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Wow, Claudsy… what a powerful, powerful scene!

Glad you like it, Meena. I’m not sure where it came from. It was just there in the picture prompt. I’d remembered so many times watching the flyers on Seaport Point with their many-colored flags and streamers and the battles they had with the wind coming in off the bay. It all came together in about five minutes. I wrote down what I saw.

Thanks for the compliment.

A true flash then!

Yep! So long as I can keep it from being a flash in the pan, I’ll be doing okay.

Claudsy, this is great. You create this foundation where the reader wants more – and that’s just wonderful.

Thanks, Andrea. I’m hoping that one of these days, when I’ve got plenty of extra time, I’ll be able to expand a few of these smaller pieces into something for a chapbook. I’m glad you liked it.

Goodbye, Rachel, and all the best to you and your father.

Good bye Rachel. Though you and I have never met, your situation really spoke to me. You and your father are in my thoughts.

You will be sorely missed, Rachel!! I'm sending great thoughts your way!

Rachel, I'm sorry to hear about your Dad, I hope it's better than it sounds. You struck me as a kind and fair person; I hope the universe treats you likewise.

Farewell, Rachel O. While we've never met, I know a bit about what you're going through and offer my sympathies.

Welcome, Rachel S. Congratulations on the new gig, and a bonus congrats for escaping the world of retail!

Welcome, Rachel! :-)

And goodbye, Rachel. :-(

Whenever I hear that someone's gotten divorced or had some other challenge in their life, I always say, Congratulations! Because, in my life, the things that are the hardest often are also blessings. I've had people say, Thank you for that, although I'm sure others think I'm being flip.

So I say congratulations to you both, from the bottom of my heart, for the new phases in your lives.

(And my thoughts are with you and your father, Rachel.)

Tamara

When it comes to blog posts, part of their appeal is that you can invite comments to further the discussion, or you can expand on your perspective in a follow-up post.

With print, I see your point. Once it's turned in and published, it's out there. No going back. No reset button. So the urge to self-edit is strong.

But there comes a time when a writer need to be confident enough in their abilities and secure enough in their role to say, "I'm done. Any further edits will only be at the behest of my agent or editor."

I finished my first picture book manuscript in August. After a September SCBWI conference, I joined a critique group. I'm happy with the feedback I got from the group, and made a few minor adjustments. Now I'm in the process of adding in a few art notes here and there before going into the query phase. For me, it's done... until someone else says otherwise.

I think it's one of the arts of the agent to be able to see when a ms needs to go back to author for revision and when it's ready to submit--not necessarily that it doesn't need revision but that it's at the point where said reworking should be overseen by the editor who buys (and, hopefully, loves) the ms. This type of judgement was one of the reasons I chose my agent. BTW, I was going to try to revise this comment to add a cooking metaphor but, honestly, life is short and I've got a new ms to revise :) Still, a useful post and thanks for the link. - Stasia

I think one of my biggest issues with blogging is that I feel the desire to edit after I post. I'll think of something witty I could have said or worry that something I did say will look like an attempt to appear profound that failed, but I feel like it's dishonest to go back and edit now that it's been put out there for the world to see (which is really silly unless people have already started commnting). It's unfortunate that it can keep me from posting; if I don't feel I have the time to sit down and write something good, I don't post at all. It's a habit I need to overcome.

With novels, I think I've become aware of over-editing, but also have the comfort of knowing that nobody has to see my manuscript until I'm done and comfortable with it (one of the nice things about being unpublished). I can take as long as I want right now. I usually try to let a month or so pass between my final edit and when I reread it one last time. Time to cleanse the palate, if you will. If it's stale and dry, I can tell I've overedited and can pull up an older draft to try to inject some of the voice I've lost back into the work.

I don't torture myself over my blog posts - just one read-through and a spell check. Being no different from a personal essay, really, I don't want to get caught up in over-thinking and self-doubt.

When it comes to my fiction, however, it's a different story. I subscribe to the Sol Stein method of triage - taking care of the big issues first, then working my way down to line-editing. That takes me through my manuscript three times for structural/plot issues and characterization, then twice more for line-editing. The fifth go 'round, I read it aloud to myself and go back to extinquish unnecessary words that have slipped through, every frakking adverb I can part with and any purple prose lurking about.

If I were to just line-edit again and again and again, I'd have to go through it forever. I'd never stop. This way I have a planned finish line.

It's always good to know when to stop editing. if you find you've changed something and then changed it back to the way it was originally - then it's time to move on!

The first novel I finished was done by writing the parts I wanted when I wanted, then going back and writing all the scenes to join them. However, I was working off an outline, so it wasn't an issue of trying to cram together a bunch of scenes created with no logical connection or sequence in mind. It really benefited the scenes I was passionate to write, and to my surprise, I found the joining scenes weren't too difficult either. If I knew I had two awesome scenes to join, I was eager to make the bridge just as awesome.

I tried writing my second novel sequentially, but that book was a disaster for many reasons.

I'm working on my third now and also writing sequentially, and it seems to be going well. I'm not sure yet if this is because the scenes I want to write are near the beginning. Time will tell when I get to the scenes I anticipate less.

I try to stay with the flow of the novel and make my way toward the chapters that I'm most looking forward to writing. My philosophy is that if I don't pay as much attention to the process of getting to that anticipated chapter then I might as well write a short story because the build-up in a novel is as important as the emotional/sexy/exciting parts.

I've done both...because to me the exciting scenes always call to me first. But I've never finished one of the novels where I wrote the exciting/vivid scenes first, because then there was no reason for me to go back and put the filler/bridgework in. I've found it's tempting to skip around, but easier/more efficient in the end to write it start to finish and get it all on paper at once.

I try to follow my outline, mostly because my outlines tend to be quite sketchy and I need the characters to tell me how they are going to get from point A to point B! However, if there is a scene that is vivid in my head, that won't leave me alone, I will jump ahead and write it. Sometimes I end up not using it, and very often I need to change things in it by the time I get to where it belongs, but I never look a gift-muse in the mouth. When the inspiration is there, I jump on it!

I write in a linear fashion. I might jot a note down about a plot turn or a bit of dialogue, but I write sequentially. And, I'm a pantser. No outlines. It works for me. I'm on my fourth book this year :-)

Hi Rachel!

