I would like to inform everyone that I created a website for my freelance writing. You can now go to https://jbstechnicalwriting.com/ and find everything you need to know about my services.
Thank you!
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Finding Time to Unwind
What kind of writer are you? Do you wait to the last minute to write your piece? What kind of habits do you have that make you a more productive writer?
As a writer, I find it hard not to not think about writing. I look at someone and wonder what kind of character I could turn them into and what characteristics borrow from them and add to a character I already have in a piece of fiction I am working on or worked on in the past.
I won't lie and say that I physically write something everyday, but I will say that I am constantly working on something in my head. I am always looking around, be it reading a news article, a work of fiction or non-fiction, and I am always watching movies and television to see how they build a character and tell a story. I watch enough television and movies to know that there are good formulas and some really bad formulas for telling a story, but sometimes the formula can be ignored if the characters grow.
I find it hard to always find time to unwind and take a break from writing, because I am always thinking about writing. It might be better ways to edit a piece of writing, or just the simple search for the right title for a piece of writing I am working on at the moment.
I wish I could find more time to unwind, but I haven't found a way to unwind. I am in search for the perfect story, and I am sure it doesn't come as a shock to every writer out there, because artist are always working on their craft to a point they never rest.
As a writer, I find it hard not to not think about writing. I look at someone and wonder what kind of character I could turn them into and what characteristics borrow from them and add to a character I already have in a piece of fiction I am working on or worked on in the past.
I won't lie and say that I physically write something everyday, but I will say that I am constantly working on something in my head. I am always looking around, be it reading a news article, a work of fiction or non-fiction, and I am always watching movies and television to see how they build a character and tell a story. I watch enough television and movies to know that there are good formulas and some really bad formulas for telling a story, but sometimes the formula can be ignored if the characters grow.
I find it hard to always find time to unwind and take a break from writing, because I am always thinking about writing. It might be better ways to edit a piece of writing, or just the simple search for the right title for a piece of writing I am working on at the moment.
I wish I could find more time to unwind, but I haven't found a way to unwind. I am in search for the perfect story, and I am sure it doesn't come as a shock to every writer out there, because artist are always working on their craft to a point they never rest.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
To be a critic or not to be a critic
It is always amusing to read that a critic believes the internet will ruin the world of literary criticism.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading what literary critics write about the books they read. I do find it hard to ignore what they say about a book, good or bad. It is hard to ignore the voice of the critic, especially when they write a good arguement for or a against a book. A persuasive arguement is always hard to ignore, but when it comes to reading a book, for some odd reason, I feel a reader should wait until they read the book before they read what a critic has to say.
I had a college professor that told the class to read the end of a book because you can tell more about a book by the ending than you can from the beginning of a book.
I won't lie, I read the ending of a book before I read the whole story. If you think about it, you do that when you read a newspaper, but in the world of journalism they call it the "inverted pyramid." I know a good writer can hook you with a good beginning, but the ending doesn't match the beginning, what is the point of reading the whole book?.
But, the point I am trying to make is that reading criticism of a book before you read it is a bad idea. You should read the book and then read what a critic has to say about the book. You need to have your own opinion of the book before you read it.
When The Da Vinci Code was so popular, and everyone was talking about the book. I refused to read it, because I thought that everyone talking about the book would influence the way I appreciated the book. I do this a lot when it comes to popular authors, and I refuse to read the book until people stop talking about it. It is neurotic, but it helps me enjoy the book.
I won't say that I don't take recommendations from friends and family when it comes to books to read, but I don't let them tell me their thoughts on the books they recommend.I don't consider myself an elitist, however, I do know from past experience that waiting until I read a book and than listening to their thoughts is lot better--I blame it on my desire to argue.
It is just my belief that a reader needs to wait until they are done reading a book before they listen to outside voices that might prevent them from reading the book in the first place.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading what literary critics write about the books they read. I do find it hard to ignore what they say about a book, good or bad. It is hard to ignore the voice of the critic, especially when they write a good arguement for or a against a book. A persuasive arguement is always hard to ignore, but when it comes to reading a book, for some odd reason, I feel a reader should wait until they read the book before they read what a critic has to say.
I had a college professor that told the class to read the end of a book because you can tell more about a book by the ending than you can from the beginning of a book.
I won't lie, I read the ending of a book before I read the whole story. If you think about it, you do that when you read a newspaper, but in the world of journalism they call it the "inverted pyramid." I know a good writer can hook you with a good beginning, but the ending doesn't match the beginning, what is the point of reading the whole book?.
But, the point I am trying to make is that reading criticism of a book before you read it is a bad idea. You should read the book and then read what a critic has to say about the book. You need to have your own opinion of the book before you read it.
When The Da Vinci Code was so popular, and everyone was talking about the book. I refused to read it, because I thought that everyone talking about the book would influence the way I appreciated the book. I do this a lot when it comes to popular authors, and I refuse to read the book until people stop talking about it. It is neurotic, but it helps me enjoy the book.
I won't say that I don't take recommendations from friends and family when it comes to books to read, but I don't let them tell me their thoughts on the books they recommend.I don't consider myself an elitist, however, I do know from past experience that waiting until I read a book and than listening to their thoughts is lot better--I blame it on my desire to argue.
