Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with writers

How to start _actually_ making music?

Admiral Haddock — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 07:40:21 -0800

I am a perfectly adequate musician--I've played guitar for 20+ years, bass for maybe 7, have dabbled in electronic music production, and have been teaching myself piano during lockdown. I have a fine ear. However, I never actually do much more than plonk along with my favorite recordings--I never write a complete song or record anything. If you've been like me, how did you pivot to doing more? I have all the gear I could ever need. I have Ableton (Suite, no less!). While I frequently record short passages that could be something, I never actually turn them into anything.

I'd be happy if I even recorded just a cover of the songs I play along with (almost daily), but I never get around to doing that either.

If you've been like me, how have you gotten off your musical ass and actually accomplished something? I don't currently have a band or many musical friends, and I'm not currently taking lessons (my self taught piano only goes so far, and I could use help with Ableton0--though that's certainly something I would consider once lockdown ends.

Thanks!

When I say lyrical sci-fi, you say...

Beardman — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 11:49:45 -0800

I'm looking for novels that fall firmly into the category of literary fiction, but which contain some recognizable element from the sci-fi genre. A shining example of this is Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go, about the emotional lives of clones. What are some others? Another example that comes to mind is Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation (about a forbidden zone of weirdness).

What I like about these books is that they're written in more of a poetic register than a technical one. They're like what ordinary literary fiction would feel like – if the world were radically otherwise in some specific respect.

Other preferences:

- Adult, not YA;

- Dystopian is cool, but not purely political (e.g., The Handmaid's Tale) – I'm specifically looking for the involvement of some sort of sci-fi plot device.

Thanks!

Want an apolitical Crime/Detective writer

noelpratt2nd — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 06:32:44 -0800

Does anyone know of a writer of crime fiction who is modern, nonleftist (or even obviously conservative), and good? I've already read John D. MacDonald, Ross Macdonald, Connelly, Westlake/Stark, Rob't Parker, and am now reading John Sandford but he's becoming too liberal for me. I'd like to go with someone well-known but need to know whom to avoid. I also like horror, but Stephen King's "Under the Dome" I had to drop. Have also already done the Dan Simmons trilogy... Thanks.

"Umberto Eco ain't doin' this."

Countess Elena — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 10:18:01 -0800

This is a deep cut, but can you identify a Southern woman writer/storyteller who had a very telling anecdote on Prairie Home Companion years ago? (Yes, I know, but he always had good guests.) I don't remember what episode it was; I just remember that it was many years ago. The lady was talking about how she'd just been up scrubbing her freezer because one of her kids had left a can of Diet Coke in there to chill, and it had exploded: "And I said to myself, Umberto Eco ain't doin' this."

I thought that was a great line, and later in life I have had many occasions to say it to myself, as a woman and a writer. But I couldn't tell you who this person was. Could you?

A good source to hire great writers with deep technology experience?

lometogo — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 20:06:26 -0800

I need to find alternatives to Upwork and similar sites to hire writers with good technology credentials. I have a boutique agency which specializes in creating white papers, case studies, and technology briefs for technology companies, mostly XaaX and larger, enterprise software companies.

I occasionally find suitable, talented writers on Upwork (yes, the site does have SOME great talent) but not enough.

Can you suggest alternative venues to identify such freelancers? And, no, I'm not interested in working with larger agencies. If anything, they'd be clients occasionally, rather than providers.

Thanks in advance.

I want to love Wendell Berry. What should I read by him?

rogerroger — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 18:07:31 -0800

I'd like to familiarize myself with Wendell Berry's work but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed due to the sheer number of essays, books, short stories and poems he's written. There's a newish anthology of essays, but is he better known as a novelist? Would it be better to start with things he wrote earlier in his career, or later? Help! I love fiction - if there is a specific novel that you think would be a great entry to his work, I'd love to hear about it. I like poetry but I'm more of a savor-a-single-Mary-Oliver-poem-for-a-year sort than a read-a-book-of-poetry type of person. I could do essays, but would prefer essays around a specific theme or idea rather than an assortment. Basically, what has he written that makes you absolutely love him?

Books by folks with disabilites?

Grandysaur — Fri, 04 May 2018 20:57:31 -0800

It’s been my mission lately to read books by non-cishetwhitedudes, but I realize I should change that to non-cishetwhitedudeswhoareablebodied. My tastes screw towards literary fiction and academic historical non-fiction. Also always down for a good memoir. But honestly, I’ll read most things happily and have no problem returning your recommendation to the library unfinished, or being pleasently surprised by something I never would have picked up. RAIN YOUR RECOMMENDSTIONS UPON ME! Also acceptable are books about folks with disabilities, but I’d rather support a non-cishetwhitedudewhoisablebodied by picking up their book than not.

