Author William Zinsser (pictured, via) has died. He was 92 years old.
Throughout his career, Zinsser served as an educator and wrote 19 books. He was best-known for the bestselling nonfiction book, On Writing Well.
Here’s more from The New York Times: “On Writing Well, first published by Harper & Row in 1976, has gone through repeated editions, at least four of which were substantially revised to include subjects like new technologies (the word processor) and new demographic trends (more writers from other cultural traditions)…His advice was straightforward: Write clearly. Guard the message with your life. Avoid jargon and big words. Use active verbs. Make the reader think you enjoyed writing the piece.” (via NPR.org)
As long as I can remember, I have loved writing. I turned those "make a sentence with your spelling words" assignments into short stories. My science reports read like episodes of Wild Kingdom ("brought to you by Mutual of Omaha".) Book reports allowed me to pick apart the language and logic of adults who write for children. If it involved putting words on paper in some creative fashion, I was in the Zone (a phenomena I understood long before it had a name.)
What didn't I love about writing?
Revision.
"Revision" meant everything was spelled and punctuated correctly, the nouns and verbs agreeing. All sentences must be complete; no fragments or run-ons allowed.
I was a lousy speller, in those pre-Spellcheck days. Teachers liked papers with tidy margins, perfect Palmer Method cursive, and no erasures. My papers looked like grey Swiss cheese with streaks of not-quite-erased words, and holes where I'd erased a little too hard. I wrote assignments over and over to achieve the required neatness. No matter how good my writing, it was never neat or legible enough to win the attention I thought I deserved.
Thanks to my early teachers, I learned to confuse revision with "following the rules"(grammar, spelling, neatness). Because I liked making good grades, I eventually forced myself to check every other word in the dictionary and slavishly follow the punctuation sections of my grammar book.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with grammatically correct, well-spelled writing. But in my case, "learning the rules" came at the expense of creative re-thinking. Not once did anyone mention "revision" as a way to make your writing better.
There are kids who don't mind doing things over and over, and there are kids who would rather eat flies than do something a second time. The former kids are the ones who become Olympians, win the National Spelling Bee, solo with the New York Philharmonic at age seven.
I was not one of those kids. Since I had mastered the art of being "a teacher pleaser" (ie, spelled right and neatly written), I saw absolutely no reason to re-write anything to make it better. It was already
"better"; the teacher could read it and I got an A. Good, right?
I continued my policy of Get it Right the First Time into high school. I won several state and national writing contests by never revising. I was under the impression that "good" writers always got it right the first time. If I got stuck after the first two paragraphs (which was happening with alarming frequency), I would tear up the story. If I couldn't write that third paragraph, the idea was no good, right?
Then I met the Famous Southern Writer. (Because memories have a way of revising themselves, I cannot swear that this is absolutely the way things happened, so no names will be mentioned.)
One of my writing contest prizes was lunch with Famous Southern Writer. I was fifteen and had absolutely no idea how gifted and famous this writer was. I was much more interested in the prize money that the Writer was to present me at the luncheon.
The Writer liked to talk. A lot. Mostly about how hard writing was. "I write two pages and tear three up. I write the same page over and over."
I didn't think the Writer was making much of a case for writing as a career, to say nothing of being a monotonous lunch partner. So when the Writer took a break to actually eat, I chirped up and said, "Wow. You really re-write stuff a lot. I never write anything more than once."
I might have
Na, An. 2008. The Fold. Releases April 2008.
Joyce stared at herself in the mirror, twisting her head from side to side, finger combing more of her long black hair over the unsightly bulge that used to be her temple. What had started as a tiny red bump had swollen and grown in circumference with each passing hour and day, building up over the week into a massive burial mound on the side of her head. And though Joyce had tried to head it off with her arsenal of tools and tricks accumulated over years of poring through beauty magazines, the medication, steaming and "gentle" squeezing did nothing to stop the growth.
What can I say about The Fold? In some ways it's your typical YA novel. A teen unhappy with the way she looks, a teen who feels that her life would be better if she could just look a certain way, a teen who thinks that she could get the guy of her dreams if only....if only. Joyce is such a teen. She feels her sister, Helen, is the pretty one, the perfect one. The one she'll never live up to in a million years. (Authentic feeling for a little sister to have? Yes!) There is also a little brother. Joyce is the middle child. The narrator is Korean-American. And there is that angle of the novel. While some things are specific to that culture, many things--many feelings are universal. The crush on the guy out of her league, for example, the typical problem between friends, family (parents and siblings) and school drama, etc.