I wrote my first novel, sequentially. Second WIP, sequentially. Then I took a class called, 'How Movies Work - The Storymaker.' That just blew everything wide open. I felt inspired to skip around in my new novel's world, and write what I was passionate about in the moment. Let's see how it turns out! Thanks for the topic.

I write from exciting scene to exciting scene. (But I lean heavily on outlines, otherwise the scene might not fit when I get back around to it.)

I also hate writing boring bridge scenes. I finally realized that if they're boring for me to write, they'll be boring for readers to read, so I try to find a way to make them more interesting. Once they're interesting, they're easier to write!

I definitely write in order. For me, part of the fun of writing is similar to the fun of reading--I want to turn the page, experience what happens next. The juicy scenes are my reward for writing the less juicy ones--if I wrote all my favorite scenes out of order, I'm not sure I'd have the same drive to write the bridging scenes.

I tend to write straight from the beginning to the end. But I don't -- and can't -- plan the plot out in detail first like Patchett does. I need to find the story and the end as I write.

But I also think if a writer is compelled to write a different part/scene and is too excited to wait to get to that point, they should absolutely write that part first. Nothing bad comes from being eager to write a scene you're really really excited about.

I don't get anything done if I skip around. One of the big motivators to get me through the harder parts is knowing I've got some really great, fun ones coming up that I can look forward to.

I will admit to writing out notes and dialogues in advance so I don't forget the good stuff.

This is a great topic and good thoughts by Nash and Patchett. Thanks, Rachel! I write in sequence. If I don't, I find that the characters lose emotional momentum. (I'm also a non-outliner.)

I have tried to write linearly and can't. I write whatever scene wants to be written. Then I write bridges and connect them as I know where they go in the story. I even write some parts backwards.

Of course I usually don't have a plot or outline when I start either. Just a character who needs to be heard.

Spesh

Clearly, what works works. I've always called what I do "chunk writing." But I've never had any difficulties bridging the sections together. This hasn't proven to lessen the thrill I get from being an active participant (reader seeking to be entertained). In fact, I think it makes it more exciting. In my first book, my main characters were being put through bloody hell, which made that later chapter the carrot for them. "See, things get better, dears," I reminded them. Ah, the creative mind at work! How do non-writers make it through life?

For me, the most difficult part is the first draft. I don't know the characters. I feel shy. To get around this, I view the first draft as a skeleton. I don't get in too deep. I put the plot together at this stage and write the bones of the story from beginning to end.

When that part is finished, I can go back and begin riff-writing scenes that put flesh on the bones. It's easier once I know who these people are and where they're going. This is where I work on pacing and arcs. It's also my favorite part. The quiet, reflective moments are like chocolate truffles to me. I save them and make myself wait to write them, so I'll always have something to look forward to.

I jumped around a lot with one book. I never finished it.

I prefer to go from start to finish, in that order.

Thanks so much for mentioning my Huffington Post column, The Making of a Novel. I'm glad you found it interesting. I'd be happy to guest blog for you should you need it -- or to run something by you over at HuffPo. You can reach me at [email protected]. Cheers!

Thanks for the post. I have to agree with your uncle --- I write what's bugging me, prodding me, firing me up, first. This is how I figure out what my story is really about. Then I go back and put it all together like a big jigsaw puzzle and fill in the blanks.

I start at the beginning, but will happily jump ahead to the more interesting parts (and avoid the harder parts that are less clear to me). I do have to go back periodically to re-outline. Thanks for the post. It's nice to see how everyone drafts differently!

I made the switch from chunk writer to linear writer, and I'm never looking back! Writing before was a slog, and the relief of knowing where I'm going with a story and what comes next is immense. I'm really enjoying the writing now.

I think, though, that linear is working better for me because plot is one of my weak points. I did not work off an outline as a chunk writer - if I had, perhaps it would have worked better. At any rate, making the switch, and having the entire plot sketched out beforehand, has been a major and good change in how I approach the craft of writing a novel.

For me, I need the discipline of working start-to-finish or I'd never get to the end. That's not to say I don't cheat along the lines of making some notes for future chapters. Still, for me the way to write a novel is to get one chapter on the page, then ask myself "What happens next" over and over and over until I can write "the end"!

I always respond with a thank you when it is an email query. I have possible asked advice of what did wrong. but never attacked the agent i was submittng my work too.

I have used several methods of query samples and all styles have been rejected. I found another from the publishing company I intend to send it too it is so cut and dry it makes me a bit wary. It just doesn't seem like enough information in it to sell the story. I dont I understand agents recieve so many query letters a week but one page with 15 lines to sell your works seems so...cheap. not the word I wanted to say but cant think of anything else. I dont think i have ever had such a challenge as I did when wrting a query letter.
most advice I was given was, too much info, not enough info, irrelevent info, but it sounds like the making of a great story. what more can i do?

That's a funny link - thanks!

I think, perhaps, that being an "older" writer- it's so much easier to see the clear picture about not taking it personally.

This might be ONE case where age works in a woman's favor. The only one. :-)

The responses to my queries up until this point have always been polite. I would have no reason to be anything but the same. I just wish that I could figure out how to find my glass slipper and have my happily ever agent. Happy hunting to all, I'll keep trying and I promise to stay polite.

I will cry every time I read Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls.

Emily, just this morning I was talking about how that book makes me cry every time. Niagara Falls!

I also cry every time I read She's Come Undone. Talk about a big sob-fest!

A swag of books! Top Sobbers are:
Swimming - Nicola Keegan (my husband said I should stop reading it if it made me that sad - he doesn't read a lot of fiction).
The Gathering - Anne Enright.
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver.
All of Murakami's novels.
Carol Shield's novels.
I could go on - I can always reread Wuthering Heights if I need a moment.

The Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney

I sobbed so hard in the last 60 pages I had to keep putting the book down, wipe my eyes and take a deep breath before I could continue. Any book that can do that is awesome in my world.

It was repped by your agency, actually: THE SPARROW, by Mary Doria Russell.

