Tag: writing

Writing Spaces

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I’ve mentioned the basic premise of my new writing project here and there, but let’s recap: I’ve wanted to create some kind of blog dedicated to writers and where they write. I wanted to do this because I feel like writing can get lonely sometimes, and it would be nice to have a place to share and connect our lonely corners. Ideally, I’d really like to see places and voices from all over. Well, I’m happy to say Writing Spaces is now all set up and open to submissions. If you think you might be interested, you can submit your space.

We’ve already had our first submission from Angela, which you can read on the blog. If you aren’t acquainted with her already, you’re missing out on some great writing.

See you soon. Until then, don’t die from a heat stroke.

Writing and Loneliness

Joseph Dante2 Comments

I’ve been extremely ill this past week or so. I could barely even talk. All I’ve been doing is watching DVDs in bed and trying my hardest to sleep the sickness away.

Fortunately, I’ve been doing a lot better lately. I’ve finished reading the newest issue of the Indiana Review, which I highly recommend. After entering their annual poetry contest this year, I’m going to be getting a few of their next issues. They publish some really fantastic writing.

In addition to working on some of my own writing and trying to find good homes for it, I’ve also been busy with my newest project: a blog that will focus on writers and the spaces they write in. It will be called (surprise!) Writing Spaces. I plan on asking for submissions soon. I’d really like to turn it into a cozy hub where writers can find each other and share some kind of community. This writing thing can get so lonely sometimes, and it’s nice to find new kindred spirits every once in a while. When I have it all set up, I’ll be sure to make a post about it here. And of course, you’ll be sure to contribute, right?

What else? Oh, I recently won a painting.

It was from a great video blogger named Stephanie. I’ve been following her adventures on Youtube for a while now. She graduated from my alma mater a year or two before I did and decided to leave Florida to teach in Japan (something a few fellow English majors I know have considered doing too). The painting itself doesn’t have a title, but I came up with the theme for it originally: loneliness. I guess I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.

New Additions, Ideas for Collaboration

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I’ve made a few minor changes to this blog, mostly just for the sake of convenience:

  • I’ve added a page for the carousels. You see see them all collected there in one place, as well as some of the other popular features I like to write about on here.
  • I’ve added another page for what I’m currently reading. People often ask me about the books I like, so I thought that would be appropriate to add as well. There’s also my Goodreads page, which I keep updated. I keep track of all the media I consume pretty obsessively. I guess I just like to be consciously aware of it all so that somewhat cogent thoughts may form later on and some writing may happen as a result.

I’ve also been mulling over some ideas for other writing blogs, but they haven’t really congealed quite yet. They’re probably going to be collaborative projects though, so I might be asking for some submissions and input. I really hope some of you will consider submitting after I figure out the details.

Have a good weekend!

Carousel #9

Joseph Dante8 Comments

  1. One of my old creative writing professors was named a Guggenheim fellow. Pretty fantastic. A friend of mine called my attention to it and we reminisced about our days in fiction workshop at the Biscayne Bay campus and our quick dinners at Taco Bell.
  2. Huh. Here’s something new I learned today: apparently, Emily Dickinson used to love to bake a lot. Here’s the original recipe for her coconut cake.
  3. About a month or so ago, I read Edith Wharton’s book called The Writing of Fiction, which gives her opinions on writers and advice on the writing process (from novels to short stories to genre fiction, like horror). Here’s her story, “Copy: A Dialogue,” which was published in Scribner’s Magazine in 1900.
  4. I recently watched Martin’s Scorsese’s documentary, Public Speaking, on the writer and social commentator Fran Lebowitz. Here’s a video clip of Lebowitz discussing the posterity of Jane Austen. I love the idea of how readers should view books as doors rather than mirrors.
  5. I don’t know about the readers of this blog, but I’m a largely introverted person. In fact, I’m probably the most introverted person I know. Ever since I was little, this has been treated as a huge issue in pretty much every facet of my life. Then along comes Susan Cain and her TED talk. She is the author of the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, which I plan on reading sometime hopefully this year (my to-read list is getting ridiculous again, of course). If you’re an introvert, you may find it reassuring to be reminded every once in a while that you shouldn’t feel ashamed of who you are.

Social Media Cleanse

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I’ve been taking a break from places like Tumblr and other social media in order to focus more on revising my writing and sending out pieces to literary journals. So if you feel like I’ve been going ghost for a while, now you know why. It’s funny because I don’t exactly miss these things when I leave them, but I still crave some conversation. Most of the time, I just wish it were in another form, and I have the feeling a lot of people feel the same way.

In the meantime, I’ve been experimenting with the setup of this blog. I’ve installed a new comments system, which seems more efficient. I was bothered by the fact that I couldn’t reply to people after a certain reply amount was reached. Hopefully this took care of that problem.

I’ve also started updating my little writing section. l’ll use it to keep track of my future publications as well, once more of my writing finds a good home.