Good Advice

"...Mastery is elusive.  For me, every story is a whole new set of problems, expressed in a whole new language, plus my glasses are out of prescription, and its raining.  So I am a very humble writer and a very humble reader, flinchy even." 

- George Saunders

I take such pleasure out of reading about writers' struggles with their craft.  It is undeniably reassuring.  Even if they are humble about their own success (ahem, Mr. Saunders), they invariably lead me to believe that wrestling and kvetching and avoiding the mess I've made of a page, I am doing just fine.  No, more than that, I am one of the fold, a fellow noble toiler, in with the in-crowd, practically a blood relation to Philip Roth.  And feeling as warm and loved as I did three screwdrivers into my high school reunion last weekend, I am also better at understanding their sage advice.   In the case of Mr. Saunders on Konundrum Engine, though, his is so clear, so clearly useful, too, I think I'm merely trying to justify my easily inflated ego. 

And if you haven't been to Konundrum Engine recently (it's listed under Literary Journals on CM, to your right), take some time to look about--Pitchaya Sudbanthad's interview with T.C. Boyle is cheeky and informative.  There are recipes that involve camels...need I say more? It's been there for some time, so read and/or reread.

Do the same for the barely-a-month-old KGB Bar magazine: KGB BarLit.  The venue that regularly brings booze and babbling bards together for everyone's benefit has put together an impressive  journal--I've enjoyed everything I've read thus far, especially Mary Phillips-Sandy's "No Kilts: Alan Bissett and Rodge Glass."  She writes, "As young Scottish writers living and working in Glasgow, Alan and Rodge spend a lot of time explaining Scottish writing to non-Scottish people."  There's every kind of word-arrangement you might be in the mood for: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, reviews, interviews, and of course, at KGB Bar, great events on the horizon.  I may have to cancel my plans to fluff my couch pillows and avoid my computer to see Drunken! Careening! Writers! on May 25.  You never know, I might feel flattered enough to learn something.

Comments

[ポロ]

湖南衛星テレビは、新しいプログラムファイル（投機、疑いを避けるために、私はプログラムの名前を言及しません）、ポロラルフローレン最初の段階を持って、私は長期的にゲストを招待したい、私は長い間、断ったが、他の非常に暖かく、誠実、特にリチウムをミスしています、非常に良かったと、私に触れ、私は面接のショーのゲストを実行すると約束した。