Comments for Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Comment on “Christmas,” Out of Print by Melissa (Betty and Boo's Mommy)

Melissa (Betty and Boo's Mommy) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:22:11 +0000

A wonderful Christmas story … thanks for sharing this with us.

Comment on Words to Remember Amid the Madding Crowd by Bernard S. Jansen

Bernard S. Jansen — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:25:27 +0000

Couldn’t agree more. It’s not called the silly-season for nothing. We should all reserve the right not to be silly too.

Comment on About Me by Andria

Andria — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:05:08 +0000

This is brilliant – how a novel is born and the processes it goes through. I’ve never thought of doing this but now I’m going to. I didn’t keep track with my last novel, and it irks me somewhat that I have no record, no notes even, about how it came into being and how I ‘followed it’. I can also see it would be helpful in driving the process… just by giving it this kind of attention keeps it uppermost in the mind (or should I say, churning around in the unconscious!)
Thank you for writing your thoughts.
Andria

Comment on What Chekhov Can Teach Us about Endings by Julie Maloney

Julie Maloney — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:50:36 +0000

This is a wonderful post. Keep them coming. I love them all. Julie

Comment on Q&A with Graphic Designer Julie Metz: Judging a Book by its Cover, Part 2 by QandA with graphic designer Julie Metz: Judging a book by its cover | Part 2 « Design in Mind

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:13:51 +0000

[...] View source article… [...]

Comment on Q&A with Graphic Designer Julie Metz: Judging a Book by its Cover, Part 1 by Q&A with graphic designer Julie Metz: Judging a book by its cover | Part 1 « Design in Mind

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:01:11 +0000

[...] View source article… [...]

Comment on Quick Links: They Like Us, They Really Like Us!* by Allison Fine

Allison Fine — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:34:09 +0000

Your blog is great, Christina! I love your openness to learning the lingo of geekdom, too! Now about Twitter….

Happy holidays,

Allison

Comment on Virginia in My Mind by Michael Welsh

Michael Welsh — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:20:31 +0000

I love that idea. Especially the idea of someone else making dinner, washing the sheets, and leaving you alone to write. Great image. I need to find a place like that.

Mike

Comment on Virginia in My Mind by The Zadge

The Zadge — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:42:06 +0000

I know just what you mean – Was there three weeks ago visiting the alma mater. Charlottesville is just a special place!

Comment on What Makes a Book Great? A Voracious Reader Shares Her Insights by lara

lara — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:04:49 +0000

what a neat project. oh how I wish I could commit to reading a book each day.

there is so much to be afraid of as a writer – first and foremost being the response we might get when someone reads the words that came from our hearts. I think once you can overcome that fear and just write, you will be able to tell the truth as only you can tell it and have a true connection with those who read your words and experience the story you had to share.

Comment on Quick Links: They Like Us, They Really Like Us!* by Lisa Romeo

Lisa Romeo — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:06:12 +0000

Yup, we like you. Really.

Comment on Learning From the Masters by Quick Links: They Like Us, They Really Like Us!* « Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:56:12 +0000

[...] and ideas on the interplay of art, gastronomy, and culture,” Lori Gordon discusses a recent quote on this blog from the French cubist painter Andre Lhote. “Bridging art and writing,” Gordon [...]

Comment on Q&A with Graphic Designer Julie Metz: Judging a Book by its Cover, Part 1 by Quick Links: Sites that Like Us, They Really Like Us!* « Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:27:58 +0000

[...] In a list of “Five New Literary Blogs to Follow,” First Person Plural – the official blog of The Writer’s Center, a DC-based “independent literary organization with a global reach” – includes A Writing Year, specifically citing Louise DeSalvo’’s Why Having Kids is No Excuse, Chad Taylor’s Why Writers Should Care About Twitter, and my Q&A with Julie Metz on designing books, Judging a Book by its Cover. [...]

Comment on Guest Post: Chad Taylor on Why Writers Should Care about Twitter by Quick Links: Sites that Like Us, They Really Like Us!* « Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:17:21 +0000

[...] specifically citing Louise DeSalvo’’s Why Having Kids is No Excuse, Chad Taylor’s Why Writers Should Care About Twitter, and my Q&A with Julie Metz on designing books, Judging a Book by its [...]

Comment on Guest Blog: Laura Schenone on Writing About the Past by Quick Links: Sites that Like Us, They Really Like Us!* « Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:16:15 +0000

[...] In “Must-Read Writing Articles,” Write It Sideways – a site offering some very good advice about writing – mentions two recent posts on this blog, Under the Influence and Laura Schenone’s Writing About the Past. [...]

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by Quick Links: Sites that Like Us, They Really Like Us!* « Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:31:08 +0000

[...] reach” – includes A Writing Year, specifically citing Louise DeSalvo’’s Why Having Kids is No Excuse, Chad Taylor’s Why Writers Should Care About Twitter, and my Q&A with Julie Metz on [...]

