Tag: writing

  • Studio Date (a thank you note)

    My friend Sarah invited me to her studio the other day. I won’t describe the paintings (or, not quite); that’s for her to do. But I will describe the conversation. She’s working on reflections now, on remembered water (among other things). She talked about the importance of noticing, in all of her work. Her tools…

  • In the spirit of detours and mystery fiction and taking on a new voice….

    I’ve written a novel that includes segments of mystery novels by one J. Wisdome, pseudonymous author of the Sgt. String series. Now I’m writing another novel, this one made up of more of J. Wisdome’s stories (those that didn’t quite make it into the first book, mainly because I hadn’t written them yet). Or maybe…

  • Translation Notes with Necessary Fiction

    Regular readers of this (irregular) blog know I spend a good deal of my time thinking and writing and reading about translation. Today the web journal Necessary Fiction featured my contribution to their “Translation Notes” series, “Empurpled and Bedamasked: Reading through Trafalgar.”  I’ve been enjoying the series since it began– very pleased to be in…

  • Open Space

    A colleague, now several years retired, recently cleared out the office he had occupied for more than twenty years. It’s lighter now, without the file cabinets, the bookcases lined up two deep against the walls. Just a couple of old computers, an older desk, a fan. I miss seeing him day to day on campus–we…

  • Novel as How-To (reading to write)

    I’ve been thinking about the physical description of characters–how to work it in gracefully, how much is enough, what might a reader want or need to know. So I was struck by an instance of description in Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior. Now, there are plenty of things to admire in Kingsolver’s writing; I’m just going to…