May 11, 2008 10:55:44 PM
I want to congratulate Sheri Doyle, who won the $30 Amazon gift card by commenting on this blog during April's comment contest! Please check out Sheri's blog One of the Best Things.
If you didn't win, don't worry, there will be plenty more opportunities for you in the near future. I'm not sure exactly when my next giveaway will be, but you can be certain it will be soon!
Thank you to everyone who left a comment last month and I hope you continue reading and commenting on Brad's Reader!
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May 9, 2008 9:45:37 PM
Okay, I know my Friday Link Love post is late. I apologize for that. On Thursday night, when I actually write the post and get all the links together, I was so tired I just couldn't do it. I went tot bed instead. But as the title says: Better late than never!
Have a safe and happy weekend!
Six Reasons to Finish My Story
Here are six good reasons why you shouldn't let that short story die.
Book Glutton: Two Thumbs Sideways
A thorough review of a site that offers full text of literary classics and other works.
The really exciting science fiction is boring
Does science fiction need to abandon cool things like faster-than-light travel, alien wars and colonizing far away planets and replace with things that are, well, boring?
Can black holes ever really form?
Here's your weekly dose of science content for the week in this cool video blog post!
Sideways sayings #4 - There aren't enough hours in the day
I'm guilty of saying this myself, even right here on this blog. But as this post points out, the saying doesn't really make sense.
Getting over writer's block
This post offers some excellent ways to get over the dreaded writer's block - something all writers suffer from at one time or another.
Random Post from Brad's Reader
Here's one I dug out from my vaults about...well...you should just read it and find out for yourself!
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May 7, 2008 10:07:13 PM
I'm back! I apologize for not posting in several days - I've been busy with a few other projects and found myself short on time. Instead of writing several posts to cover several topics, I'm gonna combine them into one post to save me (and you) time. Here's what's going on at Brad's Reader:
Comment Contest Winner to be Announced
The good news is that a winner has been picked and notified for my April 2008 Comment Contest! I'll be announcing the winner soon (probably before the weekend), and the $30 Amazon gift card is on its way! If you didn't win, don't worry, I'll be holding many more contests like this in the near future.
Thank you to everyone who left a comment last month! I love reading what you have to say and I hope you keep visiting us and leaving your comments.
A Gem Among a lot of Spam!
As this blog has gained more exposure and become increasingly visible on search engines and even other blogs, I found I am getting more and more spam. It's not at a critical level yet, so I still enjoy some of the messages I get via the Contact Brad link located on the sidebar.
Recently, I got a message from a gentleman named Wayne C. Long who runs a website called www.longshortstories.com. Mr. Long writes short stories and sells them in a unique way. Rather than throwing them into a book and trying to fight for shelf space at Borders or Barnes and Noble, he uses the subscription model.
New Business Model and the Future of Publishing
This is not the first time I have come across a subscription-based publishing service. I have seen it before, but not as often as one would think. How does a subscription-based service, such as Mr. Long's, work?
Basically, you pay a monthly fee (or even a one-time annual fee) and then you are guaranteed a certain number of short stories, or even novels, each month. Mr. Long offers short stories. I have seen a small book publisher that sends subscribers a book each month from their catalog of titles.
I think this is an interesting way for writers and publishers to get their work out to the public and still make a some money in the process. For example, it's very hard to sell a single short story (Amazon is doing it, but has stopped accepting submissions for the time being). But selling a subscription seems much easier. Even if the reader doesn't like one or two stories he/she receives throughout the year, they are still getting their money's worth.
I'm not doing a good job explaining this (probably because I'm so tired right now). But I'm planning on a follow-up post to this topic very soon.
Please note that I am in no way affiliated with Wayne Long's website and haven't even tried it out, but I plan to explore it further.
P.S. If you're looking for more great posts, written while I wasn't so tired, then check out my Top Posts!
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May 4, 2008 1:39:06 PM
As a way of promoting this blog, I decided to start selling uber-cool Brad's Reader stuff. Check out my little shop at Brad's Reader Gear - I'll be adding more products and designs in the very near future. Right now you can buy t-shirts, tote bags, mouse pads, coffee mugs and other cool stuff. And don't worry, the quality is pretty good. I have put my money where my mouth is and bought samples of the stuff I sell, so I can say with confidence that you will be happy with whatever you decide to purchase.