When I wrote Ella's Dance, there were many times when I cried. I know that it's sad, but it's also happy. And isn't that how life is? I think if novels make us feel and think, love and hate, cry and laugh that's great. But I also need hope, hope that despite all the bad stuff there is good. When I read Alice Sebold's Lovely Bones, I couldn't stop crying. I don't think I ever read a novel that made me feel so much grief and hate. The emotions it was pulling from me were so great that I had to remind myself that it was just a novel, it wasn't true. Thank you for your post today, Rachel. Blessings, Buffy

Recently, Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns had me bawling my eyes out to the point that I refuse to read The Kite Runner. I don't like crying when I read. It's okay if it's a little bit, but I cried through the last half of A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I much prefer books that make me laugh. Janeine Frost's Night Huntress series comes to mind. Or Terry Pratchett's books. Adventure, action and laughter for me please.

I'm the same with movies. If it made me cry, good luck getting me to watch it again. Even if I loved it.

Oops. I misspelled Jeaniene Frost's name.

Anne of Green Gables and Little Women both make me cry every time I read them, even though I've read them both so many times I can almost recite them.

The first time I read "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" I cried from beginning to end. When my nieces asked me to read it to them, I decided I had to buck up and try not to choke up too bad. I did Okay. But they always look at me like I'm looney when I read them "The Giving Tree" because I just cry and cry every time.

The Grapes of Wrath, both the book and the movie.

I wasn't such a big fan of Anna Karenina. By page 700 I was like, just throw yourself on the tracks already. It has lead me to coin the phrase 'the Anna Karenina effect' which is when the story drags, and it's enough already, let's have the conclusion! But that's just me!

Jan, that may be the actual reason why I can't finish Anna Karenina. It does tend to drag on. Maybe it's not that it's a sad book, but rather that it goes on for a zillion pages!

~ Rachel

"So, if you are a fan of rap and literature also, you’re in for a real treat!"

This is an odd pairing, and definately the exception as opposed to the rule. It's kind of like saying "If you like fine wine. . . and crystal meth, you'll never guess what I found."

Colin, I agree that many people might find it an odd pairing, but thanks for comparing rap to fine wine, anyway. :)

~ Rachel

Thanks for the link.
I enjoyed the article though I was a bit disappointed, like some of the other posters about the lack of minority authors paired with rappers. But many of those commenting had good ideas on pairings. I'm basing my pairings on the writings, not the lifestyle.

Snoop Dog - Richard Price, Claude Brown
Lil' Kim - Zane, Sister Souljah
Eminem - Has to be Steven King

Hmm, I wish it wasn't limited to 20th century because I see Eminem more as a Shakespeare type. Both have work laden with insults (we had a lot of fun in high school making up Shakespearean insults and yelling them at each other), both are incredibly funny, and both often have a message that is missed in a superficial reading (or listening) of the work.

Woodstock, NY after reading Paula Danzigger's THE DIVORCE EXPRESS and IT'S AN AARDVARK EAT TURTLE WORLD.

Most recently, the valley in the Alps that was the model of Rivendell for J.R.R. Tolkien!

I've heard the House on the Rock has received a lot of tourism since Neil Gaiman used it in AMERICAN GODS. I'd be interested in seeing that.

Not a location from a book, but driving past Kurt Vonnegut's high school in Indianapolis was really exciting for me.

Literary book tours! Great idea. I still remember East of Eden and I read it decades ago!

For a short time, I lived just opposite Robert Louis Stevenson's old flat on Bush Street, a few blocks from Chinatown, in San Francisco. That was pretty thrilling.

I always feel a little sad when a place that has become well known through literature suddenly becomes famous -- as though it's lost some of its magic and charm as soon as the crowds start milling. Selfishly, I want the place to remain pristine and undisturbed. When Cannery Row was gentrified and they started selling aromatherapy oils and trendy tee shirts with Steinback quotations, my heart broke a little. No more grit, no more sleeze, no more fishy smells, just boutique fodder, gourmet chocolates and collectibles.

If someone were to investigate ALL the multitude of 7-foot high bookshelves in my house, there's only one conclusion they could draw: She's strange. Possibly with a multiple personality disordered mind. Or perhaps a collection of circus freaks lives here.

There's a whole bookcase of classic literature, literary theory, and narratology. Another of religion and philosophy. Another of general fiction with some nonfiction mixed in. Upstairs, another couple shelves of great SF, Jayne Ann Krentz (in all her pseudonyms), Linda Howard, Charlaine Harris, etc., plus some modern literary fiction. And a couple sets of shelves (right across the room from the literary theory guys) on the paranormal, mixed with some VERY deep science, physics, history, stuff like that.

Like I said: STRANGE.

Somehow, I don't think those renters would be too likely to come back...

I collect anything that feels like it might be useful or interesting for writing. Psychology case studies, a dozen or so books on the occult, witchcraft and demonology, a few more on different religions, history, and an encyclopedia of martyrs and saints. We've got books on sign language, superstition, sex (that word is giant on the spine, but it's mostly about worldwide traditions and laws relating to the subject) and a shelf of programming and computer networking. Husband has a full 7' tall by 3' wide bookshelf of rpg gaming books. Then there are the genre books we love with titles like "For Love of Evil" and "Soulless."

Worse than that, I joked with friends the other day about how many terrorist watchlists I would be on if they check my browser history after I did a search to figure out what different types of explosions there would be and the different set ups for making things explode outward or inward.

But for me, any judgement I'd make on other people's books would be based more on the number of books rather than the type. People with multiple bookshelves of books interest me more than people with nothing more than a small pile -- or worse, people with no books at all. Though I suppose I might be a little wary of anyone collecting only books by those authors spreading fear and hate. :)

And so those reading the above comments -- don't get too worried about my browser search, it was for a short story I was working on. I have no interest in actually blowing anything up.

They'd look at all the different books, histories, novels, essays, plays; books on art, nature, science, etc., and think: When this guy was young he should have decided what he wanted to study, he would have accomplished more. Probably true, but I love my books. Actually, what I find sad is when I walk into houses and they don't have any books. But I suppose they could have Kindles.

Anyone snooping around my home would be flummoxed by the disparate titles appearing on my shelves. There are books by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku and Steven Hawking; and novels of all genres. Then, they'd discover the trove of books, owned, loved, and read voraciously by my late parents. It was they who sparked my loved of fiction, history, and books in general. That is also why I am a writer and editor.

