Friday, June 25, 2010
Friday Challenge!
Two Challenges Today:
Writer's Challenge - I've been listening to an audio tape of Michael Ondaatje's Diviseradowhile in the car. It's nearly finished and like all good audio tapes of good books (note both must be good!) I have the cadence of his writing in my heart right now. His elegaic, sad and sexy voice. Listening to a book is so so different than reading one. I've listened to a number of books that I am very familiar with - books by Anne Tyler, Haruki Murikami, Annie Proulx, and what comes out beyond the plot, beyond the characters, beyond the story, is voice. Your challenge for the next week is to find a writer you like and read a page or two of their prose or poetry before beginning work on your own writing. Out loud. Let it get right into you. It doesn't have to be anything like your writing - in fact it might be good if it isn't but you are not to worry that you will lose your voice and pick up this other one. It isn't so. I know that. Just give it a try and see what happens and I will too. I'm going to read poetry I think, or Huck Finn.
Other Challenge for non-writers or those who want something less directive - find someone - a sick person, a child, your partner, your cat, and ask them if you may read out loud to them. Find something both of you like. I highly recommend Earthly Paradise - an informal autobiography of Colette. Heaven!
This is tricky I know but really, give it a try. Do you know that hearing is the first and last of our sense perceptions? Reading is a very healing thing to do for both the listener and the reader..
Writer's Challenge - I've been listening to an audio tape of Michael Ondaatje's Diviseradowhile in the car. It's nearly finished and like all good audio tapes of good books (note both must be good!) I have the cadence of his writing in my heart right now. His elegaic, sad and sexy voice. Listening to a book is so so different than reading one. I've listened to a number of books that I am very familiar with - books by Anne Tyler, Haruki Murikami, Annie Proulx, and what comes out beyond the plot, beyond the characters, beyond the story, is voice. Your challenge for the next week is to find a writer you like and read a page or two of their prose or poetry before beginning work on your own writing. Out loud. Let it get right into you. It doesn't have to be anything like your writing - in fact it might be good if it isn't but you are not to worry that you will lose your voice and pick up this other one. It isn't so. I know that. Just give it a try and see what happens and I will too. I'm going to read poetry I think, or Huck Finn.
This is tricky I know but really, give it a try. Do you know that hearing is the first and last of our sense perceptions? Reading is a very healing thing to do for both the listener and the reader..
6 comments:
This sounds like a great exercise, Jan! I think I'll read some Christie out loud. Thanks. :)
I've decided to get an audible membership because I do love listening to how books are read. What a great exercise.
This is just too freaky! I'm reading this post and the phone rings. A friend asks if I would fill in for her at the senior center this week -- READING!
Freaky, right?
Elizabeth - you are such a faithful reader - I sooooooo appreciate it!
Actually the same goes for all three of you! I'm really trying to stick to my revisions so have just posted these and let them fly.
Clarissa - an audible membership? To what? I get audio books from the library all the time. Can't really listen to very many mysteries as I need to flip back and forth but I love audio books.
Mary - no that isn't weird at all. I'm an adept of the mysterious arts! You'd know that if you saw that I won a t-shirt with that on it on the Tartlette's site! I MADE her pick my name AND I MADE your friend need to not read this week. True dat!
Thanks Jan for stopping by! I love to read but sometimes feel guilty about taking the time out to do this. Birmingham Library has a great audio department, so I check out the books and listen to them when I'm driving. I just finished listening to "Scarpeta", Patricia Conway. I had stopped reading her books for a while. Suddenly her main characters became weak and bogged down, it was as though all the fight had gone out of them and PC. Scarpeta was good. I'm glad to see she's back on her game.
I love audio books, but they have to be well read. I'll wander down to the library and see if they have Earthly Paradise as a paper or talking book. It's always good to have some recommendations. Thankyou
Post a Comment