Favorite Reads This Week

Hope everyone has had a wonderful week and is ready for a relaxing and/or busy weekend (I have a LOT of planning to do before Tuesday...). Unfortunately, I've been rather swamped at work this week and don't have a terribly long list of fun stuff to read for this weekend. So, here's a very few that I've enjoyed and hopefully kick your weekend off right.

Blog Posts

My Fear as a Writer on The Left-Handed Typist

A really, really interesting look at the importance of getting outside ourselves as writers. It's easy to retreat to a quiet room, the corner of a coffee shop, a lonely cabin in the woods, and immerse ourselves in writing. That leads to what I call "Ivory Tower Writing" and is incredibly dangerous. It is important for us to be involved with those around us and live life. It reflects in our work.

How to write a successful first draft (Without Stabbing Yourself In The Eye With A Spork) on Paper Fury  

A good read on building first drafts and a little motivation as we get ready for NanoWrimo. I'm always inspired by reading about how other people write, and while everyone has their own unique rituals and ways of going about writing, there's usually something that encourages me in seeing how other people write. It's also good to be reminded that first drafts are just that, the First (meaning more to follow) Draft (meaning unfinished product with a lot of work to go. Emphasis on UN-finished).

Writers Block and How to Vanquish It on Fishing For Ideas 

A good brief look at how to get over writer's block. I'm sure it'll happen to me at least once during NanoWrimo, and these are some really good tips. Review your planning and Keep Writing are the two big ones that I've found successful, the only thing I would add is READ. Your mind needs grist for it's mill, and if you don't read a lot, you are going to have trouble writing new things. If I get really, truly, utterly stuck, I'll go flip through Rosemary Sutcliff or Thomas Shippey and then dive back in. But seriously, Keep Writing is the most important one.

Interesting Article

Translation and the Classical Mind on the Circe Institue

An interesting article on some of the debates on translating for readers, and how much the translator really does control the text. This is looking at the philosophical writings, and how rendering important words can change or alter the meaning of the text and the experience of the reader. One reason I think it is important to at the very least, study other languages, (like Latin) to gain an understanding of how words change as they cross language barriers.

Wish there were more, but like I said, there hasn't been a lot of reading going on this week. Hopefully that will change next week. Check back for the next Tolkien Article tomorrow, where I'll look at how Tolkien's Christianity allowed him to reconcile and understand a lot of the issues presented by the Great Wars and the Ancients.
If you haven't already, check out my Author Facebook Page, I'm hoping to put up some videos during NanoWrimo, kind of like a vlog, but not really. I'll also be posting some stuff there as I get ready to announce my next story soon. Can't wait to tell you all what it's about, when it'll be out, and let you in on some of the work it takes to get it ready (Spoiler: there are watercolors).
Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a comment, and have a wonderful weekend!