It is just my belief that a reader needs to wait until they are done reading a book before they listen to outside voices that might prevent them from reading the book in the first place.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Satire
I enjoy satire. I just wanted to share this Brett Favre picture with you. I used Gimp 2.6 to alter the image by combining a Brett Favre crying with the image of a man protesting in New York.
I don't know what it is about Brett Favre, but the more he stays in the news, the more I find him to be a classical villain. I say he is a villain because he went to a rival team with the goal of getting back at his old boss. He felt he deserved a chance to get his old job back at the Packers, after he said he retired, but the Packers didn't want him. I am sure it hurt him, but the Packers made the right choice, and they traded him to the Jets. He played with the Jets for one season and retired again. He soon came out of retirement and went to the Vikings.He found success with the Vikings, and he beat the Packers twice as the Vikings made a run for the Super Bowl, but the Packers got the last laugh and beat Favre twice last year on their way to winning the Super Bowl.
Favre could have retired a hero, but in the end he looked like his age and he wasn't the media darling he once was because he looked like a dirty old man that didn't respect his wife. People will never view Favre the same way they viewed him 2007 when he cried on the national stage about how hard it was to retire.
He had a chance to be the good guy in the story, but in the end his ego lead him to be a good villain.
Favre could have retired a hero, but in the end he looked like his age and he wasn't the media darling he once was because he looked like a dirty old man that didn't respect his wife. People will never view Favre the same way they viewed him 2007 when he cried on the national stage about how hard it was to retire.
He had a chance to be the good guy in the story, but in the end his ego lead him to be a good villain.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
National Novel Writing Month
Can you write a novel in a month?
Writing a novel in a month seems like an absurd thing to do, and an impossible task, but for some reason I took the challenge.
Right now, I am doing great on the word count, but it is only the beginning, so the adreniline of a new project is still pushing me.
I did the challenge back in 2009, when I was under the classification of a stay-at-home dad. I didn't have the distractions of a regular job to get in the way of my writing. I won't say that being a stay-at-home dad didn't have distractions, but young children tend to nap, so I had extra time to write--quiet time.
What are the benefits of writing a novel in a month?.
1. You set a goal. This goal is important, like any self-help book will tell you. The NANOWRIMO.org website isn't going to come to your house and yell at you if you don't write everyday, but they do send out e-mails that include little pep talks.
2. You learn to write on the days you don't feel that motivated. There is something to be said about writing everyday, and not because it is something a writing teacher might tell you, but it has more do with the fact you learn more by doing and not by wishing you could write. The amount of writing that needs to be done everyday by a writer is specific to the writer, but during the challenge it probably a good idea to write 1,667 words a day.
3. You can find other writers in your are to talk to about writing. The NANOWRIMO website is setup in a way that you can find people in your area that are taking the same challenge you are, and these same people tend to get together during the month. This sense of community is good for that extra motivation a writer needs during the weeks of November. It isn't easy to work by yourself, and getting together with other writers is good for the writers psyche.
4. You learn why writers also have substance abuse problems. Just kidding, not all writers have a substance abuse problem.
5.You actually write a novel. The finished product might not be worthy of publishing, but with a little work or a lot of work it will lead to something you can brag about. You might only brag to your family, or if you have a blog or facebook page, maybe you can brag there too.
There is a lot a writer can learn by trying to write as fast as they can, without listening to the censor while working. The censor in the head can kill a really creative day, and knowing that you need to get 50,000 words by the end of November should allow the writer to allow the story to go in directions they probably wouldn't of thought of it there wasn't a tight deadline. The writer will find plenty of time to revise after November.
Writing a novel in a month seems like an absurd thing to do, and an impossible task, but for some reason I took the challenge.
Right now, I am doing great on the word count, but it is only the beginning, so the adreniline of a new project is still pushing me.
I did the challenge back in 2009, when I was under the classification of a stay-at-home dad. I didn't have the distractions of a regular job to get in the way of my writing. I won't say that being a stay-at-home dad didn't have distractions, but young children tend to nap, so I had extra time to write--quiet time.
What are the benefits of writing a novel in a month?.
1. You set a goal. This goal is important, like any self-help book will tell you. The NANOWRIMO.org website isn't going to come to your house and yell at you if you don't write everyday, but they do send out e-mails that include little pep talks.
2. You learn to write on the days you don't feel that motivated. There is something to be said about writing everyday, and not because it is something a writing teacher might tell you, but it has more do with the fact you learn more by doing and not by wishing you could write. The amount of writing that needs to be done everyday by a writer is specific to the writer, but during the challenge it probably a good idea to write 1,667 words a day.
3. You can find other writers in your are to talk to about writing. The NANOWRIMO website is setup in a way that you can find people in your area that are taking the same challenge you are, and these same people tend to get together during the month. This sense of community is good for that extra motivation a writer needs during the weeks of November. It isn't easy to work by yourself, and getting together with other writers is good for the writers psyche.
4. You learn why writers also have substance abuse problems. Just kidding, not all writers have a substance abuse problem.
5.You actually write a novel. The finished product might not be worthy of publishing, but with a little work or a lot of work it will lead to something you can brag about. You might only brag to your family, or if you have a blog or facebook page, maybe you can brag there too.
There is a lot a writer can learn by trying to write as fast as they can, without listening to the censor while working. The censor in the head can kill a really creative day, and knowing that you need to get 50,000 words by the end of November should allow the writer to allow the story to go in directions they probably wouldn't of thought of it there wasn't a tight deadline. The writer will find plenty of time to revise after November.
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