Congratulations Vincent Lam! November 11, 2006
Posted by Christine in Literature.add a comment
… on winning the Giller Prize!
I am actually lucky enough to have met Vincent a few months ago through one of my best friends. This was quite the honor for me, considering I still have not met that many accomplished writers. I was going to end that sentence with “like me”, but I don’t want to say something that would give the impression I place myself on the same “writing level” as Giller Prize winner Dr. Lam. Not because I question my skill, but rather because it may suggest we have the same style/niche or write similar material. His area is not close to mine, so I cannot compare apples and oranges here.
I have to admit I have not yet read his book, but I fully intended to even before he received this notable pat on the shoulder from the writing community. However, if his book (Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures) even slightly reflects the intriguing and wonderful person I met, then nobody should be surprised he won the Giller.
One Thing Writers Need November 4, 2006
Posted by Christine in the writer's life, writing.2 comments
They say truth is stranger than fiction… I’d say that is true. My personal life has much resembled something you’d expect in a soap opera (I’m not complaining, merely stating a fact) and most people have trouble believing I am not exaggerating. Hence I’ve adopted the new strategy of keeping a bit more to myself, just to be spared the explanations and odd looks.
Anyways, soap opera is good for a writer: it gives us something to say on paper. But this immediately implies you need a social life to be able to write. This is something that struck me today as I was living out my social life of watching DVDs while trying to do work. I can’t remember with certainty the last time I went out on a weekend, or the last time I sat down and had drinks with friends. I was painfully reminded of this while watching one of my favorite TV shows, which largely centers around these friendship-type relationships and shows how they can offer a support system for everything ranging from business to love. It made me think: is it possible that my creative mind (fiction) is drying up because I am not experiencing any life? Without life, who do I quote or use as a character in my work?
Being a writer, especially a copy writer (one area of the profession where personal social interaction is not very necessary because it is not necessary inspiring for business), is a lonely profession at times. But it should not be!
I’ve made a new decision, next weekend I am going to try and go out….. Unless I get caught up in work again….
Befriend a Writer Today November 2, 2006
Posted by Christine in Blogs I Like, the writer's life, writing.2 comments
Having a writer friend can be just as important as having a doctor in the family or a lawyer down the road. When you have a good friend who so happens to be gifted with a keyboard and and a power-supply (or the conventional pen and paper) you will always have an “in house” editor for those important letters (protest, love, politics) you will write throughout your life. If you own a business you will also have someone to look at your marketing package and if you write a book you may get a nice blurb for the cover. I’m not suggesting writer-friends should be ‘abused’ for their knowledge (I’m a writer with and impossible schedule as well!). Instead I’m advocating having friends in many fields, that was we all benefit from some advice now and again on our taxes, marriage, business or anything penned down on paper.
As a writer, it is even more important to have friends in the same profession. I personally do not know many, but I have met writers who are very paranoid and create their own loneliness: another writer could potentially steal their next brilliant idea! Anyways, I will not even get into that. My point is that having a good writer friend will give you a fresh look on your own projects. Provided this is a good friend you can trust (AI! am I infected with the paranoia bug??). Especially if you want to get into the field it is good to have a “mentor”, someone who has gone before you. Preferably someone you are not in competition with, but not so far removed from your niche that he/she cannot give you any useful advice.
But, you can still do it alone! I certainly did. Personally I do not have a doctor in the family, a lawyer down the road and not even an accountant in my alumni class. I did not have any writer friends either when I started out. The only great friends I had, and recommend, were books. All I ever wanted to do was avoid the cubicle lifestyle of twelve hour work days, noodles for lunch, a cranky boss and mind-numbing work. In other words: I wanted to ”un-cube” myself, and make sure I stayed that way. A healthy mix of great books, good friends and an entrepreneurial spirit will help you do just that.
Speaking of “uncubing”, Michelle Goodman wrote the anti 9 to 5 guide
Time to Write…or Not! November 1, 2006
Posted by Christine in the writer's life.add a comment
OK, so today is one of those days where time seems to slip away and writing is just not really happening. Don’t even ask what I am doing, you don’t want to know. Trust me on it though: it’s all necessary and somewhat useful stuff. I’m just angry that I am not getting any real work done, nor am I getting any queries out, nor am I getting any work done on my book.
I guess this became a rant instead of a proper post, but at least it is a) written, and b) has quite a bit to do with my life as a writer.
To gather my thoughts I’ll go and be physically active for a bit at the gym, I just hope that will get the clever parts of my brain moving as well. That is my only hope of getting some real writing done later today.
I hope everyone else is being more productive than me!
Writers: Never Trust a Computer November 1, 2006
Posted by Christine in the writer's life.1 comment so far
Although my title appears to be geared at writers, it really is not: anyone conducting business in a global, and especially technologically driven, setting will have the experience of computer glitches causing problems. In some cases that is an understatement, and unfortunately I was not spared either. It seems that putting off my intention to reformat my hard-drive and reinstall windows has not served me well, even though I’ve put it off because of work commitments. The issue is that some of my programs have…well… been performing sub-par, which was the reason for wanting to whipe the drive and reinstall everything. Basically, it is on my to-do list for tomorrow now because it seems somehow a quote was stuck somewhere between my outbox and sent mail folder. Needless to say it was not sent…
Morale of my post for the day: never trust a computer. Whether you are a writer, a businessman, a doctor… never trust and always double check. The time you do let it slide is likely the time something will go wrong. Murphey’s law definitely works in that respect!
