What are the books that changed your life?
A writer is nothing without a reader, even if they are the only member in the audience. Molly, Daryll Lynne and James share the books that crafted them into the story-tellers they have become and describe the catalyzing effect being a lover of books has had on their writing. Listen to this week’s episode of Sentence to Paragraph below, on Podomatic or iTunes.
Molly’s Editing Tip:
Channelling the words of Douglas Adams, “if you’re going to start starting something stop starting and start,” Molly advises us to cease having characters “starting to do” and rather have them simply do. For example, “Sandra started to make the toast . . .” exchange for “Sandra made the toast. . .” As Molly says, “don’t leave people with uneaten toast.”
Podcast Highlights:
- We go into how to use tracking sheets within a trusted writing group and how we hold each other accountable for showing up to write every day
- Molly admits to using notebooks rather than a computer to write and discusses the merits of writing by hand versus using technology when drafting
- James asks which books had the most influence on Daryll Lynne’s and Molly’s writing journey and shares a list of his own that include strong women characters, equality, and writing styles that inspire
- Check out the booklist below and follow the (Amazon) links – or go to a local bookstore! – to procure a few!
The Book List
- Patricia McKillip, The Harpist in the Wind and The Riddle Master Trilogy
- James Salter, Sport and a Passtime
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
- Steven King, On Writing
- Jessica Page Morrell, Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us
- Ursula Le Guin, Steering the Craft
- Lynn Truss, Eats, Shoots, & Leaves
- Robbin Hobb, Assasin’s Apprentice
- Pierce Brown, Red Rising Trilogy
- Ann McCaffery, Dragon Rider Series and Harper Series
- Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
- Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones
- Damon Knight, Creating Short Fiction
- Christopher Vogler, The Writer’s Journey
- Shawn Coyne, The Story Grid