They'd probably tread warily after seeing titles like "Outside the Circles of Time, Nightside of Eden, The Dark Gods, The Devil And All His Works, The Occult, Beyond the Occult, The Strength To Dream, The Mind of the Murderer, (and) Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition."

Satanist. Or Christian. Depends which shelf you look at first.

Both are incorrect assumptions.

I don't know if they would be confused or disturbed by the variety of books I have. Most likely it would bother them more that the drawers of the dresser in the guest room are filled with books. I ran out of bookshelves.

Spesh

As the fear that people are less readers these days and more digital, sadly, when guests drop by, I find them less the browsers of bookshelves and more so ready to expound on the latest movie seen.

Having said that, as a mystery writer, and my wife as an editor for a foodie newsletter, our book shelves reflect our passions--and you are what you read: one bedroom consists of 2,000 cookbooks, one bedroom is our Wild Wild West bedroom with collections of Civil War books, and a Zane Grey collection (also a wall full of signed cowboy movie star photos); another bedroom is the Nantucket Room, full of course, of whaling books, Cape Cod stories, and a first edition 'Jaws'. One hallway bookshelf is signed 'completist' mystery collections of authors who I have personally met and have had present and past communications with: Elmore Leonard, Sue Grafton, Dick Francis, Tony Hillerman, John Dunning, Michael Connelly, among others. Another hallway is of signed culinary mysteries; the den is our "Lord Nelson" room with ships, artwork, and books of the early sailing days of Master and Commanders. Even our exercise room is likewise shelved with our Research Books, including many tomes on "How to find an Agent"! My own office, writing area, consists of current signed mystery writers, with a book shelf on each wall, and framed signatures of authors and handwritten manuscript pages of the likes of Truman Capote, Theodore Dreiser and Ed McBain. People browse less at our house because they are overwhelmed and impacted that they have just enjoyed a museum tour. S.P. Grogan, author, Captain Cooked

Welcome aboard!

Welcome, Stephanie! I hope you love agenting as much as you've obviously loved interning at DGLM!

Welcome! I love your enthusiasm and look forward to your blogposts. I've posted an announcement of the changes at DGLM at the AgentQuery forums.

Congrats Steph! I keep trying and deleting former intern related jokes, so I'll leave you with a long distance high five!

Congrats on the promotion, Stephanie! So, considering your interest in the young adult genre, what is your favorite young adult novel? And has there been a book (or books) that inspired you to join the agenting world?

I saw this blog title and thought you were talking about me. LOL.

How about The Gulag Archipelago, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, 20,000 Years in Sing-Sing, King Rat, Papillion....

PAPILLON

Since I am currently in school working towards my Masters in Library and Information Science, so hope this is the case!

Libraries are no longer just a quiet building full of books and shushing women with too-tight buns and an infinite supply of cardigans. They offer computer and internet service to people who would not have access otherwise. They assist the thousands of Americans who are out of work in their attempts to find a job. They have programs for people of all ages that promote information, literacy, and a sense of community. Yes, things will change as technology advances, but libraries have been there before. I mean, when is the last time you flipped through an honest-to-God card catalog? Many libraries already offer the choice of checking out e-books, and I'm sure many more will in the coming years. We will become a place for people who cannot afford an e-reader to get access to a Kindle or Nook or whatever new, better device comes around. And we'll always have our books, because those will never die.

Plus, we're cool like cupcakes. And, like cupcakes, even when we're not the trendiest thing in the world, we'll still be around to make people happy.

[Side note: I lied. Most of us do have an infinite supply of cardigans.]

Yes, Rachel!

Just the thought of my hometown library, Lovell Public Library, my heart leaps (and my grade school library)! Pushing through the clear glass doors, my shoulders sore because my backpack is overladen with last week’s choices. The smell of books. The cold water of the drinking fountain on my lips. The great lady librarian sitting at the desk. Oh, the miles upon miles of shelves. Running my fingers along the spines. Riffling the deckled edges. Collecting ten or fifteen books and finding the very back corner hidden among the shelves and just reading the world away. We lived 25 miles out of town on a ranch, and my mom would make it a point to drop us off there when she could. Also, the laundramat was just a couple of blocks away, so I always hoped that Mom would do laundry during library hours. Now, going back, it’s just a small brick building with just two connected rooms of shelves. But to me then it was the world!

I owe my hometown libraries, well, not everything, but just about. They were academy and social/political salon, all in one. I look back and think I must have been there every day, but I am sure I wasn't. Maybe I simply would have preferred being there every day. The entire experience was so tactile, both with the books and the people. As much as I love the new social media and electronic readers, there was something delightful about gathering with friends at those sometimes musty libraries which the new media cannot replicate.

It really depends on how it is used. Like television, the internet can be used for licentious entertainment, or for real educational content.

What surprised me the most with my own kids (two boys), was that they skipped reading children's books almost entirely. At twelve, my oldest prefers to read Louis L'Amour novels, and the younger brother usually has his nose in a Popular Science magazine or an art book.

They use an internet-based homeschool curriculum, which requires them to read more than play games, and when school is over for the day, they are ready to something other than look at the computer screen.

So, I really think that most kids, given the opportunity to choose, will find books that they like, in spite of having the internet to distract them. If given adequate structure to their internet use, it can be a tremendous tool for developing creativity, and add to their knowledge and skill. Without structure, just like television, they will tend toward the baser nature, and rot their brains. Just like we would...

A teacher-blogger I know raised a good point: we see ourselves differently depending on the media we use.

Somewhere in between? I think the internet makes the sound-byte nature of our culture more prevalent, and that does affect our attention spans. But I think the internet can be used to help learning. For children, I'm sure there are great interactive encyclopedias and the like, and as a library worker, I can attest to the fact that many people of all ages are able to access more information through databases and the like.

But I think we must encourage children to read longer works, and that we need to make sure their curriculum is structured well so that their education does not became based around one tool (such as the computer).

I'm a poster for either side. Or rather my 16 year old son is. He's being playing computer games since he was two and is very much a child of the Internet age. He also has ADHD.

On the other hand, he's been reading at college level since 5th grade, reads a lot of books (and reads a lot), and he's working as an intern at a microscopy lab working with (and adjusting) an electron microscope this summer.

