Weekly Roundup
Hello friends, it’s another week, another wrap up. Before I get into my bits and bobs, if you like what I write, why not share it with a friend? A handy link is below. I appreciate your time and energy, and sharing amongst your networks is the best way you can support my work.
In exciting news, if you’re local to RI, my Fall course with the Community Libraries of Providence just launched! Click here to register. We start Wednesday November 1st.
Anyways, enough sentimental stuff! Onto the lists.
What I’m reading:
I don’t just read books, though I have been doing a lot of that as of late. What stuck with me this week is a newsletter from Lit Hub’s The Craft of Writing.1
This week’s essay was from Nicola Griffith, author of books-I-have-not-read-but-sound-cool Hild and Menewood. The focus of her essay was how to write immersive historical fiction, specifically by choosing which details for your characters to focus on. While she didn’t call this worldbuilding, that’s basically what this is, and I completely agree. Worldbuilding is generally associated with genre fiction (aka Science Fiction and Fantasy, video games, etc) but anything can be considered a world: Soviet Russia, 1950s Paris, your small home town that I’ve never been to.
For me, at least, it was nice to be reminded that there are other writers out there who share the same ideas and that I’m not completely crazy.2
What I’m writing:
This place!
I’m writing about the place above. I’m betting there’s only one person who reads this newsletter who knows where it is, but I could be wrong! There are a few submissions that opened up about unique travel places, so I’m writing up an essay to submit about this Florida Gem, words I thought I would never utter.
An important note: I haven’t actually finished anything I’ve been writing recently. While that is cringeworthy for me, I do want to make sure I’m not creating a false perception that I am this *wildly* productive author who produces something complete once a week. Nope. Nada. Nyet. Nein. I go where the motivation is. And right now, it’s here.
What I’m listening to:
Image from Bookshop.org.
Surprise! It’s a book. I normally don’t listen to audiobooks,3 but I’ve been doing a lot of driving this week, and when I drive a lot, audiobooks help me stay focused.
I’m currently listening to A Horse at Night: On Writing by Amina Cain.4 Honestly, by the time you read this, I will probably have finished it. It was only 3 hours long.
While it may seem weird to listen/read about other author’s and their writing practices, I actually find it helpful. Much like how you copy other artists when you’re trying to get better at drawing, imitating other writers can be helpful, too. At the very least, it will help you discover what does and does not work for you.
With this book, I was tickled to learn that many of the authors and books Cain cited I had already read, which is apropos of nothing other than making me feel smart.
Mug Moment:
This week’s mug moment is from Thursday, after I got home from tutoring. This is a steaming hot mug of Jasmine Green Tea, lounging in the late afternoon sun in a Starbucks London mug.
That’s all, folks. I’m up to Maine this weekend to visit a friend, and I’m sure I’ll have very atmospheric fall photos to share next week. What about you? What have you been reading, writing and listening to? Let me know in the comments!
It does not look like the particular essay I’m referencing has been posted online yet.
Well, at least not for that reason.
For reasons I will expand upon later.
I listen to audiobooks on either the Scribd or Libby apps.