Blogs OR Where Has the Time Gone?

After an early-morning conversation about blogs with my sister, I’ve started thinking about what I’m doing with this one.  I’ve lost steam with any type of blog writing over the last few months, though I’ve been writing more fiction.  The last few weeks (stolen car, staying up to watch the Nuggets, a few personal items) have shaken my routine (or a new one I’ve been trying to establish), so I’m trying to get a handle on time before it all escapes me.  Look for a possible rehaul of this blog soon.  I’m thinking format and content perhaps.

Jeffrey Eugenides on The Book Review Podcast

Check it out here.

Summer of the Short Story

Read about these summer collections of classic short stories here.  Then take a look at some of the stories available online here.

Short Stories, Young Writers, and Literary Magazines

Take a look at what Laura van den Berg writes about publishing in literary magazines at The Review Review.  I saw the link on the One Story blog.  It’s one of those nice pieces that whispers, “keep going.”  If I could afford to, I’d subscribe to dozens of literary magazines.

When you read the essay it sounds like it’s coming from a seasoned writer, someone well into her career.  Then I saw her blogger profile over at the Ploughshares blog, and it says she’s only 25.  Another young writer with a slew of talent and publishing credits.  These days I can’t pick up a short story or book or look online without finding talented writers under 35 (even 30).

I’ve been working my way through The Best American Short Stories 2008 (next up: PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories 2009) and noticing how many stories they chose were written by young writers:  Katie Chase, Miroslav Penkov, and more.  It’s exciting, not to mention motivating, to see so many young people succeeding.  It feels like I’m watching a new generation of writers emerge.

Don’t forget to visit the Emerging Writers Network daily to read about the short stories they’re reading.  It’s a great place to start if you’re looking for some to read.

Short Story Month

The Emerging Writers Network is celebrating the short story during the month of May.  Little did I know when I started focusing my reading this month on short stories that there’d be a whole network of people doing the same or similar.  I highly recommend visiting their website to see which writer and story they’re blogging about each day.  And read a short story or two while you’re at it.

Growing Up

One of the blogs over at The New York Times broaches the topic of growing up too fast.  This seems to be old news, but it’s still interesting to consider.  I’m not around kids that often right now, but it does seem like they’re exposed to more mature material and higher standards each year.  Maybe I was sheltered as a child (probably), but I’m still shocked at the television shows that air on non-cable channels during the afternoon and prime time hours.

I think it’s fair to let kids be kids and not rush them or push them to excel too soon, though I don’t see why there can’t be some middle ground.  My cousin’s son is learning Mandarin at age six or seven.  I would have loved to have that opportunity as I was obsessed with foreign languages and tried to teach myself as many as I could as a child.  One aspect of homeschooling that I think helps in this area is that the parent can tailor the pace to a child’s needs.

I can’t imagine being a parent in the technological climate now.  In that respect, and maybe I’m ignorant and naive here, I don’t think children need their own cell phones, computers, and televisions.  When I was growing up, a second phone line was a controversy.  Now they have their own cell phones?

What do you think?  Are kids growing up too fast or do they simply have more opportunities than previous generations?

Practice

Here’s an article about genius, the crux being that genius is a result of practice rather than innate talent (which isn’t to say that some talent isn’t necessary or that there aren’t other factors).  I believe the 10,000 hour rule that Mr. Brooks states played a big part in Malcolm Gladwell’s recent book (though I can’t say for certain since I haven’t read it yet).

I love this notion, whether or not it’s true.  I used to store up cheesy running/athletic quotes including one to the effect of the person who runs every day will beat the faster person who doesn’t.  While I’d consider myself, like so many of us in our day and age, slightly above average in a some areas but certainly not a genius or a prodigy, it’s always fueled my motivation to think that even if I’m not the best, I might find some measure of success if I work harder than the next person.

So let’s all go out an practice some more.

On Names

I’d like to solicit opinions on the subject of names.  Way to be vague.  I’m wondering specifically the reasons people have for changing their names (for example: marriage) or not changing them.  I suppose this pertains mostly to women who face marriage and a decision.  Why did you change your name?  Why did you keep it?  Why did you hyphenate the two?  But I’m also curious about those who change their names for other reasons.

