I was once jealous of the writer Nadine Gordimer. I was a young, struggling wife and mother ignoring my own writing. I also admired Nadine Gordimer for being a champion of ending apartheid ("apart hate") in her homeland, South Africa.
Nadine Gordimer, a white woman in a white-ruled society, fifteen years older than I, not only wrote. She, with her husband, lived the talk, sheltering ANC members and others being sought by police.
Years ago, as I grew up into my 40s, I knew enough to avoid jealousies. I did keep my childhood-founded anger toward racism, segregation, and systems like apartheid, the latter so intense in South Africa that blacks had to carry passbooks, into the 1980 or '90s.
Three coincidences (if you believe in those), prompt this post.
First, I watched "Mandela," the movie, on video on Saturday night. My husband and I visited Robben Island in the past and recognized the movie's scenes of above-ground mining the island's prisoners did. I wondered if a Nadine Gordimer role would be there, but the film kept a closer focus.
Then, late Monday night I caught an outstanding BBC "Hardtalk" interview with Nadine Gordimer.
Finally, this morning's Washington Post informed us of her death.
Today, I remember how Ms Gordimer spoke on BBC about writing and how I recognized what she said about the writer being in the scene yet being an observer. Whatever causes us as children to be on the fringes of action can build this skill of observation and analysis of situations.
As an opera singer has different vocal chords, Ms Gordimer said, the writer about injustice has a different something "in here," she said, indicating her sternum.
These coincidences give me pause and a positive warning. Any writer with a particular difference of perspective that relates to others' being treated humanely has an obligation to write about it, and this has come home to me again. .
I grew up in a small Southern town in the U.S., a town similar to the one in To Kill A Mockingbird, although maybe a bit larger and greener. I could read at a young age and by the time I was seven and noticed "Whites Only" signs I knew inherently that something was wrong. I did not think "wrong." I knew it. And, I knew it when I saw people of darker skin enter a different door at the movie theater.
I remember when a housekeeper told my mother that "No," she could not enter our front door, as my mother had asked her to do. "It will be bad for both of us if I do that," was the tense answer, which my mother accepted, with regret. The meat of the answer, fear of reprisals, stuck with me. Whether reprisals would have come, I sometimes wonder. Yet, I knew that there was a well-founded fear of them.
What used to happen sometimes when I would say "I love the South"--meaning the pace of life that used to be, freedom I had to walk anywhere as a child, and the food and music--is that hearers from other places would think immediately of segregation. I realized that because I heard the huffing noises they made.
In such cases, I immediately felt their sense of superiority and their judgment. Yet, I know, having lived in New York state and NYC, that racial prejudices exist everywhere; I heard hateful racist terms said by whites "up north" that I had never heard in the South.
Maybe you are called as a writer to write about difficult subjects that relate to you in strong, definite, clear, and longstanding ways. I hope you will find a way to write about those with your best skills and judgment. We cannot say everything every time. We will overload readers. However, we can say something using the pen, keyboard, and our blogs or other platforms.
For decades I have admired the work and life of Nadine Gordimer. I recommend much more about the life and work of Nadine Gordimer, available here. You can scroll down to watch the BBC "Hardtalk" interview.A link to a BBC radio commentary on the post-Mandela government.
OpineBooks.com's Author Support by Jean P. Purcell
Showing posts with label writer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writer. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Writer, Ride Down an Elevator and Propose
 |
| Elephant in the St. Louis Zoo (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
St. Louis Review carried Jennifer Brinker's (jbrinker@archstl.org) report about a writers conference focusing on proposals...for books. The adviser, a publicist, presented a visual picture that, as an editor, I know travels well:
"Think
of a ride down an elevator," Mary Brockgreitens said,
"You have about 10 seconds to tell people
what you do."
If you can imagine feeling like an elephant caught in an elevator, then you can imagine ( if you don't already know) what it feels like to see frustration in the eyes of those around you as you try to describe your book without preparing what to say in as few, dynamic words as possible. It takes on seconds for pressure to build. And this is true whether the listener is a friend, family member, neighbor, or book editor.
If you cannot say it in ten seconds or less, then...you're caught, pinched, in trouble with no clear way, or possible way, back...out.
This is why writing it down and memorizing it, being able to say it in your sleep, are essential for authors wanting to create the beginning interest for their book, whether oral presentation for the work or written, as in a book proposal.
"What's your book about?"
Are you ready to answer well and interestingly in the next 10 seconds?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Story-Writing_Getting Started on The Visitor
by Alec Powers
A few days ago, I finished the opening parts of The Visitor, a short story for Opinari Writers blog. After I promised a second installment, I began to work on it, continuing to write in the voice of an older woman.
The story has an outline. I have main characters, contexts, motivations, story-line, and a mystery behind the bizarre behavior of the visitor.
Now the challenge takes me toward readers while leaving them in the dark, putting some facts in the light of day. I do not intend to make solving the case too easy.
The main challenges of telling every story, whatever it's about, is building interest and suspense. It turns out that my story involves the Islands, England, Nordic heritage, to mention a few, but the location of the interactions does not change much.
For The Visitor, I don't intend to need shelves of research books. There will be some, but not intensive. I don't want to bog down in details. For now I've committed myself and will go forward.
You likely know what makes a story keep you glued to the pages if the subject can grab you.
Good-bye for now.