Horror stories about authors writing fiction about their mothers

alicat — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 09:56:39 -0800

I'm looking for cautionary tales about authors who wrote fiction with thinly-veiled or semi-autobiographical or explicitly acknowledged characters based on their real mothers. I'm particularly interested in stories where the whole thing goes badly — the mother gets angry, the book is a failure, etc.

The one example I have so far is Margaret Drabble, who waited until her mother died to write The Peppered Moth. The portrait was not flattering, and Drabble's sister, author A.S. Byatt, objected to the representation. Critics deemed the book unsuccessful from a literary standpoint.

Thanks for your help!

How to have/join a posse for Worldcon in Helsinki.

itstheclamsname — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 07:08:11 -0800

I'm going to be attending Worldcon in Helsinki in August 2017. I'm a writer of speculative fiction, with a handful of publishing credits but few connections in the literary world. I tagged along with a more established writer friend at a literary convention last year, and it showed me that it can be hard to fly solo in such a sprawling social environment. I would like to build some connections in advance with other writers who plan to attend so I can look forward to meeting some peers and networking with like-minded individuals. Where should I start? This is a professional opportunity for me, so I'd also like to forge some connections with people in the publishing world: agents, editors, publishers. But it's an early step, and I'll be happy if I can begin to establish a peer group, get inspired, have a nice time and not feel like a wallowing introvert.

My first experience at a literary convention was amazing but a little overwhelming. I felt like I belonged there and loved talking to other writers, but wasn't particularly adept at professional networking. I don't know many other writers in my everyday life, and may not know anyone who will be at Worldcon. So before I get to Helsinki, I'd like to begin building some casual connections to other attendees.

Where should I start? Online forums? Twitter? Reach out to other authors who were in anthologies that published my stories? I don't want to come across as nutty or weird; I just lack many of the kinds of established friendships that many writers have from their graduate programs or... wherever the heck writers meet other writers.

Mefites answering this question will be paid in exposure

quaking fajita — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 11:34:15 -0800

How do artists' unions work? For example, if me and a couple of friends want to get together and write and produce a web short for kicks, is that like...not allowed? Or in what contexts would it be a problem? If someone makes money off it?

Assume this is in a jurisdiction that has writers' and actors' unions. This question is just for curiosity's sake--I am curious as to how unions actually work in the context of professions that are also hobbies for some people.

Horror Fiction by Authors of Color

Lou Stuells — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 13:41:59 -0800

Recommendations? I've got Sumiko Saulson's Black Women in Horror list/bios of 60 writers, which is an extensive and exciting resource. But I'm not looking exclusively for work by black women, so - who else brings the chills? Since I've got the chance to nitpick and pettifog, I will: I've got no love for vampires (sexy or non), supernatural romance, spec fic that gets a bit spooky for a minute, or dark fantasy; unfortunately for me as these seem to be thriving niches. I'll be double-lucky though if recommended reads are on Audible. Dark Dreams anthologies are already on my radar but I haven't dug in yet.

Fill my shelf with nightmares, please and thank you.

One-phrase descriptions of writers

omar.a — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 22:13:49 -0800

Can a writer's literary style or technique be summed up in one phrase? I am trying to compile such a list of descriptions. An example would be: "Ernest Hemingway: Simple, terse, unadorned, and uses few adjectives." George Bernard Shaw: "Energetic, witty, intellectual, aggressive, comedic, and socially critical." The more technical the description, the better.

What books seem to have been written to be re-read?

kk — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 11:47:40 -0800

What books hold up so well to re-reading that it makes you suspect they were engineered that way? Are there examples of books that seem to be MUCH better on second reading? What kind of things did the author do to achieve that?

Journalists who are experts in their subject matter

triggerfinger — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 16:40:42 -0800

I am looking for the journalists that are experts in what they write about. I am looking for journalists who have some expertise on the subject matter they most often cover. Examples would be Atul Gawande on medicine, Sarah Kliff on Obamacare and Ta-Nehisi Coates on race. They don't have to be credentialed like Gawande, they just have to provide consistently excellent coverage of their subject. The kind of coverage that other experts like to read.