Comment on Under the Influence by Quick Links: Sites that Like Us, They Really Like Us!* « Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:30:48 +0000

[...] a site offering some very good advice about writing – mentions two recent posts on this blog, Under the Influence and Laura Schenone’s Writing About the [...]

Comment on Learning From the Masters by Spontaneity According to The Cubist: Andre Lhote « Art and Degrees of Freedom

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:14:26 +0000

[...] of the novelist-bloggers that I follow, Christina Baker Kline, posted a quote by Andre Lhote (1923) that to me gets at the heart of writing (because that’s the [...]

Comment on What Makes a Book Great? A Voracious Reader Shares Her Insights by Caroline Augenblick

Caroline Augenblick — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:39:21 +0000

Christina,

I also saw this article about Sankovitch in The New York Times when it was first published. I love your interpretation of what Sankovitch came to understand here regarding honesty and fear and letting go, in your blog. I enjoyed reading this blog post very much. I can tell you that you have shown me something very liberating about reading and writing that brings new meaning to my perspective. Thank you very much.

Be well and happy holidays to you and your family!

Comment on What Makes a Book Great? A Voracious Reader Shares Her Insights by Lea

Lea — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:52:37 +0000

Yes it takes a lot of confidence and expressions to be a real writer. There should be no fear when you’re imposing an idea to your readers.

Comment on What Makes a Book Great? A Voracious Reader Shares Her Insights by Bernard S. Jansen

Bernard S. Jansen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:44:40 +0000

Very good article. Thank you.

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by Five Ways To Feel More Legitimate As A Writer « RealDelia

Five Ways To Feel More Legitimate As A Writer « RealDelia — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:08:53 +0000

[...] Call Your Writing Work. As memoirist Louise De Salvo wrote recently in a memorable post about how to find time to write when you have kids, it’s essential that you always call your [...]

Comment on Under the Influence by Must-Read Writing Articles 5/12/09

Must-Read Writing Articles 5/12/09 — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:36:18 +0000

[...] Under the Influence, by Christina Baker Kline for Christina Baker Kline: A Writing Life [...]

Comment on Publication Day for Bird in Hand by Hands Nails

Hands Nails — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:03:13 +0000

Congratulations, i have just got my copy and have made some me time to get reading this evening.

Comment on BIRD IN HAND by Hands Nails

Hands Nails — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:58:36 +0000

Informative post, can’t say i agree with all of it but i think you’re shooting in the right direction. Keep up the good work. Pleasure to read as always!

Comment on Quick Link: A Book that Inspired a Family Ritual by bakerkline

bakerkline — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:50:38 +0000

Thanks, C.M.! I’ll link to it!

Comment on Quick Link: A Book that Inspired a Family Ritual by C.M. Mayo

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:53:19 +0000

Really lovely essay, Christina. It put me in the mood for Christmas!

P.S. Your blog is recommended today (by Yrs Truly, the guest-blogger) over at the Writer’s Center’s blog, FIRST PERSON PLURAL. Here’s the link: http://thewriterscenter.blogspot.com/2009/12/cm-mayo-recommends-five-new-literary.html

Comment on Guest Blog: Laura Schenone on Writing About the Past by Maria

Maria — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:28:03 +0000

This is so very helpful…it moves me to think about going to the places and listening to the voices of the “ghosts”…thank you!

Comment on Guest Blog: Laura Schenone on Writing About the Past by Nancy Brook

Nancy Brook — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:53:49 +0000

Helpful with specifics. BTW, I love the name of your book, Laura!

Comment on Under the Influence by bakerkline

bakerkline — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:30:13 +0000

Many of the pieces on this blog are about nonfiction writing, actually — I’ve asked many memoirists and essayists to contribute, and I write and teach nonfiction as well. The new post by Laura Schenone, for example, is all about gathering inspiration for (and avoiding the pitfalls of) nonfiction writing …

Comment on Under the Influence by Bernard S. Jansen

Bernard S. Jansen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:05:57 +0000

Thanks for sharing this. I find it a fascinating and amazing process: how notes, pictures and ideas eventually form, through a process, into a published novel. This little retrospective sheds light on that, and is therefore inspiring to those of us that are still at that “notes and pictures” stage.

Comment on Guest Blog: Laura Schenone on Writing About the Past by Rebecca Tolley-Stokes

Rebecca Tolley-Stokes — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:15:51 +0000

Laura, thanks for such thoughtful tips. I enjoyed reading about your approach to writing.

Comment on Guest Blog: Laura Schenone on Writing About the Past by Pamela Redmond Satran

Pamela Redmond Satran — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:10:38 +0000

This is wonderful, Laura. Excellent advice. Thank you.

Comment on Under the Influence by CV Harquail

CV Harquail — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:25:29 +0000

Christina, I’m really enjoying these ideas about gathering inspiration for (fiction) writing, and I’m wondering– do you have some thoughts about how this might apply to non-fiction writing? Direct application, analogues, other? Would (selfishly) love your insights. cvh

Comment on Guest Blog: Lisa Romeo Adds Her Two Cents to the Writer-as-Parent Manifesto by Must-Read Writing Articles Nov.21

Must-Read Writing Articles Nov.21 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:37:34 +0000

[...] The Writer-as-Parent Manifesto, Lisa Romeo for A Writing Life [...]

