Tag Archives: Reading

Writers Should Read

The Classics

By Annette Rey

You probably have seen the movies made from these great works written over a century ago  – Sleepy Hollow (1819) by Washington Irving, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde (1886) by Robert L. Stevenson, The Cask of Amontillado (1846) by Edgar A. Poe and many more.

We are so spoiled! I mean, we live in this fast-paced society and movies are faster to digest than the time it takes to read the original novel. So movies do perform a service. They save us time.

But, has that spoiling done us some harm?

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Appreciate the Master Writers

G. K. Chesterton

By Annette Rey

Who hasn’t heard of The Invisible Man (created by H. G. Wells)? He’s right up there with The Mummy, Dracula, and Frankenstein. He’s part of all the old, original “spook movies”. They existed long before the genre of Horror Movies and Slash Movies, blood for blood’s sake. But we often forget, our original “monsters” were first born in written stories.

I say all of this to introduce you to G. K. Chesterton, who wrote a short Father Brown story he titled The Invisible Man. It’s a strange tale about a type of invisibility and worth reading to examine the writing style. When you can learn to write like he did, Wow!, you’ll be up there with the masters.

Read this marvelous first paragraph from The Invisible Man and learn how to enrapture readers!

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Alan Bradley Books

Books for Readers and Writers

By Annette Rey

I know it’s not possible to know everything, but I think it’s a shame a lifetime can go by and a person can miss so much. I only just came across this author who has been writing for decades. And I wouldn’t have found him except for a fluke (see my post Writers, Go to Your Library).

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A Helpful Site for Writers

A Wealth of Information

By Annette Rey

Don’t let this site intimidate you. I say this because on first glance you might be insulted and say, “This is not for me. I’m an adult. This is for children.” And I say, no this site is great for adult writers to use.

Let me explain.

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Dissatisfied Writers Living Conflicted Lives, Part I

Self Matters by Dr. Phil McGraw – NOT a book review

By Annette Rey

If you don’t like Dr. Phil, and it’s my experience people either love him or hate him, don’t stop reading. If you are a writer, these comments can help you.

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Words Have Weight

Some People Are Oblivious

By Annette Rey

Words have as much weight and substance as any tangible object because, after hearing them, they anchor every act we are about to take. Among many other reasons to communicate, words direct, request, demand, insinuate, insult, compliment, plead, and dress our lives with beauty. Yet there are some who don’t give words a thought.

So how can we benefit from the communication of people who throw words around like they are so much fluff, and simply noise in the wind?

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Sometimes, Just Enjoy Words

Reading Should be Fun

By Annette Rey

I wrote a post on creating imaginative words and plugging them into your writing. In the process, I mentioned Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky where the author did just that. To treat myself again to that frabulous writing, I read the poem online. Besides loving it all over again, what else I found sort of disturbed me.

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Quings and Krongs

Create Imaginative Words

By Annette Rey

Quings and Krongs – those words came naturally to my lips. I call my pets those names when they act silly, like cringing when I fluff a plastic bag, or flinching at a leaf blowing across their paths. These are substitute words, lovingly composed, but with particular meaning.

When I do this, I am reminded of the writings of Lewis Carroll.

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