Joyce's dream of coming back "beautiful" and "perfect" after summer vacation are within reach due to her aunt's winning of the lottery. Her aunt who is big into plastic surgery wins big and passes along gifts to her family. Some of her gifts tend to be controversial, however, and are geared to alter who the person is. In a way that is. For example, the little brother wants to grow tall so he can play basketball. She gives him a bottle of pills (or some such thing) that is supposed to "help" him grow. The older sister gets a matchmaker. A gift that is so NOT welcome. Her aunt feels she needs a boyfriend to be "happy." And Joyce's gift??? Well, her aunt wants to gift her with plastic surgery. A cosmetic surgery to give her eyelid folds.
Joyce has conflicting emotions about the surgery, about the procedure. Part of her feels that she needs it to be beautiful. That she's unacceptable, "ugly" without it. That her aunt was saying that she needs surgery to be as beautiful as her sister. That she needs an extra boost to match up to everyone's expectations. But a part of her feels that it is a drastic step. And perhaps an unnecessary one at that?
Beauty. Self-esteem. Self-image. Self-loathing. Sibling Rivalry.
Lin, Grace. 2008. The Year of the Rat.
"Happy Year of the Rat!" Dad said as he toasted us with his glass. The clinking noises filled the air as the adults knocked glasses of wine against the kids' cups of juice.
What can I say about The Year of the Rat? Well, for starters it's a sequel to the oh-so-fabulous The Year of the Dog. I really loved the first novel. And I was super-excited to learn that another book was coming. It was one on my "wish list" for 2008 since early last spring.
The Year of the Rat continues the story of Pacy and her family and friends. She's a young girl, Tiawanese-American, who is "struggling" if you will with all the different shapes and sizes change can come in. The Year of the Rat, Pacy's told by her parents, symbolizes change. And change is something that can be more than a little scary for our young heroine.
One of the scariest changes for Pacy? Her best friend, Melody, is moving away! It's awful; it's terrible; it's true. Pacy now has the challenge or struggle of learning to live life without her best friend so close. School, her classmates, everything is different now. Emptier. Sadder. Lonelier. Can she find a place where she belongs?
This novel is all about being comfortable with who you are, discovering who you are, and learning what you want to be and see and do. It's a process. Change isn't always easy and it's definitely not always welcome. But Pacy will learn that a little change can be a good thing.
If you loved the first in the series, you're going to want to continue on with the rest. I just loved it!
182 pages.
The Girl with the White Flag: An Inspiring Story of Love and Courage in War Time was written by Tomiko Higa. It was translated into English by Dorothy Britton. It was first published in 1991. One of the more recent reprintings was 2003.
First sentence: I was born in Shuri, the ancient capital of Okinawa, which is now part of the city of Naha.
The Girl with the White Flag is the story of the author's childhood in war-time Japan. It begins by giving the reader ample background into the time and culture and place. We meet our heroine, a young girl who throughout the book spans the ages of five through seven. One of the first events she shares with readers is the death of her mother. She then relates what life was like with her father, two older sisters, and her older brother. This portion is hard to navigate. I think in some ways it is just as hard for modern readers to understand the family life--the harshness, the strictness, the discipline, as it is to understand the monstrosities of war and soldiers and starvation. (Or maybe that's just my take on it.)
About halfway through the narrative, the father disappears. He was on his somewhat routine mission of delivering food to the Japanese soldiers, but on this occasion he never returned home. The four children are left to fend for themselves. The American soldiers have just begun their invasion, their battle to capture this island. The children become refugees and the fight to survive has begun. The children ranged in age from 17 to 6. Somewhere along the way, however, two things happen--big things--that make this event even scarier: 1) Their brother dies one night from a stray bullet. 2) Within a few days of burying their brother, our narrator--the six/seven year old girl becomes lost--separated--from her sister.
The book recounts what it was like to be seven and alone and wandering in and out of danger. There was no safe place. Not really. Japanese soldiers weren't "safe." In fact, in her brief encounters with them she was almost killed. No, being near soldiers wasn't safe. The only "safe" soldier was a dead soldier. She did in fact scavenge around the dead soldiers looking for food.
Her will to survive was strong. Her stamina incredible in my opinion. The sights. The sounds. The smells. All surrounded her. Could have potentially traumatized her and paralyzed her into inaction.
If there is power in the Girl with The White Flag it is in its rawness, its simplicity, its boldness when it comes to being straightforward and honest. The story is incredible is powerful because it's true. Here is an eyewitness account of what it means to be seven and a refugee in a war zone. It can be brutal. It can be intense. But there is more to it than that.
127 pages.
Compestine, Ying Chang. 2007. Revolution is Not A Dinner Party.
