READ EVERYTHING

Claire,
I liked the giggle at the end.
Nice job.

Very informative. I've never had that happen to me, personally (my inspiration is usually pretty obscure), but I have heard of many authors that get their inspiration this way. :)

I loved this video. I wish I had been there to listen to your whole workshop. I am reading Summer Blowout even now. Well, not at this moment but I am reading it so I can write a review.

Thanks for the advice on this video. ;o)

Claire, I was at that talk at the Scituate LIbrary. I can see the back of my head. teehee
You always inspire. Thank you!!

Dottie,

I'm so glad you're here! And next time, I'll make sure you're front and center in the video! So, talk about your writing life -- what are you working on and where are you in the process? Let's get this conversation going!!!

Janet,

Thanks! I like the laughter at the end, too! Always the best part of any event!

Sammie,

I think we all have to take our inspiration any way we can get it! And stay tuned -- there will be more videos and articles coming soon!

Wanda,

Thanks -- I'm glad you enjoyed it! There will be more workshop clips coming up, and I'll be doing several live workshops on my Summer Blowout book tour, too.

So glad you're one of the Summer Blowout reviewers. Thanks! I can't wait to read what you write!

Claire,
Thanks for asking. I've been freelancing for South Shore Living and Cape Cod magazines. I've also been working on my memoir about my first year as a young widow with small children. I read alot of memoir and enjoy reading about other people's lives. Do you read memoirs? And if you do, which ones have you enjoyed?
Happy writing, Dottie

Dottie,

Good for you! I love those mags, and that sounds like it will be a wonderful memoir. I tend to read more fiction than memoir, maybe because that's what I write, so I'm sure you have better suggestions than I do. Especially since I happen to know you're also a bookseller! What memoirs have you read recently that you loved? Anybody else out there have suggestions? I know there are some great ones over at www.everywomansvoice.com, too!

Hi Claire,
Some good memoirs I've read lately are: "I'm Here If You Need Me." by Kate Braestrup (from NH). She is also a widow and she writes about her decision to become a minister for the game wardens in NH. "Come Back" by Mia and Claire Fontaine, a story of Mia's descent into drugs and how her mother brought her back. Told from each of their viewpoints. Sometimes dark but very inspirational. One of my favorites is by Joan Didion, "A Year of Magical Thinking." Another widow story but much more than that, it chronicles their loving relationship and their dedication to their daughter who was in a coma. Sounds terribly sad to describe but it is so beautifully written and the lpove is palpable. I consider these reads research for my book. :-)
I'd love to hear some recommendations. Always looking for a good memoir. I'll check out www.everywomansvoice.com too!! Thanks Claire!

I'll see you at your Pipeline Salon event. I'm also tempted to go to the Front Street event too. Both sound fabulous! And I love supporting the independent bookstores AND You!!

Best to you,
Dottie

Dottie,

These are all great suggestions -- I read "A Year of Magical Thinking" and loved it. Also, of course, "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Truth and Beauty" and "Late Bloomers' Revolution." And I'm looking forward to reading "The Second Journey" and "Designated Daughter" when I'm on the road for book tour. Plus, a whole bunch of novels!

By the way, I think we're in a quiet little corner here! I just realized this video is also on here as an article, so there's not a lot of traffic. Maybe we should move this conversation to another one of my articles? Or, better yet, what if you start a new topic and publish an article called "Read Any Good Memoirs Lately?" And maybe even see if there are other Gather members working on memoirs? And then leave a message here, so we'll know where to find it.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Pipeline event! They'll both be a blast -- so come to both if you can!! Thanks for all your support, Dottie!

I am reading about a dozen books for my romance and other manuscripts. I hit a dead spot and delved into reading. MUCH better and you are absolutely RIGHT.

Kathryn,

Reading really helps, doesn't it?

That is great advice! I think the instinct in some of us is to stop reading other authors' books when we are in the process of writing our own for fear of accidentally incorporating something we read into something we write (there has been a lot of flack about that happening in recent times, hasn't there?). But I think it's a good way of getting ourselves out of a hole at times - by analyzing how other writers got from point A to point D in their stories. Personally, I am a voracious reader, whether or not I'm working on anything of my own at the moment. I live for books!

Claire, this is a great video! You have some very good and informative ideas. Thanks!!! =0)

I've always felt that I drag things out too long for the time span. After reading a book recently that did the same thing, I felt much better about it.

Thanks for sharing!