Creative Reading

I listened to an interesting podcast that was talking about how if you want to be a creative writer, you must also be a creative reader. According to the podcast, here is how (and it is not word for word, because in that case I would have to include the name of the podcast and I really don’t feel like looking it up right now):

1. Go to a library.

2. Go into a section that you haven’t been to before. If there aren’t any, then go to one that you don’t very often. Maybe a new genre or subject. Poetry would work too. But no nonfiction; it has to be some form of creative writing.

3. Find two books with titles that you find interesting, and take them. No judging by the blurb on the back or the color. Just the title.

4. Read through them as fast as you can, even if it’s boring or difficult. Make notes on things that you continue to find interesting.

5. Combine the things from the two books that you found interesting and write a story from them.

6. Do it again.

7. And again.

I must say I ‘ve never tried this. I am going to need to work on being a creative reader

Notebook Organization

I have just devised a new way to organize writing notebooks! Instead of just grabbing whatever notebook is nearest and writing whatever I want to write, I am now going to have:

1. A notebook for… Well, okay, this one is for whatever I want to write. A notebook to take everywhere I go and write anything I need to.

2. A notebook for prewriting.

3. A notebook for novels.

4. A notebook where I will put anything that I find inspirational.

Actually, it just dawned on me that it’s probably much easier to just have one all-purpose notebook. Maybe. I don’t know what I’m going to do now… Oh well. You do not need to hear about my notebook dilemmas any longer than I have already forced you to. Farewell.

 

A Myriad of Things Involving Reading

`Today, there will finally be a book review!

On a side note, I read an interesting post on the blog of Kristin Cashore the other day about reading like a writer, here’s the link: kristincashore.blogspot.com/2011/12/worlds-smallest-readingwriting-lesson.html  Okay. The book review now.

Title: The Westing Game

Author: Ellen Raskin

This is a really clever mystery with great, vivid characters that always seem to stay in character. The answer to the big puzzle in the story is that sort that seems like it should have been completely obvious, and still manages to be completely satisfying. If anything should be different, it’s that the beginning could have been more grabbing, but by the end of the first page, it gets interesting, so it’s not like one of those terrible stories that takes 102 pages to get going. Also, toward the conclusion, it gets a little confusing. On a better note, another thing I like is the epilogue, since I love the ones that go decades into the future, i.e. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I think this book is probably good for ages 8-13, or maybe 7-13 if a 7-year old is fairly good at reading.

Bye! Happy New Year!