Copyright 2012 by Alec Powers
The story has an outline. I have main characters, contexts, motivations, story-line, and a mystery behind the bizarre behavior of the visitor.
Now the challenge takes me toward readers while leaving them in the dark, putting some facts in the light of day. I do not intend to make solving the case too easy.
The main challenges of telling every story, whatever it's about, is building interest and suspense. It turns out that my story involves the Islands, England, Nordic heritage, to mention a few, but the location of the interactions does not change much.
For The Visitor, I don't intend to need shelves of research books. There will be some, but not intensive. I don't want to bog down in details. For now I've committed myself and will go forward.
You likely know what makes a story keep you glued to the pages if the subject can grab you.
Good-bye for now.
Copyright 2012 by Alec Powers
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Christian Writers and Spiritual Needs
Image by Old Shoe Woman via Flickr--Christian group at church in Valdosta, GA, USA.by Jean Purcell
editor@opinebooks.com
Follow on Twitter @opinaripeople
Commentary
We destroy every
proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God... (2 Corinthians 10:5a-New Living Translation).
As I read from 2 Corinthians 10 this morning, I thought, "Believers face obstacles too," although the context was how to help others that seek God. You and I, as Christian writers, need reminders to destroy every proud obstacle, which is anything that prevents or tries to prevent us from knowing God. God helps us in our writing efforts if we seek Him, our dearest and wisest Guide:
When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek" (Psalm 27:8-NASB)
Many obstacles appear through that "terrible thing to waste," as a popular slogan says of the mind. The mind is fertile ground open to good or bad thoughts; the bad and negative ones make barriers to knowing God and to the whole-health mental life that comes from God.
As Christian authors, let's be aware of our thoughts, intentions, and actions. We are subject to the same kinds of temptations that Jesus faced. The disciples and others were, too; yet like us they lacked Jesus' perfection. John the Apostle said to acknowledge and confess our sins and to repent. This is required obedience (e.g., read 1 John).
Are we aware of proud obstacles? The psalmist prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-25).
Let us daily seek God in such a way, God who made us. Let us enjoy the writing work clear of obstacles, in the light and freedom of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Dear Lord, I offer deep thanksgivings and praises to You for Your salvation. Search my heart and my thoughts so that I may be with You day by day, nothing between us. Enable me to see, discern, and destroy every proud obstacle to knowing You. Amen.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Professional and Entrepreneur Networking for Writers and Authors
 Image by johnscotthaydon via Flickr |
| Facebook and Traffic |
by Jean Purcell
editor@opinebooks.com
Follow on Twitter @opinaripeople
Writers should think of themselves as professionals. I urge this, and also urge published writers to think of themselves as entrepreneurs or business people. Writing and publishing are professional areas that mix for every author. Most authors today need to be more than skilled, artistic, literary, knowledgeable, and creative. Conceptualizing, planning, and writing (full of multiple layers of skills) are followed by interpersonal matters, like dealing with editors, publishers, and...the public.
Many if not most writers not only love but prefer communication via written and/or taped or videoed words. Shy or introverted writers tend to deliver the best flow and ease with words and thoughts on paper, screen/monitor, or behind a video camera...at home, of course, or in the privacy of an office...or a public podium.
As a mentor and publisher, I have met many interesting and talented writers through this digital world we inhabit. E-mails were the beginning, and an e-mail-delivered newsletter I started for writers and for Opine Publishing, Opinari Newsletter now known as Opinari Quarterly. Now, add blogs and text messages.
Writers have contacted me about works in progress, and their personalities and talents have amazed, pleased, challenged, entertained, and informed me. Their backgrounds cover a broad spectrum from parents full time, to nursing, teaching, and even astro-science (I don't even know the correct terms for those who work on U. S. space projects!). Each person leaves an indelible place in my memory, all good. It is a way to continue learning, even while helping or consulting. I love this work!
Here are some ideas for those of you ready to think "business" regarding your book or books, whether already published or under publishers' consideration. I placed years by each, and I think all have good ideas to choose from, or at least experiment with, for your professional networking:
Twitter.com - Sign up or add names you intend to follow; publish blog post links on Twitter
12 Ways to Use Facebook Professionally (2007)
How To: Use Facebook for Professional Networking (2009)
32 Ways to Use Facebook for Business (2009)
How to Use Facebook Professionally and for Marketing (2010)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
I LOVE WHAT I DO WITH AUTHORS AND BOOKS
What better job is there for a book lover?
And, Wow! What is "dumped" can be "recycled." It is not "trash," but is material better used somewhere else. I want always to help writers save all of their work that is good, whether or not it works for the book they send to me.
I love what I do to develop books, which means working with authors. Every product has a person behind it, and I get to analyze authors' work, respectfully. I analyze, edit, and help shape the writing as a concept. What more could I ask for, as a writing mentor, than to help shape the writer's concept so that it reaches readers in a form that is accessible, interesting, entertaining, and meaningful?
Here are the basics I recommend, and see if these apply to you: You need, of course, outstanding grammar and composition skills of the language. BUT...you also need something indefinable, something you are almost born with or have developed unintentionally. It is the something that helps you "judge" the writing, the feel of it, the voice of the writer, and what to strengthen in all of that, to reach readers that will love and appreciate the work. This analytical set of skills tells you what works and what does not. If you have this "sense," then by all means treasure, develop, and refine it. Above all, use it.
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