Comments for Cathy Day http://cathyday.com Wed, 16 May 2012 18:09:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Why Downton Abbey is Addictive (and Instructive) by Marji Laine http://cathyday.com/2012/01/15/why-downton-abbey-is-addictive-and-instructive/#comment-2698 Marji Laine Wed, 16 May 2012 18:09:55 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=1549#comment-2698 I've been hearing about Downton Abbey connecting to writing. Thanks so much for providing the impetus to watch the first episode! Excellent! And I loved your analysis! I’ve been hearing about Downton Abbey connecting to writing. Thanks so much for providing the impetus to watch the first episode! Excellent! And I loved your analysis!

]]> Comment on Last Lecture: “Am I a writer?” by Reading Room and Gallery II | Wadadli Pen http://cathyday.com/2012/04/30/last-lecture-am-i-a-writer/#comment-2697 Reading Room and Gallery II | Wadadli Pen Wed, 16 May 2012 08:32:35 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2112#comment-2697 [...] “I thought that publishing a book meant I was a writer, but I was wrong. Convincing yourself each day to keep going, this means that you are a writer.” Read more of Last Lecture: Am I a Writer? by Cathy Day. [...] [...] “I thought that publishing a book meant I was a writer, but I was wrong. Convincing yourself each day to keep going, this means that you are a writer.” Read more of Last Lecture: Am I a Writer? by Cathy Day. [...]

]]> Comment on Last Lecture: “Am I a writer?” by Evie McLaughlin http://cathyday.com/2012/04/30/last-lecture-am-i-a-writer/#comment-2693 Evie McLaughlin Tue, 15 May 2012 06:22:09 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2112#comment-2693 That was a wonderfully encouraging post. I know I am a writer because I have no doubt that I do it for the love of writing. No question that I would love it if one day an agent would feel passionate enough about my work to represent me and so to the next stage; but that's an aspiration rather than my motivation, which is pure love of writing. Of course, as you point out, this is often mixed with frustration, for me, at my own inadequacy as a novice. But I'm grafting! The only thing I do find isolating is that friends and my children find it rather embarassing that I spend all of my spare time and every day Just Before Sunrise (my new blog,) writing. They won't do if I get published, of course! But, well, I just get on with it - hope you all do to out there in the novice writershpere. Go enjoy and develop your craft. I will; it's a deal. That was a wonderfully encouraging post. I know I am a writer because I have no doubt that I do it for the love of writing. No question that I would love it if one day an agent would feel passionate enough about my work to represent me and so to the next stage; but that’s an aspiration rather than my motivation, which is pure love of writing. Of course, as you point out, this is often mixed with frustration, for me, at my own inadequacy as a novice. But I’m grafting! The only thing I do find isolating is that friends and my children find it rather embarassing that I spend all of my spare time and every day Just Before Sunrise (my new blog,) writing. They won’t do if I get published, of course! But, well, I just get on with it – hope you all do to out there in the novice writershpere. Go enjoy and develop your craft. I will; it’s a deal.

]]> Comment on Last Lecture: “Am I a writer?” by Cathy Day http://cathyday.com/2012/04/30/last-lecture-am-i-a-writer/#comment-2692 Cathy Day Tue, 15 May 2012 05:13:38 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2112#comment-2692 "Ridiculous unfairness and randomness." Yes. That's. A good way to put it! Thanks for finding your way here. “Ridiculous unfairness and randomness.” Yes. That’s. A good way to put it! Thanks for finding your way here.

]]> Comment on Last Lecture: “Am I a writer?” by Gary Brichetto http://cathyday.com/2012/04/30/last-lecture-am-i-a-writer/#comment-2691 Gary Brichetto Tue, 15 May 2012 05:09:30 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2112#comment-2691 I've had the wonderful fortune to have taught a bit of acting in recent years, and one of the first things I tell them is about the ridiculous unfairness and randomness of the profession. I tell them they must act only to satisfy whatever it is in them that compels them to act, and that if they can imagine themselves being happy doing anything else, then they must do it. Sounds like we say the same thing: the endeavor is the reward. I’ve had the wonderful fortune to have taught a bit of acting in recent years, and one of the first things I tell them is about the ridiculous unfairness and randomness of the profession. I tell them they must act only to satisfy whatever it is in them that compels them to act, and that if they can imagine themselves being happy doing anything else, then they must do it. Sounds like we say the same thing: the endeavor is the reward.

]]> Comment on What They Wrote About: This Novel-Writing Teacher Reflects by Are The Mommy Wars Feminist? « April Line Writing http://cathyday.com/2012/05/07/what-they-wrote-about-this-novel-writing-teacher-reflects/#comment-2689 Are The Mommy Wars Feminist? « April Line Writing Mon, 14 May 2012 10:17:33 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2143#comment-2689 [...] depict flowers and women.  And these aren’t even the highest contrast examples.  Watch Cathy Day’s blog for more on this. She’s the one who got me thinking about book marketing, who pointed it out [...] [...] depict flowers and women.  And these aren’t even the highest contrast examples.  Watch Cathy Day’s blog for more on this. She’s the one who got me thinking about book marketing, who pointed it out [...]

