Writing Advice From... Queen

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

I'm a shooting star leaping through the skies

Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity

("Don't Stop Me Now" from Jazz)

A writer needs to have confidence. You don't have to be extroverted or comfortable with being the center of attention. However, you do have to be confident in your work. You need to love your story in order for other people to love your story.

I've been with you such a long time

You're my sunshine

And I want you to know

My feelings are true

I really love you

("You're My Best Friend" from A Night at the Opera)

If this is how you feel about your book, then take a step back. Not because you're crazy, but because you need to be able to edit those words you love so much. You need to make cuts. You need to tear it apart. And also, you're probably crazy.

Is this the real life?

Is this just fantasy?

("Bohemian Rhapsody" from A Night at the Opera)

You need to absolutely know your genre. If you think you're writing a fantasy novel, then make sure it really is a fantasy novel. The best way to know your genre? Read other books in that genre. Not only will knowing your genre help tremendously when you're ready to submit your novel to agents and/or publishers, but it will also help you decide what is really important to your story. 

Each morning I get up

I die a little

Can barely stand on my feet

("Somebody to Love" from A Day at the Races)

Writing takes a lot of dedication. You'll be tired. You'll want to give up. Be prepared for your social life to disappear (especially when you put yourself on a deadline) and be prepared to make very little money as you spend countless hours in a coffee shop trying to write that one perfect sentence. Hemingway lived off of a diet of wine, so you'll probably want to stock up on ramen noodles. 

We are the champions, my friend

And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end

("We Are the Champions" from News of the World)

Remember that you can't give up. As difficult as things may be (see the previous lyrics), there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Your book. Even though people like to think differently, not everyone can write a book. If you've written a sentence a chapter, or - go you - an entire novel, you have so much to be proud of. 

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Now, watch this video. Feel inspired. Write.

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On the Shelf: The Reason I Jump

Monday, 9 September 2013

THE REASON I JUMP: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism | NAOKI HIGASHIDA | Random House | 2013

You’ve never read a book like The Reason I Jump. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine.

I know quite a few children with autism. I'm also really interested in the developing mind and how different environmental and biological factors impact our thought process. With this random interest in developmental psychology and my background in teaching, I knew that The Reason I Jump was a book I couldn't pass up.

After an introduction by author David Mitchell, the book is organized by seemingly simple questions: Why do you take ages to answer questions? Why can't you have a proper conversation? Is it true that you hate being touched? Naoki answers these questions using an alphabet grid that allows him to communicate at his own pace and in a way that doesn't emphasize a necessity of voice and language as we think of it. Naoki is extremely intelligent and even as he answers the very first question of the book (which explains the technology he is using to answer the questions), he forces readers to consider how they define 'communication' and how exclusionary our societal expectations of conversation really are.

Naoki answers the questions in the book with an almost unbearable honesty. He truly has no idea how differently he thinks from everyone else. But do the rest of us - those of us without autism, in this context - really think the same? Have you ever considered how you form an answer? How your brain works to recall a memory from years ago? Because Naoki finds a way to explain the images that he sees in his mind and he knows the systematic way he comes up with the answer to a question (no matter how simple or complex). It's amazing to read a 13-year-old boy explain these things when I know I could never put the same process into words.

Even if you don't know someone with autism, I think this book forces you to think about how you process information and react in social situations. It also highlights how differently everyone reacts to similar events. I guarantee you solve problems in your head in a completely different way from myself. If you are interested in fictional stories featuring characters with autism, I highly recommend reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and watching the film Adam starring Hugh Dancy. I think those creative works will really come to life after reading The Reason I Jump, once you begin to understand how someone with autism views and processes his or her surroundings.

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The Sunday News (09.08)

Sunday, 8 September 2013

A weekly collection of storytelling links. Best enjoyed with coffee or tea on your Sunday morning, afternoon, or evening. This week's edition of The Sunday News is brought to you by cats in literary costumes, life-changing books, and language bullies.

→ Did you know that Yes and Yes is creating a literary cat calendar?! She needs our help to come up with a name. 

→ A collection of Maurice Sendak posters that celebrate books and the joy of reading. 

→ Eric Smith shares the story of his John Green inspired proposal. 

→ 32 Books that Will Actually Change Your Life. I've only read 9 of them, so I think I need to introduce more change into my life.

→ Watch Daniel Radcliffe become Allen Ginsberg in the Kill Your Darlings trailer. 

→ Listen to famous people read Roald Dahl books.

→ Are you a language bully? Cut it out. 

→ Jim Carrey's first children's book will be published later this month.

→ Read some classic books in 140 characters. 

→ "You may not have a job, but at least you know that you followed your dreams!" Huffington Post presents 28 Signs You Were An English Major.

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