So, he supports both paradigms: "too much" internet "causes" ADHD and reading "a lot" makes kids smarter.

Of course, maybe ADHD kids are drawn to the internet, rather than the internet causing ADHD. Maybe smart kids like reading, rather than reading making kids smart.

Or maybe it's a mix of both, or something else :)

I think the younger the kid, the less they need computer time. I would rather that my k'er (and his younger sibs) spend their time reading (or looking at) books, being outside, doing art, and playing board and card games. My kids get very little screen time overall, and I think it's done them a world of good. I've noticed that when we do watch something on TV or play games on the Internet, it has a deleterious effect on their behavior.

My kids are surrounded by books. We regularly bring home massive canvas tote bags filled with books from two different libraries. I love to see the 5 yo, 4 yo and the 1 yo all sitting on the couch in a row, "reading" books (well, really reading in the 5 yo's case :)).

Both of my teenage daughters used to do all the social media to keep up with their friends, but after time it became a lot less important to them. They both enjoy reading (the 13 year old especially), plus both have other interests. My 17 year old plays the clarinet and saxaphone while my youngest is a pretty good artist. If there's anything that they do which I wish they did less of is text message. They are lost without their cell phones.

Tom Swifties have to rate right up there: "Who left the blender on?" he said disarmingly.

At least two counts against it to begin with - starting with dialog and using adverbs.

Steven Brust, fantasy author, once wrote one of the most horrible opening sentences I've ever read. I almost put the book ("To Reign in Hell") down, but then he made fun of himself for doing it:

"Snow, tenderly caught by eddying breezes, swirled and spun in to and out of bright, lustrous shapes that gleamed against the emerald-blazoned black drape of sky and sparkled there for a moment, hanging, before settling gently to the soft, green-tufted plain with all the sickly sweetness of an overwritten sentence."

None come to mind, but the above two are hilarious! I'm going be on the lookout now.

"It's weird but at the time I was thinking about the dawn-lit sky of a sun's first rising above the buildings, the heart of the world shining its rays of newness sideways across the land at me - an equal in the same horizon as myself, in the same brightness as myself."

We have a few. Mostly Nevil Shute. And yes, we bought them on purpose. We also have one from my mentor, John Rowe Townsend and my friend Arthur Slade's Govenor's Award Winning novel DUST, which he signed for us. At one time we were into it, but when we moved countries, we got rid of most of them. I like books I can read without worry, so I have a complete paperback collection of Nevil Shute's books too.

We have a gazillion books (figuratively speaking), but I have no idea how many are first editions. If I had to guess, maybe one or two. I want books I love on my shelves, that's what gives them value as far as I'm concerned.

I have 8 first edition OZ books. I love them. I love the way they smell. I inherited them from my grandfather, who bought them for his sons, but they didn't stay in love with them after they grew up and joined the army and stuff.

(Or maybe they did love them, but they were afraid the other army guys would laugh at them.)

Anyway, since I was the first grandchild (and a girl) I got them.

I love my Kindle. I really do. But sometimes I miss the smell of my old books.

My great aunt in England would send my mother books when she was a youngster in the early 1900s, and then when my brothers and I came along, more books were sent. My favourite book from her was George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin, complete with tissue covered illustration plates. Although it wasn't a first edition, it was published in 1888 in hardcover and in excellent condition.

Most of my first editions are 20th century American authors (because that's all I can afford). At this point, they're mostly my favorites. To mention just a handful--several Vonneguts, Steinbeck's Sweet Thursday, Ferber's Giant, Doctorow's Ragtime, Stegner's Angle of Repose, Love Medicine (which Louise Erdrich signed for me last year at the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards).

The number one book I couldn't finish and didn't understand in the faintest:

A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce.

Ok, call me a coward but I can't disclose the book I have tried several times to read and did not for fear of public flogging. I can, however, relate to much of your list.

The Number One Book That I’ve Already Tried More Than Once But Couldn’t Engage With, I Don’t Know Why: DAY by AL Kennedy

The Number One Book I Did Not Finish But Very Much Want To Try Again
The Grapes of Wrath

The Number One Book That I’ve Already Tried More Than Once But Couldn’t Engage With, I Don’t Know Why
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Number One Book That I Found Mostly Painful and Likely Will Not Revisit
A Prayer for Owen Meanie

The Number One Book I Shlogged Through and Almost Abandoned, But Kept On; No Pay-off, I Felt, In the End
Atonement

The Number One Book I Struggled Through, Maybe Put Down For a While, But Finished and Am Very Glad I Did
Anna Karenina

Interesting!

The Number One Book I Did Not Finish But Very Much Want To Try Again
I pretty much finish any book I start. On the rare cases I don't, it's because I hated the story enough to not want to try it again.

The Number One Book That I’ve Already Tried More Than Once But Couldn’t Engage With, I Don’t Know Why
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein. Love the movies, don't care for Tolkein's writing style.

The Number One Book That I Found Mostly Painful and Likely Will Not Revisit
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

The Number One Book I Shlogged Through and Almost Abandoned, But Kept On; No Pay-off, I Felt, In the End
I wouldn't say *no* payoff, but The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I really wanted to like it.

The Number One Book I Struggled Through, Maybe Put Down For a While, But Finished and Am Very Glad I Did
Nemesis by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverburg.

The Number One Book I Did Not Finish But Very Much Want To Try Again
The End by Lemony Snicket (It is so sad to read all but the last book in a series, especially when it has 13 books.)

The Number One Book That I’ve Already Tried More Than Once But Couldn’t Engage With, I Don’t Know Why
Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

The Number One Book That I Found Mostly Painful and Likely Will Not Revisit
Gossip Girl: The Prequel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

The Number One Book I Shlogged Through and Almost Abandoned, But Kept On; No Pay-off, I Felt, In the End
Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning

I just finished shlogging through one and almost abandoned it but kept on and really felt no pay off in the end
The Lovely Bones

Number one book that I have already tried more than once and really wanted to read but just couldn't engage with it:
The Screwtape Letters
Thankfully the radio theater version that came out last year, with Andrew Serkis (Lord of The Rings) doing Screwtape, is phenomenal, and I have finally read it, and it was worth it!

