A couple of weeks ago, I discussed how sampling an existing novel and adding new material (ex: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Well, agent Kristin Nelson shared a true literary mash-up in her “Friday Funnies” entry at the Pub Rants blog: Jane Austen’s Fight Club.
Let me start by saying that I am not all head-over-heels for Inception the way everyone else seems to be. I thought it was an intriguing idea, but not as mind-bendingly original as it has been hyped. Plus, I felt the director (and his screenplay doctors) got a little sloppy with it at the end.
Also, I don’t find a lot of writing advice that doesn’t make me grimace at how narrow and peevish it is: “Avoid all adverbs!” — “Only use the word ‘said’ as a dialogue tag!” — “Always start in media res!”
But, Lydia Sharp at The Sharp Angle has managed to overcome my ambivalence toward Inception and my advice-o-phobia with her blog post in which she uses the film remarkably well to illustrate how to mix high concept with emotional resonance to create a compelling story. I recommend it to all writers!
Oh where does the time go? Is it Thursday already?
This has been quite a busy week in my pay-the-rent job, which goes a long way toward explaining why the blog is a little slim this week — and shifted one day to the right, as they say in business speak. (At least in English, they say this. I wonder if Arab businessmen postpone events ilá yasár or “to the left” …)
Enough chitterchat. On to the publishing links!
Do you think the Norse god Odin, who takes advice from a severed head, rides an eight-legged horse, talks to ravens, sacrificed an eye and hanged himself in the pursuit of wisdom, would appreciate us referring to his day as “Hump Day”?!
Well, okay… the “Hump” refers to finally suffering through the worst trials of the workweek, and looking forward to the pleasures of the Day of Frigg (his wife), so maybe he would appreciate the symbolism. *shrug*
As Odin was the literary agent of Norse myth, let us away to this week’s literary agent links!
I am revamping my j.nelsonleith.com website — where I used to host a political blog — as the official home of Leith Literary. I will, of course, transfer all the content from here, and leave a sticky note. Updates to come!
And now, on to the writer links!
Happy Friday, loyal readers and visitors future loyal readers!
It has been a crazy week, from figuring out that Dan Brown is lately more popular than the Bible to learning that the Hulk is now a literary critic. My favorite Lit Crit Hulk observation: “HULK KNOW IT PASSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TWILIGHT FRANCHISE, BUT HULK STILL WANT TO SMASH EVERY GROWNUP HULK SEE ON TRAIN READING THAT CRAP.”
(Hello, Xbox? Wii? Marvel Superheroes vs. Twilight characters, please.)
So, a crazy week, but you know what’s not crazy? Checking out this week’s links from publishing industry pros:
PJ at 19whiskeys has posted a great little piece on the two types of writers. I won’t tell you what the two types are, because I want you to be overcome with curiosity and click that link.
However, let’s just say that type B is where everyone is going to want to believe they are. So, considering cognitive biases, if anyone is unsure whether they fall into A or B, I’m thinking they’re likely just A.
At the Huffington Post, Rebecca Serle interviews Newberry Prize winning author Kathi Appelt, specifically on the subject of American Fantasy. Not fantasy fiction written by Americans, but fantasy fiction that draws on American locales and imagery.
Regular readers know that I have been all over this like a bear on a beehive with my Story Behind the Story series, explaining how I wanted to step away from the elves and swords and write fantasy that drew on American imagery and textual artifacts the way Tolkien drew on northern European imagery and textual artifacts.
Appelt could not echo my sentiments more clearly than when she says: Continue reading
Today is the birthday of Charles Scribner, personal editor of author Ernest Hemingway, whose last name I heartlessly employ as a euphemism for booze sipped while writing.
Now, this might seem the perfect occasion to combine the literary agent links with the editor/publisher links like I threatened promised hinted I might do, last week.
But, no! You shall have your literary agent links, separate and per the usual schedule, and you shall like it!
Librarian and author Lawrence Clark Powell said, “Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.”
I would add this to his list: “Link to help others.”
In that spirit, on to the writer links!
