How to Write Good by John Vorhaus

This is the latest read for the Progressive Book Club.

This was a quick read with only 104 pages, but this book does leave a lasting impression. A quote that I particularly liked was this one;

“These days I can’t wait to write"

The book, perhaps aimed as being inspirational was just that for me. The book steers the reader on dealing with writers block, being focused and having a plan of action.

The author uses the word whimsy, which to me means free of restraints and without fear of reprisals or alike.

Writers should write everyday, but is this the case? Isn't that bringing rules into writing? Writers should feel inspired enough to write and if they do not feel inspired today then don't write, the risk is, that perhaps tomorrow you won't feel inspired either and after a week of not writing....So is writing something that is not brilliant, in your opinion, better than not writing at all?

Having read this book I made some notes on thoughts that occurred to me.

1. Always get dressed. As someone who in a previous working life did work from home it is a slippery slope writing in your PJs. I always got dressed into something comfy, but by getting dressed you are sending yourself (and others) a message that you are working.
2. Forcing writing means that something you enjoyed doing becomes something that you do not enjoy. 
3. On days when the writing does not flow are days when you can seek inspiration and explore. Often revisiting previous work or notes provides the inspiration for something else.
4. Perfect never happens first time and I personally never get rid of a piece of work. I edit a copy, so I always have the original.
5. Always carry a notebook & pen. Inspiration can happen at anytime and should be recorded, even if it is a series of bullet points.

So do I write everyday? Yes I do. I keep a daily journal filled with all sorts. I also try and blog everyday and  I often take part in memes, these are mainly genealogical and helps me get some focus. By reading other blogs I am occasionally inspired. I will give an example; 

I often take part in Sepia Saturday where we can share images and stories. One of the participants often makes the most wonderful collages. Which lead to someone else producing a collage. I remarked that perhaps each of the pictures should have some data attached to it. As a way of support the February Photo Collage Challenge was born and a group of us shared images and info.

For me this book is added to my writers toolbox because I liked the writing style and more importantly it made me think and reflect.

Taking part in the Progressive Book Club

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

This month's choice is the The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. I read this book back in January, having seen the book in a window display in a bookshop in Geelong Victoria last October. You can read my original review and post HERE however, I have shared part of that initial review below.

I suspected that I would love it and I was right! - Cancer is always a hard subject to read about, especially as many families including my own have been touched by it. Over the years when I worked in hospitals I would do ward rounds and hear that awful "rattle" and see the patients and their families. Truly shocking.

For me this book was about Will's relationship with his mother. and his final relationship with her. The conversations they had and the ones they did not have, the books they shared and simply being together, mother and son for a final time. Yes, the medical details are perhaps hard for some to bear because in the US I understand that there are funding issues and therefore some have a "financial stress free time" and others don't. Here in the UK all medication and treatment is free unless you choose to pay for private medical treatment, in which case it is expensive. We also have the other issue that some medications are available in some health authorities, but that is another story.

I think that this book is about how Will coped with his mother's passing, and perhaps for Will writing this book was a form of counselling and coming to terms. It also enabled Will to write about his mother, a mother he was immensely proud of.

Despite being such a sad book, alas there is no happy ending, it was a really lovely book. It is the story of reading, books and relationships.

There is also a web page and there is a Facebook page to accompany the book complete with a full list of the books and authors that Will and his mother discussed.

The End of Your Life Book Club Book and Author List

For the book club I didn't re-read, but I did dip in and out of the book. Had my views and thoughts changed? No, they had not. I do think more than ever that writing this book was a way of coping with the loss of his mother. It was a testiment of the time they spent together whilst they both coped with her illness.

The question of how do you say goodbye, knowing that each extra day is a blessing and borrowed time is a difficult one. All those conversations, the ones had and those that can never be had.

In this book, Will's mother continues to share her wisdom and love of books and Will has captured that all beautifully.

Taking part in the Progressive Book Club

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder

Well, I have had a bit of a performance sourcing, no trying to source this book.

Devon Libraries do not have a copy anywhere in the County. I asked at the library if they could source a copy from an out of County library. The answer was yes, but there are only 3 copies in the Country available for loan. I filled the request form in and then headed to Amazon.

Amazon listed the book and was out of stock. I completed the alert function that asked that I be dropped an email when back in stock so I could order it.  I looked at the Kindle version which was over £7. Too much, for a kindle book that I am not likely to read again. Incidentally, the physical book came back into stock at a much higher price, so I passed.

I looked at Book Mooch and a few other options, but failed miserably. So I have not managed to read the book, I have however managed to read the very limited preview available on Amazon.

The preview gives a small section of each chapter and I especially liked this one as it, like last month's book features index cards - I love 'em!

From the limited access I had, the book has a similar style to that of Bird by Bird which I reviewed last month and you can read HERE. It feels very much conversational coaching and that is a much nicer reading and learning style.

Writing for the screen requires, I believe vision and when you turn a book into a screen production - play or movie without the correct vision it does not always work. I am a visual person. I like to see the result rather than a series of plans. I once looked at a house that was going to be a new build. The agent was showing us where the bath was going to be and then tapped the plans. That does not work for me. I need to get a sense of context and reality.

