Thinking of Wallace

The truth will set you free.  But not until it is finished with you.

- David Foster Wallace

As I sat with my cup of coffee this morning, this quote popped into my mind and hasn’t left since.  I suppose there is a reason for it, (my muse is behind it most likely), but for the moment I’m just going to enjoy the wisdom of Wallace’s words.

And then I’m going to laugh . . .

I do things like get in a taxi and say, “The library, and step on it.”

- David Foster Wallace

Perhaps Wallace is lingering in my mind because of a prompt in my writer’s group this week.  If you could meet someone who was dead, who it would be and why?  I immediately thought of Wallace, as I always wish he was still around dispensing his humor and wisdom.  I’d love to shake his hand and ask him about the ending of The Pale King. 

Who would you want to meet?

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c.b. 2012

22 Writers Worth Reading (Part 1)

Every avid reader has a list of writers they’d recommend to anyone who will listen.  These are the writers readers look for every time they visit a book store or keep permanently on bookshelves and night stands.  Every list is different and personal, but also inspiring as nothing piques a reader’s interest more than the possibility of a new favorite author.

In keeping with the idea of 22 Things (see 22 Moments of Gratitude), I combed through my book collection and selected 22 writers that consistently have me turning pages into all hours of the night. They range from literary legends to phenomenal YA storytellers, but they all share the distinction of being great writers who know how to keep a reader engaged with great characters and plot lines. Over the course of two posts, each writer will get a moment in the spotlight along with my favorite pieces of work.

Writers 1 – 11 in no particular order:

1. David Foster Wallace
I’ve written of Wallace on a number of occasions, so its no wonder I thought of him first.  His writing is wholly original in terms of style, humor, and language.  Wallace tackles the truth with a point of view that is brutally honest, but also warm-hearted and humorous.  He’s not afraid to take readers on a journey into less glamorous parts of life, like grocery store lines or the cubicle of an IRS employee.  For that I applaud him and embrace every word.

Favorite Book(s): This is Water and Oblivion

2. Jane Austen
When I visited the British Library for the first time, I left a print of my forehead on the glass that shields Jane Austen’s journal.  No matter how many times I see her delicate handwriting, I am always in awe. Words were her gift and she never gave up on writing for a living – I love that about her.  Austen’s stories and characters are so beautifully crafted, they feel real every time I open her books.  No one can write the heart of a woman quite like Austen.

Favorite Book: Pride and Prejudice

3. Charlotte Brontë
Right next to the forehead print I left for Jane Austen, I left another one for Charlotte Brontë. There’s nothing quite as incredible as seeing the last chapter of Jane Eyre written in Brontë’s script. I almost cried as Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time (so far).  Brontë’s stories are dark at times, but her heroines embody the kind of strength I admire greatly and strive to possess.

Favorite Book: Jane Eyre

4. Ivan Klíma
I discovered Ivan Klíma when I went to Prague a few years ago.  Klíma caught my attention because he knows the power of an idea and the necessity of voicing that idea. For years, his words were banned in an attempt to silence his view of the world. Communist Czechoslovakia had no tolerance for any truth beyond their own making.  Yet, Klíma kept writing. Word after word, he protested the injustice of suppression. 
The passion, love, and creativity in every human being is not something to be wasted or forgotten.

Favorite Book(s): No Saints or Angels and My Golden Trades

5. Dennis Potter
Potter is best known for his screenplays, but I’m a huge fan of his short novels.  He is a gritty writer, who dares to challenge our view of reality and human behavior.  His main characters are usually twisted and amoral, but his focus on emotion makes them relatable regardless of their faults.  Potter is a magician with original description and storytelling, which makes his work an experience unlike any other.  For example, in my favorite book he tells the story of a character who knows he is a character in a writer’s  novel.

Favorite Book: Hide and Seek

6. John Irving
Irving is an elegant writer that dazzles me with emotional honesty and wordplay.  His stories and characters are quirky, but they always hit upon a greater truth. Irving delves into difficult concepts such as challenging moral standards, societal expectations, and the human condition with engaging prose and sharp metaphors.  The last line of every book always leaves me pondering and questioning the world around me.

Favorite Book(s): The Fourth Hand and Cider House Rules

7. J.K. Rowling
I was very late the Harry Potter party, but once I read the first book I was hooked.  Rowling is the only writer who has ever convinced me to follow a main character who is a child.  Throughout the entire series, I was awed by Rowling’s imagination as she conjured an entirely new world filled with dynamic characters. Hermione felt like my twin and Ron an older brother I wish I had.  And Harry, of course, unexpectedly captured my heart.  Who knew a children’s series could work such amazing magic?

Favorite Book(s):  Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

8. Stephanie Meyer
My love for Stephanie’s Meyer’s work started with the Twilight series, but it only grows as I read more of her work.  Meyer likes to play with convention and create stories that break all the rules. This is a writer who truly knows the meaning of fiction because she traverses all boundaries as if they don’t exist.  In Twilight, she decided vampires could sparkle when everyone else said “No, they can’t.”  I find that very inspiring and empowering!