Thank you for supporting Brad's Reader!
P.S. The winner of the $30 Amazon gift card April giveaway has been notified (check your inboxes). More about this in a later post.
P.P.S. Wanna read more? Then check out my Top Posts! Also, you can read more of my writing on a variety of subjects at Associated Content.
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May 4, 2008 12:20:34 AM
Earlier this year I espoused my views on why short fiction is so great in this post. I don't want to just re-hash the same reasons I gave back in January, that'd be a waste of my time as a blogger and your time as a reader. But as the the title states, I do want to revisit my love for short fiction. I have been prompted to write this post because of my recent binge of short fiction reading, which has really reignited my love for this greatly under appreciated literary form.
A short story is a self-contained, miniature work of art. It is short enough to read in one sitting, giving the reader a unified experience that is unbroken. And like poetry, a short story demands a lot from each word, sentence and paragraph. The characters must be developed quickly and the plot must waste no time getting started. I find it somewhat odd, however, that most short fiction isn't the action-packed work that we find in novels. There are no dramatic chase scenes or gruesome description of murders, at least not in the short stories I read.
During my recent reading of short fiction, I have gotten into the habit of reading one short story at night before going to bed. Or, if a story is really short (ie. only a few pages long), I might read two. There is something very satisfying in reading an entire short story in one sitting. When I close the book on the bookmark and turn off my itty-bitty reading light, I lay in bed and think about the story. I think about the characters. Were they well developed? Did I sympathize with them? One story I read ended with the two main characters committing suicide - a total shock to my more low-key literary instincts.
The plot in short fiction is usually structured differently than in novels. Most short stories span a long scene, or several short scenes. The endings can be rather vague and sometimes just end abruptly, with no real feeling of closure that comes at the end of a good mystery novel (for example) where all the loose ends are tied up and the main character/s go back to their tidy lives.
The characters of short fiction tend to be more like the rest of us, with their imperfections highlighted and magnified. I can usually sympathize with most characters; the good and the bad. Short fiction keeps the cast of characters, well, short! Since most of these stories span only a few thousand words, the story usually focuses on one or maybe a few characters. I recently read one story that followed a small group of teenage girls on their night out in a small town in Colorado. There was no "main character" in that story, rather each girl was different enough to offer something unique to the story as a whole.
While I don't want this post to turn into a "Characteristics of short fiction" type of post, I'm afraid you might get that impression. But what I have outlined above about plot, characters and even the ability to read a short story in a very small amount of time is precisely what I love about short fiction.
Short fiction is like a small snack - something to hold you over until the larger meal (a novel?). In no way should the comparison to a simple snack diminish the literary and artistic merits of a short story. Even a snack can be a delicacy prepared by a world-renowned top chef. And similarly, a short story can be a work of art written by a literary master.
I can only hope that short fiction regains its former popularity with the reading public, and no longer delegated as a hobby of the literary elite. Given the fast-paced world we live in, I'm actually surprised at the low consumption of short fiction. What better way to spend that forty-five minute train ride into the city each morning than by reading a short story or two? I guess it's still hard to get people away from those darned celebrity rag magazines and the morning news.
What do you think about short fiction? Do you still read short stories? Do you write them? Do you think the short story will die out or it will see a rebirth sometime in the future? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment!
P.S. New to Brad's Reader? Wanna read more? Then check out my Top Posts!
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May 2, 2008 4:00:00 AM
First, I must apologize that I don't have as many links for you today. I have been rather busy this week and didn't get a chance to go link hunting like I normally do. However, here are some excellent links for your reading enjoyment!
Second, thank you everyone who posted a comment during the month of April. I will be choosing a random comment very soon (within the next few days) and the winner will receive a $30 Amazon gift card. I love doing stuff like this and plan on more giveaways in the near future (hint, hint). While the April comment contest is officially closed, please continue to comment as much as you like! I love reading what you have to say.
Finally, it's Friday! I don't think much more than that needs to be said. Have a safe and happy weekend!
