@dougk
Active 5 years, 5 months ago-
Doug replied to the topic That old enemy, Perfectionism in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 6 years, 1 month ago
Thanks for all your replies! They are refreshing, helpful, and sharpen my perspective on things. They also bring things to mind that I’ve read in the past, like Ray Bradbury’s dashing off the whole first draft with the creative side of his brain, shutting off the editor side until the draft’s finished and cooled off.
Dean Koontz, who describes…[Read more]
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Doug started the topic That old enemy, Perfectionism in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 6 years, 1 month ago
Hi all,
Going through my alternate history Civil War novel and revising it, I’m finding myself zeroing in on sentences, fixating over how they’re phrased, and most of the time thinking this is too dry, too simply or clunkily phrased, this won’t do, etc. etc. And so I find it hard to get work done, wanting to stay away, although I did make good…[Read more]
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Doug posted a new activity comment 6 years, 1 month ago
Looks worth checking out. Thanks for sharing!
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Doug started the topic 18 Worthy Websites for Writers in the forum Marketplace 6 years, 1 month ago
I’m not sure if this is the right place for this, but I wanted to share a weblog I received about some resources for helping us become successful. From C.S. Lakin’s LivWriteThrive:
<i>Apart from your desire to be an author and determination on this thorny path, what makes a successful writer? According to veterans of the industry, it’s lots of r…[Read more]
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Doug posted a new activity comment 6 years, 1 month ago
LOL dialogue certainly worked for Master Tolkien in Lord of the Rings, too. It was many years ago, maybe it’s time I gave Hemingway’s novel another chance. Maybe listening on audio?
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Doug posted a new activity comment 6 years, 1 month ago
I once tried reading _The Sun Also Rises,_ but couldn’t keep my attention on it. It just seemed like people endlessly talking…his short stories, though, are so engaging.
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I haven’t read ‘The Sun Also Rises’ so maybe I’m talking out of my backside, but I can’t help thinking that dialogue can reveal a lot. I mean, Shakespeare didn’t do too badly out of it…
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LOL dialogue certainly worked for Master Tolkien in Lord of the Rings, too. It was many years ago, maybe it’s time I gave Hemingway’s novel another chance. Maybe listening on audio?
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Doug posted a new activity comment 6 years, 1 month ago
I read that, too, and came away dazzled. Strangely, that was the only one of his novels I read. I’ve read most of his short stories, and have them on my Kindle.
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My copy of ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ is an old book club edition that used to belong to my parents and is nearly as old as I am. The story is brought to even more vivid life by drawings by two artists specially commissioned for that edition – a note at the front explains that they were supposed to be alternatives but were so good the publishers…[Read more]
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Doug posted an update 6 years, 1 month ago
Conveying a lot in a few words…
I’m looking back over Hemingway’s short stories. More than anyone else I’ve read, he was such a master at using sparse language to create vivid pictures. I think my favorite story by him is “Big Two-Hearted River” parts 1 and 2. Like, watching trout:
>Nick looked down into the clear, brown water, colored…[Read more]
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I keep meaning to read more Hemmingway. He has a deceptive way of conveying worlds of meaning in just a few words. And a lot of it seems to be subconsciously understood by the reader until they stop and think about it. I’m not sure he’d ever make my ‘favourite author’ list but he’s definotely a master of thr craft.
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And a great supporter of adjectives and adverbs!
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I’ve only ever read one book by Hemingway, and I don’t know why that is because that one book is a cracker – ‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ I know of no other book that conveys so much in such a simple tale, told in such simple language. It won him the Nobel Prize, and quite right too.
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It’s been on my tbr for years, Richard. I must bump it up the pile!
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I read that, too, and came away dazzled. Strangely, that was the only one of his novels I read. I’ve read most of his short stories, and have them on my Kindle.
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My copy of ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ is an old book club edition that used to belong to my parents and is nearly as old as I am. The story is brought to even more vivid life by drawings by two artists specially commissioned for that edition – a note at the front explains that they were supposed to be alternatives but were so good the publishers…[Read more]
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I’ve a ‘picked up because I haven’t read and ought’ ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, but didn’t get very far. Think I need to have another go … sometime.
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Despite being a big fan of stripped back writing, I’m not a Hemmingway fan (although I’ve only read one :Farewell to Arms). But this extract is really fabulous. Perhaps I should try some of his short stories.
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@katemachon you could do worse than start with ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ which is a full novel but at 27,000 words, definitely more novella length as things are reckoned these days – and a short(ish) one at that.
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Thanks, Ath. I’ll give it a try.
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I once tried reading _The Sun Also Rises,_ but couldn’t keep my attention on it. It just seemed like people endlessly talking…his short stories, though, are so engaging.
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I haven’t read ‘The Sun Also Rises’ so maybe I’m talking out of my backside, but I can’t help thinking that dialogue can reveal a lot. I mean, Shakespeare didn’t do too badly out of it…
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LOL dialogue certainly worked for Master Tolkien in Lord of the Rings, too. It was many years ago, maybe it’s time I gave Hemingway’s novel another chance. Maybe listening on audio?
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Hi all,
Since I listen to a lot of audiobooks, I thought, why not give _The Sun Also Rises_ another chance, this time on audio? So I tried it last week.
Well I finished it this time, all right. And it left me dazzled. Stunned, even–he truly was a master. I like to think I’ve matured as a reader and a writer since years ago, and maybe I have a…[Read more]
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Doug posted a new activity comment 6 years, 1 month ago
Thanks! It so happens I got a contributor’s copy today, so I was able to mention it on the Podium. It’s good to be part of the community.
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Doug started the topic Great to be here in the forum Podium 6 years, 1 month ago
Hi all,
I’m Doug; Jules graciously invited me to join. I’m posting on the podium because I got a writer’s copy today of _Schlock!_ magazine, with my zombie story “Cover Me.” So that’s two good things to happen today.
Hope everyone’s keeping well and safe during these times, and above all, writing.
Best regards,
~Doug-
Hi Doug and welcome!
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Great news on the zombie story, Doug. Cobgratulations!
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Hi, Doug. Good to see good news.
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Hello, Doug, and welcome!
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Hi, Doug! Great to see a new face.
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Doug changed their profile picture 6 years, 1 month ago
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Hey Doug. Welcome to the Den. It’s great to have you with us. If you need help, there are many friendly folk who’ll point you in the right direction, so just ask.
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Thanks! It so happens I got a contributor’s copy today, so I was able to mention it on the Podium. It’s good to be part of the community.
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Doug changed their profile picture 6 years, 1 month ago