The Number One Book I Struggled Through, Maybe Put Down For a While, But Finished and Am Very Glad I Did

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell --Susanna Clarke

it's worth it, I promise!

I'm a Twain fan but I don't know about 5,000 pages. Could someone's life/thoughts be that interesting? I enjoyed LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI and I'm wondering if this picks up after that or what. I'm sure I'll end up at least skimming it.

I'm not a diehard Twain fan. But, the man is so interesting that it'd be a crime to pass up Twain's autobiographical memoir.

Diehard Twain fan here. I will give it a try.

I'm a Twain fan. Not only have I read his books but I've acted in a few plays based on them. I'll be interesting to see what he thought and how he perceived himself. Now I know what I'll ask for Christmas.

I read every Mark Twain book I could find when I was a teenager. I'll be interested in hearing how this autobiography reads.

Oh, HELL YEAH!

I'll read it twice! My arms will be in great shape when I'm done. I'll read a page every time I stop to sip a soda! I'll have it done in a week.

I've already ordered my copy. I'm hoping for the signed version.

I LOVE Mark Twain and I'd rather read a memoir than just about any other genre, so yes, I will definitely be reading this.

But 5,000 pages? It had better be riveting.

I've never picked up a book because a public figure was reading it. Not even Oprah winfrey. I have picked up books ABOUT presidents or public figures though. Bill Clinton's wasn't bad. No, I usually choose according to word of mouth or good reviews that I've found on the blogosphere.

Maybe instead of reading books, Obama should start reading LAWS before he goes out and speaks publicly about them.

I do love knowing what famous people read, ESPECIALLY political figures. In part because I like to imagine what they enjoy and what they are thinking about when they read, and in part because I like to try to figure out what ideological message they are trying to send. I think it's important, however, to keep these two parts separate: books are too complex to assume that the political message being sent is the same as the reason the president likes a book (that is, assuming he reads the book he says he does).

I admit word of mouth does inspire me to read a novel, however I have been dissapointed a few times so now I check out books that I am appealed to for various reason of my own creative mind.

I'll take Charlotte!

I've always enjoyed the Schwarzenegger version of Hamlet,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCVc5TaPpe8

and was delighted to find that there was an action figure.

http://cdn3.ioffer.com/img/1135756800/_i/9962752/1.jpg

The skull is spring loaded and you can fire it at people. Not that I ever have, of course.

seriously, again, why play with the other Bronte sisters when you can play with the writer of Wuthering Heights?

Totally agree with that!

I'd like to see Nostromo, with detachable silver buttons.

My personal favorite would be George Eliot (aka Marianne Evans) - now she could KB.
http://everwriting.wordpress.com/category/writing/george-eliot/

Gregor Samsa is great. I'd like to see a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde transformer!

Thank you for the list, Rachel!

Of the three on your list I have read, I like Bradbury, love Oscar Wilde, and absolutely hate Mrs. Dalloway (probably because I've had to study it extensively on my modernism course this year). I've just never been able to find Virginia Woolf interesting.

I think one of the greatest books is Wuthering Heights. But I guess everyone has different tastes :)

I, too, love the Awakening. I read it in college (around 2002) and then again a few years ago. In college, I thought it was brilliant. Reading it again, I see that it may not be the best novel ever written, but it certainly gets the point across in a poetic manner.

I read "The Stranger" in high school, think I was the only one who loved it - my classmates had already threatened to outcast me for enjoying "The Scarlet Letter" and anything by Faulkner. I'm with Sangu on Virginia Woolf, I've tried, but...eh...just not for me. My fav book is "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway - there was always something sorta simplistic and beautiful about that story to me - no big, flashy scenes, just this sort of quiet reflection.

Definitely agree with the Steinbeck love. I'm not sure why I like him since what he writes about is completely different from my own experiences, but there's something gritty and real about his writing that keeps me interested.

I started reading Murakami really wanting to hate him, but I couldn't. It's the simplicity of how he writes and how that reveals so many different aspects of life.

Thanks for the list!

Of the books on that list, the only one I'm really familiar with that I know I enjoy is The Picture of Dorian Gray. I really liked that one, especially the ending of it. It was quite clever.

I had to read The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck when I was in high school, and I never really cared for the book, myself. The migrants plight was so heartbreaking, and the stillborn baby at the end of the book really upset me. I was hoping for a happier ending with all the hardship, even though I know it doesn't always happen like that in real life.

Your list makes me feel as if I'm not well-read enough :-) I am glad Murakami made it on to your list. He is one of my favorite writers. I am not sure what draws me to him but I don't question it.

I love The Grapes of Wrath, but East of Eden was too depressing for me. Yeah, I know. It's not like tGoW is all that cheery, but what can I say?

I tend to love historical novels that bring a time period to life. Books like Roots, Centennial, Sho-gun and Aztec. Read them all multiple times.

Steinbeck puts the words together better than most. He draws you in and hugs you. It is a feeling that goes to the core.

Okay, now, I'll freely admit that my To Read shelf is ridiculously huge--490 books and counting, now that I've started buying digital--but I almost always read everything I purchase. (Eventually: my record for longest time spent on my To Read shelf is nine years, so far.) There are exceptions, but they are rare. And if I DO ditch a book I've already purchased and haven't read, I will always take it to the used bookstore near my house and trade it in so I can get something else.

Wow - buying a book without reading it? I didn't know anyone really did that. My problem is I read too fast. It's torture when the husband says I have to make a book last several days (though I give it my best and only allow myself to read in like 20-minute increments from whatever book it might be, the most recent example being Cemetary Dance).

I can understand buying collectable books and letting them set. I used to collect Edgar Rice Burroughs first editions and there's no way I would read those. But a book is meant to be read. If you're not buying it to escape to another world, another time--why waste the money?

I admit to also having a rather immoderate TBR pile, but I don't believe I've never NOT read a book because I feared my expectations are too high. Maybe because I fear it will break my heart, but not that. Most of them do get read eventually, but sometimes it takes a very long time. I do understand the feeling of being surrounded by all that *potential* reading material. It's a good feeling, knowing those books are waiting for me to read them.

