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Wendy

Simcha-Sophie

a lovely mishmash of opinions interspersed with moments of clarity and vision by a vegan lesbian feminist mystery-loving, history-loving reader and writer.

 

Currently reading

The More I Owe You: A Novel
Michael Sledge
The Lifelong Activist: How to Change the World without Losing Your Way
Hillary Rettig
Queer Ecologies: Sex, Nature, Politics, Desire
Catriolina Mortimer-Sandilands, Bruce Erickson
Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America (Between Men--Between Women)
Lillian Faderman
The Healing Earth
Philip Sutton Chard
Revolt and Crisis in Greece: Between a Present Yet to Pass and a Future Still to Come
Dimitris Dalakoglou, Antonis Vradis

Writing Begins with the Breath: Embodying Your Authentic Voice

Writing Begins with the Breath: Embodying Your Authentic Voice - Laraine Herring Herring calls this book a process book rather than a craft book. I haven't read many craft books until recently -- have read 3 within the last 2 months -- and this is by far the best. Encompassing ideas of yoga, Herring offers writing exercises that allow the writer to explore her inner life as well as her writing, both the overall process and the specifics, such as plot, character development, etc. This book helps me feel that my writing is important, even if it never sees the pages of a magazine or a publisher. The focus on process and understanding oneself is refreshing and helpful.

The one part I disliked is the section where Herring suggests creating a relationship with your writing, as in making it a character in your life. I thought this a bit extreme for me; I prefer Jeff Davis' idea of meeting one's muse and creating a relationship with them.

Overall, though, this book has been a huge help for me in my writing journey.