Favorite Book(s): Twilight

9. Guy de Maupassant
One of Maupassant’s strengths is his ability to transform a rather simple story into something beautiful with well-crafted imagery and flowing prose. Rather than explore these realms the old-fashioned way through the mind of the character, he creates magnificent and sometimes haunting images of emotion with landscapes, water, and overall atmosphere.

Favorite Book: Bel-Ami

10. Vladimir Nabokov
Whenever I finish reading a Nabokov book, everything somehow looks a little different.  Nabokov likes to explore the darker corners of the human mind and he often dredges up parts of the psyche most people would prefer to ignore.  Many of his characters are extreme personifications of human behavior, but Nabokov paints them so realistically they could be the next door neighbor everyone knows, but would never invite for tea.

Favorite Book: Invitation to a Beheading

11. Peter David
Geek alert! Back in my Trekkie days, (Oh, let’s face it, they never ended), I always looked forward to any Star Trek book written by Peter David.  He portrays the main characters better than most Trek writers and he has a great sense of the overall scope of Gene Rodenberry’s creation.  Every one of his books had me at the edge of my seat with suspense, laughing from well-placed humor, and dreaming of The Final Frontier.

Favorite Book(s): Imzadi and Q-Squared

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Stay tuned for 12 -22!

c.b. 2012

Wreck This Journal: David Foster Wallace

This week’s Wreck This Journal is a little bit different from the rest.   Instead of destroying, ripping, or bending with my own independent spirit, I found myself paying homage to a writer who I greatly admire. I’ve written about David Foster Wallace before, but I don’t think I can ever properly convey how much he means to me as a wordsmith and a source of inspiration.  His essays, novels, and short stories capture the truth of humanity  with an unparalleled sense of humor, compassion, and honesty.

Shortly after his untimely death, a speech he gave at Kenyon College in 2005 was published as a small book called This Is Water.  I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve either read or listened to Wallace’s words concerning life, awareness, and the power of choice.  His philosophy is one I consider on an almost daily basis as it reminds me to see everything with relentless curiosity and wonder.

So, when Wreck This Journal gave instructions to doodle on the inside covers of my journal, I couldn’t help but scribble some of my favorite lines from “This Is Water”.  This entire process has been about making a choice to let go and see things from a new perspective, which is a main point in just about everything Wallace writes.  My journal just wouldn’t be complete without him.

Click on each image for a full-size view, (it makes it much easier to read!).

  

Words to live by as far as I’m concerned.

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For previous Wreck This Journal posts please visit my sidebar and tag cloud.

c.b. 2011

Books I Can’t Write Without

Like many aspiring writers, my bookshelf is loaded with various books related to the craft of writing. Along with the standard dictionaries, thesauri, and grammar guides, I have books that cover everything from how to write a novel to college textbooks that pick apart short stories.  What I can’t figure out is why I have so many of them! If I’ve discovered anything over the last few years, it’s that the most valuable writing books are the ones which actually inspire the act of writing.

Favorite “How To” Books:

From First Draft to Finished Novel by Karen S. Wiesner

When I decided to start writing a novel, it became glaringly obvious that I had no idea what I was doing.  Wiesner’s book gave me a wonderful place to start in plain, simple language that gave me some hope of actually achieving my goal.  She uses a wonderful analogy of how building a house is similar to the process of writing a novel.  For example, the first phase of building a house is laying the foundation just as brainstorming is the first step to writing just about anything.  As an added bonus, the back of the book is filled with appendices that include checklists, graphic organizers, real world examples, and outline layouts.

Writing The Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass

Maass taught me how to craft a plot line and map out characters with thought provoking exercises and questions. He asks writers to constantly challenge and question every word and every segment of a work in progress.  It’s time consuming and even frustrating at times, but ultimately the blood and sweat leads to a more finely polished novel.

The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman

Lukeman gives excellent advice on how to make a novel a page-turner right from the first sentence. He’s a literary agent that explains what makes a manuscript attractive and how to avoid the slush pile. I found this book while in the middle of writing my first novel and it has proven to be an invaluable reference during the revision process.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne & Dave King

Editing is not any easy task by any means, but Browne & King  make the process a little less painful. They have a great sense of humor as they offer fantastic advice on how to polish a manuscript. Everything from point of view, dialogue, and pacing are outlined with before and after examples that show the difference between good writing and great writing.

Favorite Books For Inspiration:

You Know You’re a Writer When . . . by Adair Lara

This thin little book has made me laugh so many times!  Whenever I have a tough day, I just open up to random page where I’m guaranteed to read something that reminds me I have the soul of writer.

For example, You know you’re a writer when  . . .

. . . You wonder if there’s another word for thesaurus.

. . . There are three empty cereal bowls next to your computer – one for each meal.

(Yes, I’m guilty of both.)

The 3 a.m. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley

This is easily my favorite book of prompts.  Kiteley has put together a collection of unique and unorthodox exercises designed to push at a writer’s boundaries.  Prompts cover a wide range of elements including setting, imagery, characters, description, and dialogue.  Whenever I’m stuck this is the book I pull off my shelf.

