The Closet Nerd Network: Reading with Intent

Too bad I'm reading books mostly about strong women characters and the story I'm writing is about a not so strong man. However I have learned a lot lately from things I've read. Some notes on things I've read in the past weeks:

Oathblood by Mercedes Lackey
-She had a very poignant way of opening the novel and setting everything up by showing it through the point of view of a bird. I think I want to show to trip to his mother's house from the point of view of his pony but to spice it up a bit.

Mordant's Need (The Mirror of her Dreams and A Man Rides Through) by Stephen Donaldson
-He had this amazing way of characterizing/describing peripheral characters. Every time he used to same metaphor or even one specific word but it never got redundant. Like the word phlegmatic to describe a soldier. It was great. So I want to think about the characters in my stories the same way. It gives them instant and memorable characterization but doesn't take away from the main characters at all.
-Also Donaldson did a great job of having distinct themes that were continued through the whole duo logy. And he used them in a lot of different ways. I really want to incorporate this into my writing too. I had come up with something for the Merlin story while walking across campus but now I can't remember what it was. Damn, it'll come back to me if it was important I guess.

Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson
-I've read a lot of her other books too. the 8 parts series about the Cheysuli. Each novel is SO long but I never get bored. She's a great writer so I want to reread the stuff I have read by her and read new stuff like the book I'm reading now that's about Mady Marian. It's a recreation of the Robin Hood myth and so far I can't put it down.
-Since she too is taking well-known characters and writing a new or improved I guess story about them I want to learn from what she's doing.
-One thing I do know so far is that she did her research on the topic of Robin Hood. So I'm going to try and do more research on Merlin.

Writer's Quote of the Day:
"The reconstruction of popular myth carries with it the burden of preconception and expection;"
-Jennifer Roberson

Theme Song

She's writing, she's writing,
She's writing a novel.
She's writing, she's weaving,
Conceiving a plot.
It quickens, it thickens.
You can't put it down now.
It takes you, it shakes you,
It makes you lose your thought.
But you're caught in your own glory.
You are believing your own stories.
Writing your own headlines.
Ignoring your own deadlines.
But now you've gotta write them all again.

You think she's an open book,
But you don't know which page to turn to, do you?
You think she's an open book,
But you don't know which page to turn to, do you?
Do you? Do you?

You want her, confront her.
Just open your window.
Unbolt it, unlock it,
Unfasten your latch.
You want it, confront it.
Just open your window.
All you really have to do is ask.

But you're caught in your own glory.
You are believing your own stories.
Timing your contractions.
Inventing small contraptions
That roll across your polished hardwood floors.

You think she's an open book,
But you don't know which page to turn to, do you?
You think she's an open book,
But you don't know which page to turn to, do you?
Do you? Do you?

You think she's an open book,
But you don't know which page to turn to, do you?
Do you? Do you? Do you?
(Open Book by Cake)

The Closet Nerd Network

Reading with Intent

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