And what about in professional settings.  Actors seem to predominately keep their names (though same may go by a married name in their private lives).  Writers seem to do the same.  Would you ever go by a different name professionally, and why?

I’ve tried out the married name for this blog, though I’m still not used it.  I thought a year of marriage would give me the time to adjust to a new name, but it hasn’t.  I won’t go into the reasons why I thought I wouldn’t change my name but ultimately decided to do so.

So.  Thoughts, opinions, knowledge of varying cultural practices, etc.  Leave them in the comments.

Young Writers

The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009 comes out on Tuesday and includes a story by Paul Yoon.  Their website allows you to read excerpts and author interviews.

…which is how I just found out that Yoon was born in 1980.  And from 2008’s collection, Tony Tulathimutte, whose story was misprinted, was born toward the end of 1983.  These young achievers make me feel like I’m behind in my writing.

Saturday Reflections on Blogs, Literary Links, and Making It (Success)

This morning I’m remembering two years ago and how much different a role the internet played in my life.  There were two blogs I read nonstop, often disappointed when there weren’t updates ten times a day.  They provided portals into the literary world, New York, and anything else that has to do with books and writing.  Prior to that I’d been on a long, desperate search for what to read, how to get in the know like so many seemed to be (concerning which books to read, writing, etc.).  It seemed like everyone else knew how to find great books or the ones deemed important, and I was Dr. Frankenstein reading all the wrong books, if I was reading at all.

Now I certainly don’t think there are right and wrong books, but as a writer and a slight literary snob, I do think there are well-written ones and everything else.  I try to read the former, but sometimes read the latter.

Back to the story, these blogs detailed literary happenings in New York, what the bloggers read, and how their respective writing lives were shaping up.  I had only recently started reading seriously again (for several years I just kept lists and started books, but rarely finished them) and was working in Denver, so their lives sounded much more exciting, not to mention I was enthralled by how they found out about so many great books.

All that to say, I think I made it through that particular job (horrid, underpaid nightmare) partly by subsisting on those blogs.  I followed their links, read some of the books they read (which led to more), and tried to establish my own discipline in writing.  At work, I occupied my mind by thinking about books and writing and what I’d read on those blogs.  I made it through each day by telling myself that one of these days I could quit and start writing, though I imagined there’d be other pit stops before I reached that place.

And now, two years later, one of the blog no longer exists, the other has turned weirdly to a fashion/beauty product advertisement thing, and I don’t like the internet as much.  I still find myself sucked into following links for much longer than I’d care to admit, but often, I’d rather step away from the computer and read a book.

I’m grateful for the way the internet allows writers, editors, and publishers to distribute writing or discussions of books.  And sometimes I feel like there are more websites and blogs I’ve yet to encounter, and now I’m following the “wrong” ones.

But to take a slight detour, all these thoughts lead to thoughts of Making It and success.  I’ve seen (online or in person) people my age or younger make it in freelance or in other entreprenuerial pursuits.  (See my post this Monday.)  I’m at an age where soon the most I could hope for is success at all rather than success at a young age.  Last year at this time I went to a freelance talk/workshop where a man who’s been freelancing successfully for seven or more years detailed the ins and outs.  I got impatient and thought within a year I should have a good income doing the same.  Some people make it when they’re young, but for most it takes years to get there.  At this rate, I just want to get there.  I just want to make sure that everything I’m doing now leads to where I want to be eventually, and that I’m not chasing pursuits that are close but not the point.

Right now that means fiction writing.  I don’t know how much energy I’ll devote to freelance writing, though maybe some if the alternative is a job.  After a half-hearted effort in freelancing, I know that at best, it’s a (ideally) source of income and almost what I like, but in the end not what I want to do.  I get stuck in a pattern of looking for something to do instead of taking fiction writing seriously enough to pursue in and of itself (because how many people actually believe that writing is a real career or a possible one).  But at least now I feel a little more capable of teaching myself what I need to know in order to write and publish fiction.  So we’ll see.  Maybe there’s still time to publish before I turn 30 or to get a book deal before I’m 35.  At least there’s today.