The reason is because if I develop an interest in something, I want to read all I can about it to learn more. As I'm not an expert myself, it's sometimes hard for me to tell if what I'm reading is fully accurate and tells the whole story. I'd like to have go-to journalists that I can look to on different subjects and have some confidence that what they say can generally be trusted. Ideally they would strive to present all sides and/or make their own bias clear (if applicable). The larger their body of work, the better. Must be journalism stuff (i.e. writing from newspapers, websites or magazines - I'm not looking for books).

The actual subject doesn't matter. My main interests are politics, foreign policy, economics, culture, etc; but I develop interests in other things all the time, so literally any experts are great. Thanks!

Help me identify this old New Yorker article?

lunasol — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 18:27:14 -0800

I'm trying to find a vaguely-remembered New Yorker article from the 1990s about a young, struggling writer. I remember reading it when I was a teenager (my parents had a subscription, I was a nerd, etc.), so it would have been sometime in the 90s. Probably closer to early 90s.

It was a profile of a young author who had written (published?) at least one book that had been compared to - I think - Moby Dick by a critic or a publisher/editor. The article went into a great deal of detail about how much trouble he had getting by financially, despite his talent, and I think the grim point of the article was that there was no room for quality literature in the literary marketplace anymore.

I've tried googling and searching the New Yorker's archives, but have turned up nothing.

How old is too old?

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 08:13:50 -0800

I am 29. He's 67. Do you think this will work out in the long run? First let me say that my previous relationships has always been with older men. Not specifically a preference; I do feel attraction with men my age or younger, but it seems that I end up falling in love with someone who just happens to be older. My first was when I was 18, and he was 29. That lasted for about a year. Then I fell in love again at 23, with someone who was 59. It lasted for more than two years, and to date has been one of the most fulfilling and deepest relationships I've had.

Now I am slowly falling for someone who is considerably much older, and I think the same is happening for him. (To be honest I feel that he is already halfway there, but is being very patient with me.)

We are very compatible on a lot of things: we're both writers and we're both introverts. We never run out of things to talk about, be it books or films or music. We have similar enough tastes, and any differences only serve as fuel for more interesting discussions. At times I can seem too eager or naive with my worldview, but I never felt patronised. At times he can seem too standoffish and formal, but I find that adorable. Our level of intelligence is well-matched. Our experience, of course, is not. But I think what I lack in experience I make up for my willingness and enthusiasm to learn.

I don't want to have any children and I'm committed to my writing. He has had two previous marriages (no children), is still writing, also don't want children. I crave an intellectually stimulating relationship, and he gives me that completely, and some. I think that is partly why it has worked so well, and so immediately—if you take out the physical aspect, our brains will continue on merrily without us.

Too, I am submissive and need structure, someone who takes control so I can focus on creating. This applies not just in the bedroom but outside of it, as part of daily life. He is dominant and is very interested in providing that for me, and says that his pleasure comes from taking care of me, making sure I have what I need, and helping me flourish in what I want to do. The physical desire is always present, more so, tenderness. I am seeking subspace, and he is confident that he can take me there.

So basically, he's perfect for me. I honestly don't see anything wrong, but because I am me, I tend to worry and overthink. I am nitpicking on the ages, maybe. I don't mind at all, and don't give a whit what other people think (i.e. friends and family). But I guess I want the hive mind's opinion on this? (I almost said permission). If pressed I would say I am more worried about the part where he is offering me a lot of things I need within the D/S context, because it sounds too good to be true, and by that I mean, would the universe really give me this (man, love, opportunity)? Have I won the lottery somehow?

To add: I am fairly successful on my own and can provide for myself. So money is not an issue. He is obviously more accomplished than me though, by virtue of his being older. As for writing: I am a literary writer and working toward getting published. He was previously a journalist.

Do you think it has a chance of working out? What challenges should I be on the lookout for? What questions should I be asking (of myself and of him)? Are there any blindspots I'm not seeing? Any advice or tips on moving forward towards something long-term?

I have been reading previous AskMe's about older/younger relationships, but so far need your input given the kind of dynamic I have presented:
- older man/younger woman
- dominant/submissive
- writer/writer
- introvert/introvert

Throwaway email: againstmachinations@gmail.com, and thanks.

Eccentric and Recluse Poets and Authors?

RearWindow — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:08:04 -0800

Greetings. I'm wondering if there are any notable or smaller scale poets and writers that were mainly hermits or eccentric? I'm not picky with the genre, country, or era. Are there any poets and authors that come to mind with eccentricity? I'm trying to search for poets and writers that have lived solitary and isolated lives. I would also like to see an example of the eccentricity and recluse lives illustrated through the poets' or authors' writing; if there is any that are highlighted and standout through: short stories, poetry, haiku, novels, etc. Perhaps also, writers and poets that battled mental illness, which succumbed them to become recluse later in their lives, would also be another important question to ask. I'm particularly fond of Southern American, Indigenous, Swedish, and Irish writers if there are any that fit in this realm -- postmodern and modern. The bulk of this question is about searching for eccentric and recluse poets and authors.