]]> Comment on What They Wrote About: This Novel-Writing Teacher Reflects by Ian Wilson http://cathyday.com/2012/05/07/what-they-wrote-about-this-novel-writing-teacher-reflects/#comment-2687 Ian Wilson Fri, 11 May 2012 18:58:09 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2143#comment-2687 Cathy, I've been studying the Stern book since Robert Boswell turned me on to it. I've been making a project of cataloguing all the shapes that Stern didn't include. The whole idea of shape is a fascinating one. Including a list of "approved" shapes along with the approved story lines sounds like a great idea. [Note that after the recent LMU class, I'm no longer worred about "constriction," at least not in an introductory course. But I was only a part time instructor so the evals aren't as important to me as they might be to someone doing it full time.] In the NaNo class, I'm with you. If they get stuck I tell them, break something, hurt someone, make someone lie, and about a dozen other suggestions that escalate toward galatic destruction. Anything to make something happen. Because it's all about the word count, as you and I know. Ian Cathy,

I’ve been studying the Stern book since Robert Boswell turned me on to it. I’ve been making a project of cataloguing all the shapes that Stern didn’t include. The whole idea of shape is a fascinating one. Including a list of “approved” shapes along with the approved story lines sounds like a great idea.

[Note that after the recent LMU class, I'm no longer worred about "constriction," at least not in an introductory course. But I was only a part time instructor so the evals aren't as important to me as they might be to someone doing it full time.]

In the NaNo class, I’m with you. If they get stuck I tell them, break something, hurt someone, make someone lie, and about a dozen other suggestions that escalate toward galatic destruction. Anything to make something happen. Because it’s all about the word count, as you and I know.

Ian

]]> Comment on What They Wrote About: This Novel-Writing Teacher Reflects by Cathy Day http://cathyday.com/2012/05/07/what-they-wrote-about-this-novel-writing-teacher-reflects/#comment-2686 Cathy Day Wed, 09 May 2012 14:37:31 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2143#comment-2686 Tracy, read this! http://annieneugebauer.com/2012/05/07/what-is-literary-fiction/. Tracy, read this! http://annieneugebauer.com/2012/05/07/what-is-literary-fiction/.

]]> Comment on What They Wrote About: This Novel-Writing Teacher Reflects by Cathy Day http://cathyday.com/2012/05/07/what-they-wrote-about-this-novel-writing-teacher-reflects/#comment-2685 Cathy Day Wed, 09 May 2012 14:34:26 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2143#comment-2685 Thanks, Ian. One thing we discovered through reading the published, literary novels at the beginning of the semester is that even those books have big incidents. For example, Dean Bakopoulos' PLEASE DON'T COME BACK FROM THE MOON contains an exodus of a town's male population, the discovery of priest's affair, the death of a small child, etc. Russell Banks' THE SWEET HEREAFTER is about a tragic bus crash and the effects on a community. I encouraged them to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN in their novels. I actually pushed them toward what might seem "melodramatic." This really ramped up the energy of their plots. I like the idea of giving out story lines. You might try Jerome Stern's MAKING SHAPELY FICTION, which is about story SHAPES. I would worry, though, about students feeling "constricted." You'd have to work hard to get them on board. One of my students said that he found it impossible to write fast, quick, and dirty. He had to write slowly and make good sentences--even though the quality wasn't what counted, only quantity. I said, "Are you prepared to make the extra time then?" and he said yes, although he didn't turn in Weekly Words some weeks. I think it speaks highly of his future as a writer that he was willing to take a B in the class when he could have gotten an A because he cared too much about the quality of his prose. :-) Thanks, Ian. One thing we discovered through reading the published, literary novels at the beginning of the semester is that even those books have big incidents. For example, Dean Bakopoulos’ PLEASE DON’T COME BACK FROM THE MOON contains an exodus of a town’s male population, the discovery of priest’s affair, the death of a small child, etc. Russell Banks’ THE SWEET HEREAFTER is about a tragic bus crash and the effects on a community. I encouraged them to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN in their novels. I actually pushed them toward what might seem “melodramatic.” This really ramped up the energy of their plots. I like the idea of giving out story lines. You might try Jerome Stern’s MAKING SHAPELY FICTION, which is about story SHAPES. I would worry, though, about students feeling “constricted.” You’d have to work hard to get them on board. One of my students said that he found it impossible to write fast, quick, and dirty. He had to write slowly and make good sentences–even though the quality wasn’t what counted, only quantity. I said, “Are you prepared to make the extra time then?” and he said yes, although he didn’t turn in Weekly Words some weeks. I think it speaks highly of his future as a writer that he was willing to take a B in the class when he could have gotten an A because he cared too much about the quality of his prose. :-)

]]> Comment on What They Wrote About: This Novel-Writing Teacher Reflects by Cathy Day http://cathyday.com/2012/05/07/what-they-wrote-about-this-novel-writing-teacher-reflects/#comment-2684 Cathy Day Wed, 09 May 2012 14:23:14 +0000 http://cathyday.com/?p=2143#comment-2684 Thanks for reading, Jodi! Write hard this summer! Thanks for reading, Jodi! Write hard this summer!

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