8 posts tagged “hpwriting”
After a long and difficult day it looks like something good has finally happened: this post is a finalist for the HP writing contest! It was the one about Aimee Bender, my favorite writer. I feel so honored that one of my posts was chosen, so please, please vote for me!
I know I am being completely shameless, but I am a poor, struggling grad student with over $20,000 in college loan debt. I could really use the Amazon gift certificate to brighten my spirits. I am, as you can see, finalist number three.
Now, I must concentrate on the Voice Disorders anatomy test I have tomorrow. (See? I really need this.)
Show us who or what has really helped your writing improve.
Here you have it: my poems on the website Poetry Critical. I joined after being invited by the creator back in 2002 (my senior year of high school). Receiving comments (some helpful, some glowing, some completely off the wall) from other poets on the site encouraged me to write and submit more. I say the community improved my writing, even though I no longer write much poetry. The site helped me get this poem published in an online journal and I recently received notice that two of my poems, chinese dragons and That Which Fell Apart (which is probably my personal favorite of all my poems) are going to be published in a "best of Poetry Critical" book. If that ever comes to fruition it matters little--it's nice to be recognized.
So thank you, Poetry Critical, regardless of your completely unhinged community base, and regardless that I would never recommend you to another poet, for all that you have done.
Perhaps I will have to start writing poetry again.
Show us your idea of the perfect writing environment.
Show us where you write most often.
The picture to the left is a printmaking experiment by my friend Ashley. She used random objects like a fork and alphabet blocks. It's of a sheep which is my favorite animal. The picture makes me happy, which is why I wanted it by my desk. I also get to be by the window and the air conditioning and heating unit! It's the little things.
Show us a book you wish you had written.
Sarah Mlynowski is probably the only "chicklit" writer that I really truely love. I think it's because her books are so outrageous and funny. She doesn't take things too seriously. When I grabbed her most recent book off the shelves at the library, I nearly said outloud, "Sarah Mlynowski took my idea!"
If you want to read Mlynowski I'd suggest Fishbowl, which is one of my favorite books ever. It's about three dysfunctional roommates who burn down their kitchen and try to raise money to replace it before their landlord finds out.
Show us what inspires your writing.
Show us your favorite writer.
My favorite writer is and has been Aimee Bender ever since I picked up her novel An Invisible Sign of my Own during my senior year of high school. It touched me in a way no book really has since. It's about a girl, Mona, who is nineteen and slightly out of touch with reality. The main part that got me was that her father in the book is ill, and my dad had just been hospitalized with pulmonary embolism (blood clots in his lungs) and I was terrified. The book helped me encounter those fears.
Aimee Bender has also written two fascinating books of short stories, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt and Willful Creatures.
Show us a snippet of something you're writing.
Last November I started writing a book for Nanowrimo. I didn't finish it, because November is an awful month to write 50,000 words (Julnowrimo would be much better). It's an apocolyptic science fiction story that focuses more on the characters involved than the science aspect. It was based on an in-class assignment in my tenth grade religion class and I don't want to go into much more detail because I'm still working on it and I don't want anyone snagging my brilliant idea. Here is the snippet:
Finally, Nigel reached the end of the line. First his bags went through the scanner. He smiled realizing he was probably one of the few who knew how it worked. Then a couple security officers took the bags and examined them at a long white table. He hated seeing his neatly folded belongings being ravaged. Then it was his turn. He held out his arms as a man around sixty, short with salt-and-pepper hair and oval glasses, waved the wand around his body and used his other hand to poke, prod, and mercilessly tickle Nigel into a puddle of laughter. The officer looked annoyed as he explained to those watching, “I tickle easily. I can’t help it.” He felt his eyes begin to water from laughing so hard.
Nigel cringed, though, when the man’s hand ventured into areas he would prefer only be touched by women of his choosing. The women were wrong, he thought, they did have to check everywhere. Finally, the officer said, “Go get your bags from the table.” He retrieved his bags and made his way up to the terminal.
Even with the outrageous length of the line, he still had an hour until boarding. He took the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics out of his pocket and began to read, when suddenly he spotted a young woman standing above him. She had short red hair and brown eyes. He looked up, and felt his insides sink. She was holding a copy of his book.
She opened the book to the back flap where Nigel sat permanently smiling broadly. “It’s you, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I’ll admit it. I’m Nigel Jones,” Nigel resigned.
“I was sitting over there reading it, and I glanced at the flap to see your picture, and then I saw you out of the corner of my eye, and I thought, that’s impossible. And then I realized, I am going to Washington DC, and then I saw the title of what you’re reading, and I knew it had to be you!”
She wiggled with excitement. Nigel said, “Would you like me to sign your book?”
“Yes! I mean no. I mean, I’m actually going to be studying at your school, in Physics. I got accepted, and I just graduated in December and now I’m flying out there and my parents are driving my stuff up and I am so excited!”
“Congratulations,” choked Nigel. “I uh, look forward to seeing you in class.”
She stood there still, grinning. “I really need to get back to reading this article,” said Nigel.
“Right, of course,” she looked back towards her seat. “Actually, someone just took my seat. Do you mind if I sit here?”
Nigel is a Nuclear Physicist and a Brit who loves American culture. While the novel goes through a variety of voices, Nigel's is by far my favorite to write at this point. Also, I didn't know I was going to DC when I started this, but given the plot it has to take place mostly over there (or, I should say here). Also, I'm 32 font size 11, almost 20,000 words into the book and I haven't even gotten to the plot yet. Perhaps I'll post a few more snippets in the future.
My Groups
-
The Inklings Updated: 8 hours ago
-
The Green Life Updated: 8 hours ago
-
Knitting Updated: Yesterday
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