Thanks!

writing workshops: how do they work?

divined by radio — Mon, 18 May 2015 13:50:17 -0800

I'm about to travel out of town to attend a two-day writing workshop hosted by one of my favorite authors/idols, but I have no idea what writing workshops are like or what anyone actually does at them. Writers of MeFi, can you help me figure out what to expect? Here's the event description:

Workshops focus on genres like the memoir, the short story, and essays, and you do not have to be an experienced writer to join since Pamela offers beginner and advanced level workshops. Not only do these classes give you the chance to learn and practice your writing skills, they also give you a fantastic opportunity to hang out with some of the coolest women ever you will ever meet!

Please bring to class:
* Pen and paper or your laptop
* A piece of writing by you or someone you admire to read in class (couple of paragraphs only, please)
* Snacks, wine or whatever delicious item you’d like to share … we’re having a writing party!

Sounds lovely, right? I am terrified.

The 2-3 issues that are particularly terrifying:
1. I would like to bring a sample of my own writing but I hate everything I've ever written and honestly can't imagine sharing it with another human being, let alone an entire group of them. Every time I start to look through all my dumb notebooks and think, "Maybe this...?" my entire psyche rises up to shriek, "NO, NOT THAT, IT IS TERRIBLE. YOU ARE TERRIBLE." So how do I get over it and just pick something and/or write something new? To be honest, I really only signed up because I am completely dying to trade stories with the divine Miss Pamela and get tipsy with a bunch of creative women, but I feel duty-bound to put something together and give it my genuine best shot regardless, because...

2a. A lot of my friends (some of whom write for a living) and even my freaking therapist have been after me to write a book for pretty much my whole life, and I want to be able to be nice to them again when I say no. I used to be able to be perfectly polite with my declining and subject-changing, since I was sought out to write for publication for a few years and could honestly shrug and say I didn't enjoy it very much, but I shut that all down a long while back and have since become so anxious and self-conscious about writing ANYTHING that I can't even turn down pitches nicely anymore. So now, whenever anyone is like, "Yo dbr, how 'bout putting together a book/article/essay/whatever?" I just emit a low grumbling sound and then stare at them menacingly in silence as my brows knit together in terror and frustration. I feel like I owe these friends some effort in this department, for being so kind and championing toward me for so damn long, and this event seems like a good opportunity to start back in on that.
2b. As such, I would like to get a little bit back into the swing of things, because I do love writing more than anything in the world except hanging out with dogs, but I'm just... not there yet. I don't know if I ever will be, though, and this thing is happening a week from tomorrow. I'm sure all of the folks in attendance will be very kind, and the fact that it's a woman-only workshop is very comforting, but I'm just not sure what to expect when it comes to sharing and critiquing writing by myself and others, especially in person. How do I get over the overwhelming amounts of fear I start to feel whenever I think about sacking up and actually doing this? (Unfortunately, I do not have access to benzos. Fortunately, there will be booze.)

tl;dr - Have you ever been to a writing workshop? What did you do? Were you terrified? How did you get over it?

Thanks, AskMe! ♡

Literary writing about football

jtothes — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 16:26:40 -0800

Are there any literary writers (i.e. not sportswriters) who've written about modern NFL football in the same way that Joyce Carol Oates has written about boxing / David Foster Wallace has written about tennis?

A Bay Area DIY writer's retreat on the cheap?

toomuchkatherine — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:11:20 -0800

Help me discover a place in the greater Bay Area I can go for a few days to focus on a writing project. Quiet is necessary, an internet connection is not, a natural setting is a plus but not necessary either. Cheaper is better (like $125 a night or less, preferably less). I'd prefer not to travel more than two hours from Berkeley. I don't mind traveling hardly at all; getting out of the house and my routine is more important than going a long way from home. Great Airbnb places I should know about? Anything else?

Help me level up as a writer

mermaidcafe — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 12:04:54 -0800

I am a 32 y/o creative writer (poetry, short fiction, essays) and arts journalist. I have an MFA and I have been very well-published in lit mags and on websites (but no book yet). I have two poetry manuscripts that I’ve circulated, and both have had some near-misses. I am very prolific and always have projects going, and I submit often. However, I feel a lack of professional traction, and I am hoping some of you have ways I can level up. One thing of note is that I am on SSDI for depression/anxiety. That gives me more time to write, which is great, but I can only very rarely afford to travel, and paying the registration fee for conferences or workshops is out of the question. Another thing that comes with not working is that so many writers also teach and are part of an academic community, and I don’t have that network or infrastructure.