Could e-reading revitalize the short story?
One of my favorite literary forms, the short story, has seen dwindling popularity over the last several decades. Will e-reading bring this form back to its glory days?
The kids are all noisy: British teens not welcome in libraries
I'm not sure what to make of this one. I can sympathize with both sides of the story here. Any time a teen goes to the library, it's probably a good thing and we shouldn't be discouraging them from going. On the other hand, many of us still enjoy the peace and quiet the library offers.
Judging writers by their writing, or their private lives
I tend to think that a writer should be judged by his/her writing. But it is very easy to start associating events in their private lives with events in their fiction, poetry etc. You be the judge.
Fiction writing: Character creation
Here's some practical advice on finding inspiration for characters and bringing them to life.
Random Post from Brad's Reader
Here's one from the vaults. I dusted it off from almost a year ago. Despite the age of this post, however, it still is relevant today. Enjoy!
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Apr 28, 2008 4:00:00 AM
Time is quickly running out for your chance to win a $30 Amazon gift card! All you have to do is leave a comment on any post written this month (April 2008). Any comment received after 11:59pm April 30, will not be eligible. Please be sure to read my easy contest rules and, more importantly, have fun!
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Apr 27, 2008 1:33:24 PM
I have always maintained on this blog that if you want to be a writer, then you must read a lot. But not everyone agrees with that simple rule. So I wasn't all that surprised when I came upon this article from the Guardian Unlimited where the writer describes an argument with his brother, and his brother maintains it is not good for a writer to do a lot of reading. Here's what he says:
Reading too much, my brother explained in his English-teacherly way, is
a disaster for a writer. To immerse yourself in literature -
particularly those of your contemporaries - makes your work derivative
at worst, and unoriginal at best.
This appears to be more of a critique of contemporary fiction than an argument for writers to shun reading. My response to such an argument would be that a budding writer should read everything from contemporary fiction to the classics and everything inbetween. Being a prolific reader of all types of works can only help and improve you as a writer.
However, the writer of this article makes a good case for concentrating on reading one's contemporaries, but for a very different reason:
If you're a writer of contemporary literary fiction, published or
otherwise, you have to support the industry. I don't mean waving
scarves outside Faber or starting chants at Jonathan Cape, but by
supporting your fellow writers.
He continues on by saying:
Reading your contemporaries should both be a delight and a duty
With the seemingly depressing state of fiction sales, it only makes sense that if you want to publish your own novel, you should at least help support those who are also trying to make it as an author.
On a more practical level though, reading a lot will help you in numerous ways as a writer. You will absorb styles and techniques that you both love and hate, thus forming your own unique voice. But I also don't think that you should limit yourself to just one genre either; read across the spectrum, including non-fiction. That way, if you hate contemporary fiction, for example, you won't be relying 100% on it as a learning tool.
What do you think? Should writers also be readers? Should a would-be novelist feel an obligation to buy the books written by his/her contemporaries to help support the industry? Why or why not?
I have tackled this issue of why writers should read in this previous post:
More Reading = More (and better) Writing
P.S. Wanna win a $30 Amazon gift card? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, or any other post written during April 2008! But you'd better hurry, as this month is almost over. Please be sure to read my simple contest rules first and have fun!
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Apr 25, 2008 4:00:00 AM
I have been aware, for some time now, that a lot of my links for "Friday Link Love" come from the same lists of blogs I read every day. This doesn't mean that those posts aren't interesting and don't deserve to be featured here, quite the opposite actually. However, I want to expand my link love list to include other blogs that I have never read before, but enjoyed a particular post.
Thus, you will start to see different posts from many different blogs creep into my Friday Link Love feature! I try to stick with stuff written during the week (so it's current) and mostly stuff about literature and writing (because that's what this blog is about). But I'll also mix things up with science, politics and maybe even some philosophy.
Now that it's Friday and we can all relax, sit back and enjoy some good reading. I stayed awake for 3 days straight to bring you the best on the web. Have a happy and safe weekend!