I read this one about two or three weeks ago. I remember reading Erin's review of this a few months ago, and looking back it summed it up just right. I'm not sure who the audience of this one will be exactly, but it was an enjoyable read nevertheless. One thing to its credit, it made me more interested in this time period. I may end up seeking out a nonfiction book or memoir about the cultural revolution in China in the near future. But as good as it was, it wasn't quite great. At least not for me. I enjoyed the heroine's narration a good deal. As Erin said, it was made this one good. Our heroine, Ling, is nine years old when our story opens. She is living in a nice apartment with her family. But things change rather quickly when Chairman Mao comes to power. His stirring things up philosophy of social and economic class will leave Ling and her family in danger. Her father, a doctor, is forced to become a janitor. One by one, Ling sees her friends and neighbors taken away, killed, or imprisoned. One of her neighbors, a boy just a little older, is taken away and brainwashed. He is now part of the "enemy" force threatening her safety, her family, her life. It isn't a pretty story--it is full of danger and political, social, and economic unrest. I think one positive about the book is--if it can find a reader--is that it will expand their knowledge, their perspective. I certainly didn't know much going into this one, and now having read it, I am curious to know more, to learn more. A historical fiction book that makes you curious to read more? That has to be a good thing. So while I wasn't blown away by this one--thinking it was the best book in the entire world and that every man, woman, and child needs to pick it up and read it--it was a good read.
The Expanding Horizons Challenge is hosted by Melissa of Book Nut. The challenge goes from January 1 through April 2008.
There are two ways to approach this challenge. Either read four books by authors in one of the six categories (you can read more than one category, but you must read four books; not two books in one category and two in another) OR read six books, one from each of the six categories. The categories are:
1. African/African-American.
2. Asian/Asian-American (This is not just East Asian -- Chinese, Korean and Japanese -- but also Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and the Central Asian -Stans.)
3. Hispanic/Latin American
4. Indian/Indian-American (Again, books by Indian authors; not books by white authors set in India.)
5. Middle Eastern (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Turkey...)
6. Native Peoples (Can include Native American, Inuit, Polynesian --Maori, Samoan, etc -- Siberian natives and Australian Aborigines.)
I haven't necessarily chosen my books yet. But I have chosen my focus. I think...think being the key word...that I'll focus on Asian/Asian-American. I don't have access to all the books below, but they look like good places to start...
Revolution Is Not A Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven: Classic Chinese Tales by Ji-Li Jiang (Note to self: YS 398.2 JIA North Youth Nonfiction)
Year of the Rat by Grace Lin
Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang (don't have access to)When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park (Fowler/North TEEN F Par)
The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park (Fowler/North TEEN F Par)
Seesaw Girl by Linda Sue Park (Fowler/North TEEN F Par)
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (Fowler/North TEEN F Par)
Girl With The White Flag by Tomiko Higa (Don't have access to)
Twist: Yoga Poems by Janet Wong (Don't have access to)Good Luck Gold by Janet Wong
A Suitcase of Seaweed by Janet Wong
The Rainbow Hand by Janet Wong
Night Garden by Janet Wong (Don't have access to)A Step From Heaven by An Na (Might have access to)
The Fold by An Na (Coming 2008...don't have access to)The Invisible Thread: An Autobiography by Yoshiko Uchida (North YS B UCH)
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah (Fowler Youth Nonfiction YS B Mah)
Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society (North Teen F Mah)
Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi (Fowler J F CHO)
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston (North B Kin)
Any of the 46 Titles by Laurence Yep at my local library
Edited to add:
Confessions of A Mask by Yukio Mishima (Fowler Adult F MIS--Listed On Order as of 12/19/2007)
The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima (Don't have access to)
Other titles by this author available at my local library are:
Acts of Worship: Seven Stories (North Branch F MIS);
The Temple of Dawn (North Branch F MIS);
The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea (Fowler F Mis);
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (North Branch F Mis).