As an avid reader, finding and buying new books is so hard NOT to do. It's quite addictive, really. You want to have it so that when the time is right to read it, the book is at your fingertips. I agree with the idea that they are like presents waiting to be opened, whenever that time may come. There's a stack at my bedside now and I have every intention of reading them. I'm not so sure I identify with hesitating to read a book for fear of being disappointed. I usually can't wait for the adventure to begin!

I'm a self-professed 'book addict'. Like some people are with shoes or stamps or coins, I am with books. I have close to a thousand and have read probably a bit more than half. So I 100% see where Kirsty is coming from. I just love the way books look/feel/smell that I can't help myself! And finding some on clearance or FREE...get outta here!

If a book sits on my tbr shelf for too long, I find it loses its shine and I'm more inclined to pick something new up from the library, or the bookstore. This usually happens after about a year--that is, if I don't pick it up after 3 vacations (e.g. winter, summer, winter), I usually take it to the used book store for credit. I don't know why this happens...maybe the guilt of not reading it overpowers the initial interest in reading it. Or just that after that period of time my interests change enough that it doesn't fit my taste anymore. This is not to say that my taste won't cycle back around to it when I don't own it and see it again in a library or bookstore.

Anticipation is great, but no... This is nuts.

Hm, I must be behind the times, as I only have 98 books on my shelves that I have yet to read. Well, 98 fiction books. I also have 22 non-fiction books that I've collected (mostly from classes) that I have yet to read. Of course, many MANY of these are series that, if I don't like the first book, I will most likely trade-in the whole series. It's just a matter of finding time and motivation to delve into that particular trilogy/quartet/quintet/series. You know, the whole 'what do I feel like today?'

Now, I don't think I would EVER let my collection get THAT large. And none of these are books that I don't think I'll like. So, I'd say Kirsty is a bit crazy, and needs to find a school or organization to donate some books to.

The only books that sit for long on my TBR pile are those I know I "should" read, but don't necessarily want to read. The book my cousin wrote was there for over a year--and actually turned out to be pretty good. Others are from book clubs or a trilogy I read the first 2.5 books of before stalling out. I don't buy many books, so those I do I've either already read or simply have to read RIGHT NOW!

I want to know what she's reading if she's buying so many books she ISN'T reading. Surely she's reading SOMETHING?

I don't even own 800 books period, and yet people are always commenting on the number of books I have! I probably need to buy another bookcase soon for all my TBR books. Of course, being a librarian-in-training, I do borrow books on occasion. ;-)

I've read books and been disappointed because they weren't what I expected, and in some cases it did make me a little nervous to read other books for which I had high expectations. I don't let this keep me from reading them, though. And like Caitlin, I find my TBR pile grows if I let a book sit there too long. When I get to it, I'll decide I'm not really in the mood for it anymore and go purchase/borrow newer things. So half the collection just sits there for a few years. I've still got books from BEA 2008 that I haven't read, but I think those are the oldest, and I'm glad for it.

I have over 1600 books in my private library at home and sometimes I love to just sit and look at my books. That said, I've read about 98% of them. I try to keep my TBR pile rather small and I have a nice system of catagorizing everything by author and subject so that I don't end up buying the same book twice, which has happened more than once!!!

Not read a book that I've bought, for any reason.....it's beyond my comprehension!

I have an embarrassingly large TBR pile (thanks to a few online swapping sites), but there are a few standouts that I'm holding off reading. #1 is Spook Country by William Gibson. I'm a huge Gibson fan, and I'm not holding off because I fear disappointment, but rather because you can only read a book for the first time once. I devour Gibson's books far too fast, and I'm not ready for it to be over (even before I begin).

I worked out recently I was buying an average of a book a day, and I can not read anywhere near that rate. Thank goodness for digital books!

Thanks for linking to my article; I'm glad it's encouraging such debate!

Caitlin, I'm fascinated by your comment. I absolutely agree that books lose their 'shine' after a while – I've always put this down to my tastes changing, but now I'm thinking about your other reasons too.

Vicki, the thought of giving all my books away fills me with horror. If I give them away, I won't be able to read them! I think perhaps I should have used the phrase 'pre-read books' rather than 'unread', because I will read every book I own at some point. Sometimes I like to leave it a while (whether that's a week or a year), just to enjoy the anticipation of it.

Robin, I certainly do read a lot of books! I have to read for my work (writing, teaching, book reviewing) but I mostly read for pleasure. I tend not to keep books I've read, though; I keep my favourites, and give the rest to friends or second-hand bookshops.

Kristi, I love your point about only reading a book for the first time once. I think that is the core of my joy in unread books.

I wish I had the money to have a shelf of 800 tbr books! I have about 20 unread books on my shelves but mostly they are books that I bought and after a couple of pages I found that I just didn't really like them. I definitely have a very long virtual list of tbr books but being a poor post grad I buy books in twos or threes and read them when I get them.

I just bought a house in Massachusetts in addition to my flat in Moscow. I couldn't bring all my books back to the US, but I don't feel good without some particular books on my shelves. So, I'm having a blast going around used book sales and hunting for my old friends, as well as finding some new ones. My rule is never to pay more than 2 USD a pop, and I'm itching to get them all on the almost-completed bookshevles!! I have a lot of books I INTEND to read (I intend to read Proust) but I don't think I have ever not read a book because I was scared I wouldn't like it. Tell me this, do you think it is okay to abandon a book in medias res?

And I thought my TBR pile was groaning! I read most of what I buy within a few months of buying it, but I admit I've been hesitating on the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - for a couple of reasons. It's come highly recommended, the reviews rock, and I've been told that once I get past the first few chapters I'll not want to put it down. But, it's a BIG book and I promised myself I'd read every book I start to the end this year - my friend and I are doing a 100 books in 2010 challenge. So, what if I DON'T like it? That's a big commitment. Instead, I stare at it lovingly every time I reach for a new book.

800 books is pretty extreme, but I DO understand the logic behind this. I've had Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy' on my shelf for far too long along with a couple of others that look great, but a bit daunting. But I've also had a Cadbury's fruit and nut bar in my freezer for the past six months.

Jennifer, I operate a strict 50-page rule. If I get to p50 of a book and I still don't like it, I get rid of it. There are too many amazing books out there to waste time on one that's not doing anything for me.

