For us moviegoers who were in the vanguard (arguably 1945 – 1955) of the babyboomer generation, it seemed that Montreal was overflowing with movie theatres.
Memoir
Hey, Writers: Stop Your Freakin’ Whining
This post by fellow blogger Larry Kahaner deserves to be shared. It’s all too easy for many of us to fall into despair. Here’s a wake-up call that may be tough – but worthwhile – to hear.
Ellie
Hey, Writers: Stop Your Freakin’ Whining
By Larry Kahaner
Most of my working life, I’ve been a non-fiction writer. I’ve penned over 15 books some with my name and some I’ve ghosted. I know a lot of non-fiction writers. They’re my friends and colleagues.
Don’t be like this writer.
When I decided to write a novel, USA, Inc., which was just published, (shameless plug) I started hobnobbing with fiction authors, some established but mostly newbies like me. In fact, I started this blog to help me move from non-fiction to fiction. I hope I’ve helped others do the same, because many non-fiction writing traits, habits and experience are transferable.
Right off the bat, though, I noticed that fiction writers are different than non-fiction writers — and not in a good way.
They are a bunch of whiney-babies.
They complain about money. They grumble about how the work is difficult…
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I wanna be a kid again!
Winter’s here in Montreal! Who loves winter the most? Kids! Why is that? No snow tires to buy. No icy roads to dread. No shoveling to do. So what’s left? Play!
The Value of Joining a Writing Group
This is an excellent piece, and is true for both newbies and experienced writers. Other people’s eyes on our work can be so darn helpful!
by Kyle Massa
Just the other day, I finished a first draft of a piece I was working on and thought to myself, This is pretty darn good. I brought that piece to my writing group a week later, and after fifteen minutes of critiquing, I was reminded of this fact:
The first draft is never, ever good enough.
Little reminders like this are why writing groups are so valuable. Writing alone and never sharing anything with anyone works for some people, but if you want to write professionally, that’s not really an option. Somebody’s going to read your work, whether that be family members, beta readers, or your editor. And, as solitary as writing can be, sometimes it’s nice to get some outside input.
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60 years: Then and Now
Things sure were different in 1956.
Place Ville Marie: Icon of the 60s
It’s a good thing there are people with vision. Otherwise, Montreal would still have a giant pit as part of its central train hub, smack-dab in the middle of downtown. Instead, by 1962 we were given this:
Spots
It’s getting to be that time of year when we tend to get sick more often, which reminded me of this piece I wrote last winter. Soon I will get my flu shot, and in fact I just got the shingles shot this past week, thanks to my son and daughter who helped me financially to get it – it costs $225! Once again, here is “Spots” – hope it doesn’t make you too itchy! 😀
It’s winter. It’s a time of snow, it’s a time of sleet. It’s a time of ice, it’s a time of… sickness!
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She shoots! She scores!
The thing I remember most about our living-room on Decarie Boulevard when I was about five years old – well, aside from the time a fruit drop got stuck in my throat and I couldn’t swallow until it melted enough to slide down – was playing hockey with my big brother in it.
Greece: Episode Three – How to steal a stroller
I’ve written about our Greek sojourn before, in Meanwhile, Back in Greece and Greece: Episode Two – I knocked harder. Now I must tell you about the Great Stroller Steal of the Century.
Different
Montreal, 1955, a couple of weeks before Christmas: It was the first time I was aware of how different I was from my friends.
