Saturday, May 16, 2009

Are you ready for a challenge?

Yessssssssssssssss!

Challenge: complete the list and post the results:

1. What is one of your favorite books and why?

2. What is your best advice on writing?

3. What do you value the very most in a story?

4. What writing have you been working on lately (you don't have to give too much away)?

5. Who is one of your favorite authors?

6. Anything else?

5 comments:

Olive Kite said...

1. What is one of your favorite books and why?

A Single ShardIt's practically perfect, just like Mary Poppins.

2. What is your best advice on writing?

Write daily. Write in a notebook. Write!

3. What do you value the very most in a story?

A beautiful structure built from the authentic interaction of original characters and setting.

4. What writing have you been working on lately (you don't have to give too much away)?

Ummmm. Yeah.

5. Who is one of your favorite authors?

Favorites that aren't in my writing group or locale: Linda Sue Park (http://www.lindasuepark.com/) and Marcus Zusak(http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/). Take a look at their blogs and you will see how gracious and intelligent they are!

6. Anything else?

The real answer to 4 is that I am not writing nearly as much as I should be. I should be finishing my novel. Alas.

Betty Edit said...

1. What is one of your favorite books and why?

Geez Louise, I have to pick just one? Hm. All right. I really like Very Far Away From Anywhere Else by Ursula K LeGuinn. Why? Because I relate to it, and it's thoughtful and entertaining, and it involves music somewhat too. And since you only said ONE of my favorite books, I will stop there.

2. What is your best advice on writing?

Write. Olive stole my answer, but I had it first. You want to write? WRITE. Anytime and all the time. Write.

3. What do you value the very most in a story?

Well, I'm not as good at picking apart novels as Olive is, but perhaps one of the things I value most is whether the author is able to craft sentences well, whether... You know what? I value most whether it's well-written or not. That's what it is. Like Goose Girl? Or that other one by Shannon Hale, Princess Academy? Interesting, yes. But they're both so terribly written, I can't recommend them.

4. What writing have you been working on lately (you don't have to give too much away)?

Lately I have been writing an instruction manual for work. It's not nearly as exciting as fiction, but it's still a challenge. Broadening my horizons, I suppose...

5. Who is one of your favorite authors?

Again with the ONE. Well, Olive answered two, so I'm going to answer more than one also. Authors that I trust, meaning I can pick up any novel by the author and be fairly certain I will enjoy it: Lois Lowry, Sharon Creech, Avi, Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, Rosemary Wells, Sandra BoyntonI could go on. But I won't.

6. Anything else?

Nope. Well, actually, probably there is, but I won't think of it until after I've submitted this comment. That's generally the way it works with me.

C.W. Away said...

So, I had done horribly in keeping track of this blog, but now that I have one, I am ready for a challenge. So, let's begin.

1. Favorite Book
There are a lot of good books. So I'll be self-absorbed and say my own and my friend's books. It's fun watching a plot evolve.

2. Advice
Set a goal. Writing is one thing, but if you "have" to write you're going to get something done.

3. Value in a Story
I personally prefer action. I like things to happen and I like character interaction. But mostly I just like it when something cool happens.

4. Recent Writing
My blog. It's actually horrible writing, but I am writing. I figure I'll eventually improve.

5. Favorite Authors
Being self-absorbed and also bragging about my friends again, I'll say refer to number one.

6. Anything Else
I should probably be working on a novel or something else rather than the short stories in my blog, but hey, at least I'm writing.

whirligigdaisy said...

1. What is one of your favorite books and why?

I love "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" though I read it so long ago that I don't remember why.
I just read "Wintergirls"
I want to write a book like that.

2. What is your best advice on writing?
Umm, yeah. Me? Have advice?

3. What do you value the very most in a story?
A character I love. Oh, and the craft of writing, when it's so well done.

4. What writing have you been working on lately (you don't have to give too much away)?
I like Olive's answer: Ummmm. Yeah.

5. Who is one of your favorite authors?
Ha. I like Chris Crutcher. (Again, can't remember why) I haven't read anything of his in YEARS. It seems that I like individual books, more than specific authors.

6. Anything else?

I want to be a writer! Why is it so hard lately?

Heather Dixon said...

1. What is one of your favorite books and why?

"Going Postal" by Terry Pratchett. It's hilarious but has a wonderful underlying message.

2. What is your best advice on writing?

Collect all sorts of references, pictures, music, writing clips, and use them.

3. What do you value the very most in a story?

Humor. I can forgive murder if it's funny.

4. What have you been working on lately?

Getting up in the morning.

5. Who is one of your favorite authors?

Terry Pratchett, definitely. Also, Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, JK Rowling, and Douglas Adams