Filed under: literature, writing | Tags: fiction, writers, novel, habit, dan chaon, kazuo ishiguro, margaret atwood, nicholson baker, edwidge danticat
The Wall Street Journal compiles that oft-visited subject of writers and their habits. In “How to Write a Great Novel,” top-notch novelists from Edwidge Danticat to one of my favorite writers, Dan Chaon, discuss hours clocked, font size (Ann Rice uses 14-point Courier), and plot points outlined on notecards.
Interesting little highlights:
- Nicholson Baker writes early, early in the morning (about 4 a.m.) with the lights off, his laptop darkened with light gray text, and, once finished, goes back to bed at 8:30.
- Kazuo Ishiguro spends two years outlining his novel and one year writing the first draft.
Many writers discuss the painful process of ditching a novel: Margaret Atwood and Amitav Ghosh among them.
The feature article about writers on writing has been done repeatedly, but this WSJ article is notable for its comprehensive compilation of writers.
Filed under: humor, pop culture | Tags: britain, comedy, james parker, ricky gervais, russell brand
James Parker presents a clear analysis of Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand, and their diverse approaches to comedy in this month’s The Atlantic.
As he points out, Gervais is a card-carrying atheist. Brand, too, may well be an atheist, but in Parker’s commentary on this clip, Brand is less focused on metaphysics and more interested in a bit of flirtatious humor with the interviewer. Or, as the author points out, Brand’s “sexual wattage of his grip.”
I admire Parker’s argument that Gervais’ schtick is centered on “littleness”: the details, the micro, the intricacies of his topic. Brand, on the other hand, is driven more by a post-modern, gender-bending approach to humor. Different approaches to a brainy sort of comedy.
Filed under: entertainment | Tags: dancing, dog, entertainment, labrador, salsa, video
In the department of absurd uses of streaming video, this clip of a salsa-dancing labrador takes the cake. There is, of course, more important news in the world (the least of which is that Washington state voters approved Referendum 71, that affords crucial benefits to domestic partners). But isn’t there also room for dogs who can do circus tricks?
I used to be one of those naysayers who clucked his tongue at dog lovers. And then I got a dog. Click play.