The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa edited by Robert Hass (North Adult Nonfiction 895.6132 ESS)
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (Don't have access to)Other titles by this author that are available at my local library:
The Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami (North Adult F Mur)
Underground by Haruki Murakami (North Adult Nonfiction 364.1523 Mur)
South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (North F Mur)
After Dark by Haruki Murakami (Fowler and North F Mur)
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (Fowler F Mur)
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami (North F Mur)
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami (Fowler and North F Mur)
And these are random titles that I found by chance at my local library's online catalog:
Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata (North Adult F Kaw)
First Snow On Fuji by Yasunari Kawabata (North Adult F Kaw)
The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata (North Adult F Kaw)
The Lake by Yasunari Kawabata (Fowler Adult F Kaw)
The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata (Fowler Adult F Kaw)
The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki (North Adult F Tan)
Quicksand by Junichiro Tanizaki (North Adult F Tan)
The Gourmet Club by Junichiro Tanizaki (North Adult F Tan)
Beyond the Curve and Other Stories by Kobo Abe (Fowler F ABE)
Tokyo Stories: A Literary STroll, edited by Lawrence Rogers (North ADult F Tok)
Mistress Oriku: Stories From A Tokyo Teahouse by Matsutaro Kawaguchi (Fowler Popular F Kaw)
Tales of Tears and Laughter: Short Fiction of Medieval Japan translated by Virginia Skord (Fowler F TAL)
A Boy Called H: A Childhood In Wartime Japan by Kappa Senoh (North Adult F Sen) {Note to self: this one looks like it could be a must-read.}
And these two I've got checked out right now:
Facing the Bridge by Yoko Tawada
The Ocean in the Closet by Yuko Taniguchi
I, of course, reserve the right to add titles to this list as I find them. I hope that there are plenty of 2008 titles that will qualify. I hope :) But if not, I'll rely on my local library.
Melissa from Book Nut is hosting a challenge called the Expanding Horizons Challenge. You can read the rules and find out how to sign up yourself here.
There are two ways to approach this challenge. Either read four books by authors in one of the six categories (you can read more than one category, but you must read four books; not two books in one category and two in another) OR read six books, one from each of the six categories. The categories are:
1. African/African-American.
2. Asian/Asian-American (This is not just East Asian -- Chinese, Korean and Japanese -- but also Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and the Central Asian -Stans.)
3. Hispanic/Latin American
4. Indian/Indian-American (Again, books by Indian authors; not books by white authors set in India.)
5. Middle Eastern (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Turkey...)
6. Native Peoples (Can include Native American, Inuit, Polynesian --Maori, Samoan, etc -- Siberian natives and Australian Aborigines.)
I am planning on joining this challenge which goes January to April 2008. But I haven't made my list yet.
The other challenge I'm planning on joining is a challenge hosted by Words by Annie called
"What's In A Name." This one goes from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008.
The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.
1. A book with a color in its title. Examples might include: The Amber Spyglass, The Red Pony, Blue Blood
2. A book with an animal in its title. Examples might include: The Hound of the Baskervilles, To Kill a Mockingbird, Julie of the Wolves
3. A book with a first name in its title. Examples might include: Jane Eyre, the Harry Potter books, Anne of Green Gables
4. A book with a place in its title. Examples might include: From Russia with Love, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Out of Africa
5. A book with a weather event in its title. Examples might include: The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Red Storm Rising, Tornado Alley
6. A book with a plant in its title. Examples might include: Where the Red Fern Grows, The Name of the Rose, Flowers for Algernon
--You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category. (For example, you can use The Red Pony for either a "color" book or an "animal" book, but not for both.)
I haven't got books picked out for that one either. Both of these are potential challenges. I have every intention of joining them, but it's not *official* official yet. I really need to sit down and actually try to plan out what I want to do in 2008.
I used to hate revision, too, Mary Ann. Then, while I was working on Rosa, Sola at Vermont College, one of my teachers had me change the manuscript from third person to first person. THE WHOLE NOVEL! My teacher really liked the revised version, but I still preferred the third-person draft. So I switched back to third person, which wasn't easy because by then I'd made some major plot changes, too. Yet it was worth the effort because I understood Rosa so much better by the end of the process.
My revision exercise: write a scene from a secondary character's viewpoint--this really helps me flesh out the character.
Rewriting isn't a problem for me, it's starting in the right place. I'm writing my novel backwards.
I always enjoyed rewriting and correcting my writing while I was in school. Now I am finding it very difficult to do what an agent suggested. My story is about 2 sisters and their points of view on a incident that occurs to both of them. The agent suggested that I take out the second point of view and let the illustrator show that. I'm having a problem getting the first girl's attitude and personality to show up without writing the second girl's observations. I guess rewriting is not as much fun as I used to think.
I love this post. I've seen many a "good" student do just what you describe -- I wish teachers would spend more time helping kids mine their imaginations and less time focusing on grammatical and spelling errors. If we could just help them access their creativity, the rest would follow. The biggest "aha" moment came for me as an adult when I lost a bunch of files. As I went to recreate, I realized words are disposable and MEANT TO BE MOVED AROUND. That's the beauty of the whole thing.
My struggle is to hold on to the heart of my work as I try to strengthen plot and characters, feeling uncertain about what critique I should or shouldn't pay attention to. As a writing teacher, I find the emotional resistance to revision to be the biggest hurdle. Gentleness, firmness about revision, and being there with each child as she or he begins to look at cutting or changing, is crucial. Once the process begins the results excite and motivate the students to go further.