Incidentally, I don't think that giving up on a book is the sign of a bad book or of a lazy reader. Sometimes it's just not a good match.

No, but I've put off reading books because I felt like other people's expectations were too high. It's snobbish, but it kind of bugs me when someone shoves a book in my face and says I have to read it because it's the best book ever. (Please. I've read the best books ever. They start with Harry and end with Potter.)

Twilight sat on my shelf for six months because my mother-in-law compared Stephenie Meyer to J.K. Rowling. Sacrilege.

After I finished Twilight, I twiddled my thumbs for about thirty minutes, then I told my husband I needed to go to the store. I went to the store and bought the next book...

I'm still kind of annoyed at my mother-in-law for the Meyer/Rowling comparison, but I forgave her when she gave me The Hunger Games.

I always read my TBR books, regardless of my expectations. I expect much from all of them anyway or they wouldn't be on my list.

Maybe Kirsty is borderline hoarder...? Some people can be obsessive about books.

Frankly I find that kind of thinking a bit disingenuous. Makes for a controversial article and it worked. Here we are discussing it. Metinks she exagerates a bit on the number of books purposefully unread and the reason thereof. Balderdash comes to mind.

I'm a skinflint; I keep my TBR on Goodreads. I can't remember the last time I purchased a book that I hadn't already read and loved. The books I own are ones that are like family to me - familiar, comfortable, and always there for me.

Unread books used to actually cause me anxiety! I used to feel guilty that I bought them or were given them and they just sat there, unread, on the shelf -- mostly because I devoured new books immediately for the vast majority of my life.

I got over that very quickly.

Now I have a small pile of unread books at home, many more at the library waiting to be devoured, and a long list on Goodreads. I'll get there, one by one! But it's nice to always have a great book to look forward to, and I've learned the joy of waiting to read a book til it suits my reading mood exactly.

Sign Off: Who can sign their name (semi-legibly) the most in an hour. Or maybe, who can sign the same name (i.e. Bob J. Smith) in an hour.

Better than Potter: Take a scene from Harry Potter (or any other big-named series/book) and rewrite it in a way that you think is better.

Banter Duels

A banquet hall filled with tables. An NCAA-tournament-type bracket. Five three-minute rounds. Writers go head-to-head exchanging witty barbs, subtle putdowns, and faint praise that damns.

The winner receives the Wilde-Twain trophy.

- hk

Just saw that DGLM was named one of the Top 5 Agent Blogs for 2010 by Writer's Digest. Congrats!

Writer's Block Blaster - water gun shooting at targets depicting the best ways to bust through writer's block.

"So, why not go one step further and hold the Literary Olympics?"

Please tell me they won't be disqualifying for caffeine and nicotine!

I love it. American Idol for writers. So who are the judges?

well i think the judges have to be blog agents! someone from dglm (of course),jessica from bookends, query shark (there's a contest in there too somewhere) and nathan bransford!

Turning a chapter of a standard bodice ripper into literary fiction. Composing a series of haiku on a given theme. Writing the best possible excuse for not handing in homework on time.

"the losers have to sit through a reading of bad celebrity biographies as they’re being pelted with water balloons."

That's hilarious :)

All winners will have to be tested for opium and absinthe before receiving their prizes.

replacing a typewriter ribbon and then typing up a manuscript page on the typewriter!?

@Mary Witzl
Love the genre-changing idea!

@Rachel
Shouldn't the synopsis writing be reserved for the losers??? BTW, congrats on the WD Top Blog listing though we all knew you guys were tops already.

Wow, even that 50% is just so depressing to me.

They do need to do more reading!
You could start with this list:
http://www.thebest100lists.com/best100authors/

I agree that the 50% statistic in the US is depressing, and also that the Best 100 list is a good place to start.

I'd probably start with books I've given to reluctant readers that have worked out quite well. Most things by Vonnegut; I'm thinking CAT'S CRADLE might work nicely. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. Lots of classics, but also books with lots of action and excitement to pull the reader in. I'm not too familiar with many South American authors, but I'd definitely add some in so it's not just a pile of books by white males.

Dickens? Good god, they may never want to read again.

I think we should hit them with DIRTY HAVANA TRILOGY by Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, follow it up with THE FEAST OF THE GOAT by Mario Vargas Llosa, and finish them off with THE WAR OF DON EMMANUEL'S NETHER PARTS by Louis de Bernieres.

Well, I gave a 12 year-old girl the complete set of Vesper Holly stories by Lloyd Alexander I also give books to kids at church---I make it my duty to "feed their heads." While she was growing up I gave my daughter books written by and/or about strong-minded women. (You should see her now--an educator and opera singer). I'm maintaining my tradition with my granddaughter. I make sure there's a good balance of history, biography, sci-fi, mystery, science, and so on.

You cant beat reading in cafe's. A great mixture of my to favourite things cake and the written word

My 16-year-old daughter reads like crazy now, but a few years ago, she went through a stage wherein she wouldn't touch a book. I tried my damnedest to get her back into it. I tried the Harry Potter books, but they were too long. After watching the movie, Girl, Interrupted, I bought her the book & it worked; she loved it! Then she moved on to Crank & Impulse - novels in a journal form. Now she's back into reading (thank God!) and she's read all the Twilight books and more. Now she wants to read White Oleander, after seeing the movie. I'm thrilled - my baby is finally into Woman's Fiction!

What David said. I've really enjoyed Dickens, but I don't think he's a good starter author.

Depending on the person's tastes, I'd go for Robert B Parker's detective series or Janet Evanovich's funny books, because they are sheer fun. Then I'd recommend Amy Tan's or Barbara Kingsolver's books because they are both accessible and compelling, and then maybe John Steinbeck, Terry Pratchett, and Bill Bryson. After that, I probably wouldn't have to recommend anything, they'd have seen the light.

I like Buddhadeva Bose's "My Kind of Girl" as a nice book to consider.

It's short and yet wonderfully evocative of a particularly kind of gathering.

... while serving time in Siberia, Dostoevsky devoured David Copperfield and Pickwick Papers I believe. Dickens must have a lot of draw for even the most reluctant of readers, as such, if a guy doing hard labor in a prison camp could get into reading his works. So I think Dickens is a good pick. I enjoyed his works, myself, particularly Oliver Twist.