Comment on Guest Blog: Essayist Maureen Stanton on Why Insight is the Last Thing to Come by Bonnie Friedman

Bonnie Friedman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:11:16 +0000

So incredibly useful! Thank you. Am going to print this out for my own students! This is the best blog (and your novel, Christina, is KNOCKING ME OUT!!!!! I’m at the part where I have to read very slowly to make it last. How do you know so much about life, Christina?)

Comment on Guest Blog: Essayist Maureen Stanton on Why Insight is the Last Thing to Come by Lisa Romeo

Lisa Romeo — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:49:58 +0000

She really nails something important in her last line —
“It can take years to learn how an experience has sculpted me, to tell the story, to locate its pulsing heart.”

This is so true, and often, so very hard to accept — that we can’t really write a great essay about what happened last week or month or sometimes even last year.

I’m often surprised, when I finally do decide to write a particular essay, to open a file and see that my scratched out notes on little slips of paper are SO old (I tend to stick a date on everything). Can it really be that long ago that this happened, and that I first started to think about writing of it?

Great post – thanks.

Comment on Priming the Pump by Kim

Kim — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:04:14 +0000

This is a great post. And so poignant. Sometimes we have to prime the pump. I never thought about turning elsewhere for inspiration before. That’s a good idea.

Comment on Priming the Pump by Pamela Redmond Satran

Pamela Redmond Satran — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:40:53 +0000

Perfect Monday morning blog! I too often turn to facebook, slate, my horoscope, which fills the time but doesn’t really get me writing.

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by jaytee

jaytee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:56:22 +0000

yes, yes, and more yes! i always felt bad for not being the “i gave up my life for my child” type of mother until I realized that I wouldn’t want my child giving up his life for anyone else, so why should I! this post is a comfort.

Comment on Quick Link: 5 Quotes that Influenced the Writing of a Novel by Bonnie Friedman

Bonnie Friedman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:09:48 +0000

Adored this post. So very useful and thought-provoking, and inspiring. Thank you.

Comment on Guest Blog: Lisa Romeo Adds Her Two Cents to the Writer-as-Parent Manifesto by Tracy Herrick

Tracy Herrick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:17:50 +0000

Oh, how I relate to this! Once again, you could easily swap out the word “writing” for “singing” and these wise words of advice would apply. It IS work… not a hobby, not for fun (although hopefully the end result will be enjoyable to others!).
And now I’ll listen to last line – what am I still doing here?? -and get back to work!

Comment on Only Commit by Phil M.

Phil M. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:57:33 +0000

Thanks for the advice, Christina. Coincidentally, today I came across a website advertising writing software for budding novelists. Could this be a tool that helps a greenhorn get started (and overcome the pitiful excuses for not making a commitment). What’s your view about this kind of software? Can it help make the writing task less onerous by organising story ideas, plots and characters?

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by Jon Bard

Jon Bard — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:24:21 +0000

Great post — as a parent and work at home writer I nodded my way through the entire piece. Just tweeted this to my list!

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by laura Schenone

laura Schenone — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:29:25 +0000

A wonderful true post. Yes there is sacrifice in motherhood. But sacrificing your whole life and soul is a bad model to give your kids. Brava Louise for going against the tide. I’d say more. But I’d better go now and get back to work.

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by bakerkline

bakerkline — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:25:10 +0000

Julie, I laughed out loud at this. I’m looking forward to the comments on this post, for sure!

Comment on Guest Blog: Louise DeSalvo on Why Having Kids is No Excuse by Julie Maloney

Julie Maloney — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:23:36 +0000

Perfect Rules! My 3 children grew up with a mother (me) who was dancing and choregraphing in NYC. I brought them with me to drop off press releases to the Village Voice, pick up studio keys to lofts all over the city, and find locations before GPS. Now when they c ome home, we sit around the kitchen table and laugh hysterically at the way we all managed. The best: My son at age 11 calls me from school. It’s snowing like mad outside. Gorgeous big flakes. “Where are you, Mom?” “I’m home. Why?” “Everyone’s been picked up…but me. The principal made me call.” “Why?” I ask. “Because it’s snowing…what are you doing?” “I’m reading,” I replied.

Comment on Only Commit by bakerkline

bakerkline — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:22:09 +0000

I wrote this post because so many students (and others) have talked to me about exactly this issue. It’s so hard to know how and when to commit to an idea, particularly if you have many! I think it has to come down to following your gut. Which idea do you think about most? Which one keeps you up at night? Which one do you find yourself constantly adding to (even if only in your head)? Remember that you can always return to the other ideas — and that putting them aside now may give them a much-needed chance to marinate.

Comment on Only Commit by C.M. Mayo

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:16:33 +0000

Hilarious photo, indeed!

Comment on Only Commit by bakerkline

bakerkline — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:10:44 +0000

I found it on the internet … isn’t it hilarious?