/lit/ - Literature

Another tip is to not always rely on a negative frame of mind while writing. A lot of young writers try to be cynical and "beyond their years" when they are starting out and it is rather cliche.

Write from a positive part of your soul when starting out and it is fun and easy. You can save the dark brooding tales of life on the futuristic wasteland when your vocabulary and writing ability can match your ambition

>>2401991

Yes. It seems cliche but it does wonders for attaining or regaining the courage to write more ambitious works.

One very common tip I always give is to carry around a small notepad and pen and examine the world around you while in your daily life. I have written numerous stories with a lead based in some mundane activity in life such as a couple of older kids playing street hockey or an elderly janitor at a hockey rink for example.

>>2401975

When I was first starting I tried to stick with a setting that was close to my understanding. I grew up and live in a wonderful setting in Canada and it is full of "leads" I can pursue. Find your lead and writing will be very easy and fun. I try to stay away from issues I would have to research a lot right away until I have more experience with the subject.

Hey /lit/!

I want to pass on some information to Canadian writers and also offer and accept help from any fellow writers. Exile Quarterly is holding a competition for new or established Canadian authors for super prize money for a winning short story.

Here is the link:

http://www.exilequarterly.com/quarterly/5000-prize/

There is a grand prize of $3,000 and a second prize of $2,000. The deadline is next month so there is plenty of time to write something super. Margaret Atwood recommends Exile Quarterly and she and numerous other excellent writers have submitted work to the publication (including myself)

If anyone has any questions or tips about short story writing I can also try to help as much as possible. I also have numerous colleagues to provide a couple different points of view tonight

Pauline Holdstock, Into the Heart of the Country
Tom Rachman, The Imperfectionists
Dany Laferrière, The Return
Steven Galloway, The Cellist of Sarajevo
Vincent Lam, Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures

>>2387740

My word. Some of you people are just awful. All I was doing was trying to be pleasant and helpful around here. Well have fun without me

Polite sage

>>2387720

Well it seems more pertinent to /lit/ than a thread about tripcode users but I what do I know..

I am not certain if anyone recognized this day but it is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16914295

In celebration of this magnificent writer I submit some of his most recognized and excellent works:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1400/1400-h/1400-h.htm

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/98/98-h/98-h.htm

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/766/766-h/766-h.htm

My earliest memories of Dickens was my father reading a junior companion version of Oliver Twist. It is such a super read.

>>2387597

They are all full books!

>>2387590

More specifically, read the Ondaatje book. I am part way through it and it is blowing my mind.

If you are looking for something fun to get into and endlessly interesting I would recommend most of the nominees for the 2011 Giller Prize:

David Bezmozgis, The Free World
Clark Blaise, The Meagre Tarmac
Michael Christie, The Beggar's Garden
Lynn Coady, The Antagonist
Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers
Myrna Dey, Extensions
Esi Edugyan, Half-Blood Blues (really quite good)
Marina Endicott, The Little Shadows
Zsuzsi Gartner, Better Living Through Plastic Explosives
Genni Gunn, Solitaria
Pauline Holdstock, Into the Heart of the Country
Wayne Johnston, A World Elsewhere
Dany Laferrière, The Return
Suzette Mayr, Monoceros
Michael Ondaatje, The Cat's Table (life changing)
Guy Vanderhaeghe, A Good Man
Alexi Zentner, Touch


I am reading through most of them and they are almost guaranteed to spark your interest.

>>2387193

Esi Edugyan - Half-Blood Blues

>>2383332

The Bible (KJV), Divine Comedy and The republic (plus the collected works of Plato). There is enough thought provoking literature to last a while. But i am dunk so maybe my thoughts on this are skewed

>>2377468

I started using a trip because people were becoming discouraged by the "jerk" tripfags who ruin the board. I am just here to let people know that there are some helpful and pleasant fellows on /lit/ but I think people forgot my reasons.

>>2375179

This is the funnies thing I have ever seen.

With that being said I must object to this silliness. Leave these frivolous discussions to lesser boards

Polite sage

>>2374575

It is really more of a statement politely apologizing for saying something off topic.

And the last year of high school in Canada is meant to prepare everyone for university. I would also recommend teaching select sections of the Republic of Plato

>>2374542
>>2374535

Alright I think we are derailing from the true topic of the thread. If he says he read dozens of senior level books by the time he was in grade six then there is nothing anyone can do to disprove him. Please stop this silliness


Polite sage

>>2374476

Oh that makes sense. Sorry.

>>2374464

This is the wrong way to look at the issue I think. But I will not judge but rather leave you to it.

>>2374435

Back in my day we read the classics like Gatsby, Don Quixote and lots of Shakespeare in highschool as well as the Odyssey

You kids nowadays

It is not feasible to separate the religious aspects with committing suicide. The majority of the world still consider the taking of one's life with religious implications.

>>2374379

Gatsby because it is super
Various Shakespeare (hamlet etc)
Some Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale, etc)
Life of Pi

I will not stand for this silliness on /lit/

We are above this

Polite sage