I am not sure exactly what “leveling up” would entail, but I definitely would like some clearer guidance and a greater sense of direction. Since I am so prolific, I often flit between projects and leave certain things on the back burner. I would like a clearer vision of what to prioritize and how best to get it out in the world. I would love to have a writing mentor of some kind. I have approached a few writers over the years and they were all kind but didn’t have the time. I imagine that is the response I would get across the board.

I know I’ve heard of professional writing coaches and such, but using one would probably be cost-prohibitive, plus I get the impression that their focus is more on commercial writing. (Which doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be knowledgeable, of course, but I don’t think of my work as having a lot of commercial appeal.)

I have also thought of writing groups, either online or in my city, but they’ve never panned out. I have also gone to events where a lot of local MFA students would be in attendance, but that community is very insular and I haven’t had luck connecting with anyone there.

If you need to know specifics about what I write or anything, please feel free to ask.

MeFi Writers, Help Me With a Personal Writing Project

snsranch — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 17:53:07 -0800

I'm taking next week off to do two things. The first is to develop some habits that are conducive to me writing continually, daily and with presentable results. The second is to actually have a product by the end of the week. I'm thinking one good and fairly polished short story. Please give me advice and ideas about how to accomplish this. Do you need a place to work that is for "writing only"? Do you have a daily routine? Did you have to develop self-discipline? Do you have rituals like meditation or having tea or writing by candle light? Do you listen to music? With an entire week to do whatever I want, how do I best use my time for writing? This may not be important, but just to give you an idea of what you're working with, I've reinvented myself quite a few times in my 45 years. I've been traveler, a surfer/waterman, a musician, a photographer to name a few. The point is that those things came pretty easily for me. Writing does not. I'm more afraid of writing than of paddling out into huge Northern California winter storm surf.

It's time for me to get over that and make it a part of my life. Please help me do this.

Many thanks in advance.

Who's writing about video games?

Ollie — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 10:51:16 -0800

I'd like to learn more about video and digital games. I don't know where to start. I'm thinking--there must be bloggers, games writers, etc. who are writing about both classic video games and new releases? Who are they? That's pretty much it. Any other resources you can suggest--a Big Book of video games, with perhaps brief summaries of the basic mechanics, narratives? Does that exist?--would be most welcome too.

Science for English Majors

AmandaA — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:04:54 -0800

I saw -- maybe here, maybe on the blue -- a link to a webpage with discussions of all sorts of future-science problems. I can't find it again. Help? The page had a left-hand navigation bar with (I think) expanding headings to different topics, like "Faster than Light Travel" and "Wormholes" and "How could we create gravity?". It seemed to be billed as a site for people not in the sciences to read up on the basics of each of these SFnal possibilities. IIRC, the page had either a dark blue or black background, with some Starfleet-looking logo in the top lefthand corner above the navbar.

It seemed like a really fabulous way to learn about future-science possibilities without having to actually BE a scientist, in addition to being a great resource for writers.

Bonus question: is there a magazine of some sort that I could subscribe to that would present new developments in science, across many fields, that wouldn't require a high baseline of scientific knowledge?

Help out a writer with a severe case of writer's block!

extrabox — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 08:43:07 -0800

I am working on a story where a character recalls several intense "Rashomon" type events with multiple perspectives and interesting differences in how intense events play out to different witnesses. I've thought of a couple but I'd love the germ of a few more ideas... For example, in one idea I've developed, terrorists take over a courtyard in a crowded shopping mall and hold several people hostage. Each witness is in a different store or cafe in the mall and experience the event in very different ways - i.e. a couple in a Starbucks sees a woman rush up to a guard and hand him her baby and then rush off. The couple remembers the event as a mother trying to keep her baby safe. In contrast, a second witness, a store owner on the other side of the mall sees the woman snatch the baby from another woman's stroller and then hand it to the guard. To the store owner, the woman seems like she must be part of the terrorist plot and has been employed to keep the guard distracted with a baby --thus allowing the gunmen to take hostages.

So... I am interested in two things: Does anyone have any rough ideas like the example above where different witnesses can get totally different "take-away" from the a super quick, intense event? I'm also interested to see how others have used this Rashomon effect idea in movies or television if you can can think of other examples where this idea has been done well...