Any writing that I have done has always been with the plan and vision of the work being text. I have never had the plan or want to turn any of it into a screen version. I don't have that ambition or vision. Does that make me a poor writer? What I can do is write and portray an image of a historical period, context or individual, but taking the next step to a touch of the theatricals is not my thing.

Taking part in the Progressive Book Club

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Until I signed up to take part in the PBC I had never heard of this book or author. I ordered my copy from the library and waited for the email telling me it had arrived.

Then on 22nd January I received an email from Delancey Place. I had previously subscribed and each day an email plops into my inbox with details from books etc. As soon as I read the email of 22nd Jan I knew that I would enjoy Bird by Bird. I can not give a link to the article, but head over to the site and search for Bird by Bird and you should find the article.

The email from the library eventually arrived, and I set about reading the book.

The task set by the Progressive Book Club is to read the set book, in this case, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and then review sharing what each reader will take away from the book.

The following is the passage that was shared in the email on 22nd Jan. I then read the same passage, obviously, in the book.

From page 19

"‎30 years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report written on birds that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books about birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird"

On page 59

"You need to keep moving your characters forward, even if they only go slowly"

The Chapter on Index cards I found particularly useful and interesting. Back to my study days at school and the college and university I was a fan of index cards. I recall carrying around chunks of them and reading them continuously, almost up to the point of sitting the final exam. In my early days of genealogy I used index cards to record what details I knew about specific ancestors.

Anne talks about always carrying a card or paper or a notebook with her to record any thoughts or ideal writing material.  By coincidence, I explored a similiar idea in a column that I write regularly at the In-Depth Genealogist.  In that article, which you can read by HERE and scrolling through until you reach Across the Pond. I explore not only recording points to jar your memory, but writing the story behind it. Even Anne mentions that sometimes she doesn't recall the story behind all her references on the index cards.

I really enjoyed this book and have ordered my own copy from Amazon. Apart from the content, I enjoyed the writing style, it felt as though Anne Lamott was sitting in my sitting room.

A great first choice to kick off the Progressive Book Club

Library Loot - 28th January

This week I have been to the library twice! - I nipped in on Saturday with a very large bag of books, returning some, renewing some and to collect a book. Today I went as it is the venue for my book group meeting.

Here is this week's loot

Bird by Bird is the title for the book discussion of The Progressive book group - to discuss by 20th Feb. You can read the details HERE.

Dona Nicanoras Hat Shop is the book for the next reading group - this was actually my selection, so I hope it is a good read.

Golf, is my husband's choice. For some reason I was slightly put out that he should want to borrow a book against his library ticket!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

Sunday Salon - Progressive Book Club

This week was the first official meet of the Progressive Book Club. Now I say meet, but we do not physically meet. Just as well as the weather this week has been shocking. We have had low temperatures, hail, rain and snow.

So we kicked off with an obvious virtual meet and there is a new link to the group which is HERE.

The next time we pull up our virtual chairs is on 20th February and the book we will be sharing is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.

Then on 20th March we are reading Save the Cat by Blake Snyder.

The April meet is on 17th and we shall be talking about The End of Life Book Group by Will Schwalbe. I have already read this book for the Bookies Too Group, but I shall post a further set of reflections. You can read my initial review HERE. I LOVED this book.

The other two books are new to me. I have ordered the first one using the library loan system, the on line catalogue advises me that there is one copy available in Tiverton, which has a lot of snow currently! hopefully I will get an email next week advising it is at the local library.

Any other salon members signed up to the PBG?

Until next week

Progressive Book Club

Beginning today and continuing on the third Wednesday of each month, M L Swift will be hosting a discussion on various craft books and every third month we'll throw in a nice piece of fiction for good measure! Today's launch post is HERE

The Progressive Book Club: A unique blog hop that's an on line book club! Here's how it works:

1. Visit the LINK HERE and sign up to take part.
2. Write a post today on your blog which tells your readers about the Book Club and links back to the main page. Don't forget to add the badge.
3. Note down the books that we will be reading
4. Note down the next meeting dates - 20th February
5. Source the book, either purchase it or borrow from the library 
6. On 20 Feb write your post recalling two or three things the book taught you or inspired you. Perhaps a review or discuss the book. Add the post to YOUR blog.
7. Add the the link of your posting to the Progressive Book Club page
8. Visit 3 (or more) other participants.
9. Have fun!

The book we are reading for 20th Feb is.......

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (237 pages)

• Goodreads Synopsis
• LibraryThing
• Amazon (UK)
• Amazon.com

The book we are reading for 20th March is .......

Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder (195 pages)

• Goodreads Synopsis
• LibraryThing
• Amazon (UK)
• Amazon.com

The book we are reading for 17th April is .......

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (336 pages)

• Goodreads Synopsis
• LibraryThing
• Amazon (UK)
• Amazon.com

I have already completed the reserve request at the library for the February book and I have already read the April book which you can read HERE. It is a wonderful book and I may well re-read again! It is a great choice!