re the kind of characters who are scary quiet when they’re pissed. Maybe this is a humor piece and there needs to be a light-hearted overtone. There are a lot of factors to consider when you give a criticism. Don’t think in terms of Fight Scene, think in terms of This Story in particular and how this fight scene matters. Remember when I said you should be able to back up your claim? You have to be able to find evidence in the story for your evaluations. The story will speak for itself, and for the writer, if you let it.
On the flip side, maybe the whole story isn’t angry enough for a couple who hate each other and are trapped with each other. Then this is a specific kind of story, isn’t it? Then it’s up to you to help the writer figure out if she wants this to be an understated story or if this a story that needs to be more out there and in the reader’s face. You have the vantage point, and can help so much by making these story-centric comments. All because you noticed that something felt off about that fight scene.
I hope this is helpful! Remember, thinking as a writer is good, but you must also be able to think like a reader if you’re participating in the revision process. Because the reader is who we’re all writing for.
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