Now Write! Edited by Sherry Ellis

Writers often look to each other for inspiration, which is probably why Now Write is such an amazing collection of advice and writing prompts.  A wide array of novelists, short story writers, and writing teachers offer up their best exercises designed to both challenge and inspire.

A Writer’s Space by Eric Maisel, PH.D.

While Maisel offers some very intriguing prompts, his focus on the creative process is what inspires me the most. He encourages writers to pay attention to and foster the muse within by creating a space in which to work, (both internally and externally).

Wild Card Books:

Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith

Recently, I started posting pages from the journal I’m wrecking as it has been an incredible source of inspiration. Actually anything by Keri Smith is bound to loosen the bolts of the imagination. Her books are literally full of dares to step outside the box.   As a result, my writing has become bolder and more honest than ever before.

This Is Water by David Foster Wallace

While not a book on writing, it is one of the most inspiring books I own.  It’s a transcript of a speech he gave at Kenyon College where he posits the notion of seeing the world with idea of choice in mind.  To him, the mundane, day to day existence of humanity is rife with extraordinary beauty.  A trip to the grocery store or even the aggravation of getting stuck in traffic jam can be a fantastic journey, but only if we choose to see it that way. Thanks to Wallace, I try to walk into the world with an almost constant sense of wonder. If that doesn’t given me a reason to write, I don’t know what will.

What books inspire you to keep writing?

c.b. 2011

Have You Ever Considered the Lobster?

David Foster Wallace looks at the world with a unique perspective that combines curiosity with sarcasm and wit. In his collection of essays entitled Consider the Lobster, he explores everything from politics, grammar, and ethics with an incredibly sharp eye and an even sharper pen. All ten essays are phenomenal, but a few stand out because they literally make the pathways in my brain change direction.

Wallace is at his most hysterical in an essay entitled, “Authority and American Usage.” In this article, he decides to explore and debate the “dictionary wars.” Did you ever stop to wonder just who is the authority of the English language? Who decides how to properly use words and punctuation? The truth is, there is no official organization that sets the ground rules; there are just a bunch of “experts” that argue relentlessly through the reference books they write and publish. This sets the stage for Wallace to air his grievances with the system (or lack thereof). He delves into the question of what truly defines langauge and the “rules” attached to it. What follows is a fascinating foray into the sub-culture of SNOOTS (Sprachgefühl Necessitates Our Ongoing Tendance or Syntax Nudniks of Our Time),  the fine art of writing, how languages change over time, and why the rules exist in the first place. Even though Wallace himself is a SNOOT, he is infinitely curious on why he is such a stickler to the rules. In an effort to answer this question he investigates how language works both with and without the rules and how culture, class, and academia influence and in some cases “control” the accepted language rules. Most interestingly, he explores why most people don’t care about grammar. While the topic of grammar is usually considered quite boring, this is where Wallace is at his best. His wit and humor makes the bland study of words and punctuation entertaining, especially when his temper gets the best of him. Wallace doesn’t like to be wrong!

“The View from Mrs. Thompsons” is a tender, realistic, and touching account of 9/11. While a wholly individual memoir of the event, the emotive sense of the piece exemplifies what it was like to be an American on that day. No matter who you are where you were, Wallace has your words. At the same time, he puts out a challenge to view that day in a new light — there is more than one America out there and Wallace wonders which one we all see.

In “Up, Simba” Wallace functions as a reporter for Rolling Stone as he tags along with the John McCain campaign of 2000. The focus is on McCain’s political ideas, but Wallace also takes the time to explain the more technical aspects of campaigning. In particular, how the camera and sound guys work and how different media personnel relate (or not) to one another. Wallace is a keen observer of the mundane, everyday facets that surround him, which is part of what makes him a unique writer. Even the boring can be interesting if viewed through a certain lens. Aside from the technical crew, he also finds himself drawn to McCain’s honesty. He wonders if that honesty is real or created. Thus begins an investigation of how marketing ties into campaigns and how that might be why Young Voters avoid the polls and why people don’t trust politicians. Voters these days know the game as they are inundated with ads and manipulated every day by every industry on the planet including Capitol Hill. Even if a politician tells the truth, most people are so jaded they can’t really be sure it’s the honest truth. Is there even a such thing as the total truth these days? Now there’s something to ponder.

Lastly, in the title essay “Consider the Lobster,” Wallace visits a lobster festival in Maine. Where most people would soak in the local flavor and bask in tourist traps, Wallace walks in thinking of the lobster. Not as a meal, but as a sentient entity. As he stands in front of the largest lobster cooker in the world, his mind begins to ponder a deeply moral and ethical question: Do lobsters feel pain when they are being boiled alive? It seems like a simple question, but it leads to other issues regarding food production and consumption. He posits that there is a disconnct between people and the animals they eat. We don’t like to think about the animal where meat comes from or whether the lobster getting thrown into a boiling vat of water can consciously feel pain. Have we lost our compassion or are we simply kings of the food chain? With this unique perspective, Wallace offers a thought provoking take on the old adage “You are what you eat.”

Wallace likes to hang out in left field in everything he writes.  He often sparks debate, but he always fuels the fire of independent thought and consideration.  The lobster never had a better advocate.

c.b. 2011