The results from Pennsylvania and that "Elitism thing"
Given the problems the US faces right now, this election year is very important. Here's a post that suggests having an elitist for president might not be a bad thing. Although, I think that anyone who seriously runs for president, considering it's currently the most powerful job in the world, is an elitist no matter how beers they drink or plaid shirts they wear.
Chapters in a Novel
Chapters are usually the "organizing units" of a novel, but not always. This post takes you through some of the basics of the functions chapters perform.
Shelfari hopes to bring authors and readers together over wikis
A review of a website that helps bridge the gap between authors and readers - letting the two interact as they have never done before.
15 tips on how to generate ideas and write with ease
The title pretty much says it all. Great post!
Will only the rich and hobbyists write books someday?
Given the depressing economics of selling fiction/poetry books, this might not be a far-fetched prediction. I'll let you decide.
Where your next story is hiding
Story ideas can come from some unusual places. The post suggests looking somewhere we've all been and offers almost endless ideas for novels, stories, screenplays, etc.
14 things I have learned about book author websites
If you're an author, then this is a must read! Some fairly common sense, yet very important, things for authors to consider about making their presence on the internet.
Younger Than McCain
This is just hilarious! Republican front runner John McCain is old and this post has a video that lists many different things that are younger than him. You'll be surprised at just how old he really is.
Conflict follows device that drives away teen loiterers
This is also pretty funny. The device creates a highly annoying noise that only teens and a few others can hear. It is so annoying, in fact, that they (teens) will not stick around when they hear that noise. But as the article states, the device is not without controversy.
Random Post from Brad's Reader
Here's one from the hot days of last summer I thought ya'll might enjoy.
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Apr 23, 2008 8:22:42 PM
I came across an interesting article today as I was browsing through the news. At first I didn't think much of it. But the more I thought about it, the more it intrigued me. I'm talking about plans to publish, in print, Wikipedia in Germany (Publisher plans printed version of Wikipedia). Here's an excerpt from the article:
The media company — whose units include publisher Random House Inc. and music venture Sony BMG
— said Wednesday that it plans to publish "The One-Volume Wikipedia
Encyclopedia" starting in September with the content made up of 50,000
of the most-searched terms on the German language edition of Wikipedia.
The article goes on to mention that they plan to publish a new volume every year. The article didn't mention anything about an English version being printed, but I'm sure it's not far behind.
Here's my take:
Cons
It's easy to think of why this is a bad idea. First off, Wikipedia works best on the internet, where people can easily find entries for whatever they are curious about at the time. Wikipedia also lets the public edit, add, delete and make numerous other types of changes to each entry. Therefore, it's constantly evolving - which is perhaps its greatest asset (and for some, its greatest downfall).
Furthermore, as it exists on the internet, Wikipedia uses few natural resources (ie. trees) and is available to anyone with an internet connection. When a print version is released, paper will be used to print the book on, boxes will be used to pack the books and the boxes will be carried on trucks to be distributed to various stores (which people will probably have to drive to in order to buy each volume). This might be slightly exaggerated, but you get my point. It's also worthy to note that Random House was mentioned in the article. Surprising, considering all the praise I gave them in a flattering Earth Day post.
Pros
Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of going print for Wikipedia is the ability to expand its readership beyond the internet. Not everyone goes online when searching for information (some actually use...books!). While I doubt these annual volumes of the most popular Wikipedia entries will be the definitive resource for those wishing to engage in some serious offline research, a print edition will reach even more people (even if it is nothing more than a novelty item).
Another advantage to going print is that it gives Wikipedia another way make some money from its content. The online encyclopedia relies mostly on donations for financial support, so a book will at least provide an ongoing revenue stream for the site.
Another advantage, although a slightly lesser one, is that having annual editions of the most popular entries will serve as a kind of "archive" for the site. While archiving is automatically done online and takes up less space, print books are still very popular and people still collect them on their bookshelves.
What do you think?
Do you think this is a good idea to have a print version of Wikipedia? Why or why not? Keep in mind that we're only talking about the German version of Wikipedia, at least for now. Would you buy a copy if it came out in English? Leave a comment with your thoughts and become eligible to win a $30 Amazon gift card! Before commenting, be sure to read my simple contest rules. Comment on any post written this month (April 2008) and you have a chance to win!
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