“A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility”, by Taner Akcam

Pg. 376

Despite the numerous historical examples that could be presented for both of these positions, what is important is how Turkish society perceived “human rights” and “democracy” in this context. Because the Great Powers used these terms to legitimize the most obvious colonial moves, Turks began to view both notions as “Western hypocrisy.” Beyond the specific historical reasons, the fundamental problems that lay behind the failure to bring the perpetrators of the Armenian genocide to justice persist to this day. If it is not possible to draw a clear line of division between humanitarian goals, on the one hand, and a state’s economic and political interests, on the other, then how are we to come to a consensus about ethical norms? And on what legal and theoretical grounds shall we justify international interventions? These questions remain unanswered.

“The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile”, by Noah Lukeman

Pg. 11

Most people are against books on writing on principle. So am I. It’s ridiculous to set down rules when it comes to art. Most of the truly great artists have broken all the rules, and this is precisely what has made them great. What would have become of Beethoven’s music if he’d chased rules instead of inspiration? Of van Gogh’s paintings?

There are no rules to assure great writing, but there are ways to avoid bad writing. This, simply, is the focus of this book: to learn how to identify and avoid bad writing. We all fall prey to it, to different degrees, even the greatest writers, even in the midst of their greatest works. By scrutinizing the following examples of what not to do, you will learn to spot these ailments in your own writing; by working with the solutions and exercises, you may, over time, bridge the gap and come to a realization of what to do. These is no guarantee that you will come to this realization, but if you do, at least it will be your own. Because ultimately, the only person who can teach you about writing is yourself.

“Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia”, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Pg. 143

Every religion in the world has had a subset of devotees who seek a direct, transcendent experience with God, excusing themselves from fundamentalist scriptural or dogmatic study in order to personally encounter the divine. The interesting thing about these mystics is that, when they describe their experiences, they all end up describing exactly the same occurrence. Generally, their union with God occurs in a meditative state, and is delivered through an energy source that fills the entire body with euphoric, electric light. The Japanese call this energy ki, the Chinese Buddhists call it chi, the Balinese call it taksu, the Christians call it The Holy Spirit, the Kalahari Bushmen call it n/um (their holy men describe it as a snakelike power that ascends the spine and blows a hole in the head through which the gods then enter). The Islamic Sufi poets called that God-energy “The Beloved,” and wrote devotional poems to it. The Australian aborigines describe a serpent in the sky that descends into the medicine man and gives him intense, other-worldly powers. In the Jewish tradition of Kabbalah this union with the divine is said to occur through stages of spiritual ascension, with energy that runs the spine along a series of invisible meridians.

“How to Grow a Novel: The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make and How to Overcome Them”, by Sol Stein

Pg. 4

What is it then that the reader wants?

The reader of fiction may welcome insight and information, yes, but is primarily seeking an experience different from and greater than his or her everyday experiences in life. When a child claps its hands with joy at the promise of being read a story, the child is anticipating pleasure, an experience that excites its imagination and is unlike the child’s daily routines. Children treasure their books. The sight of those books reflects the memory of experiences that were full of wonder.

“Heretics of Dune”, by Frank Herbert

Pg. 279

This is the awe-inspiring universe of magic: There are no atoms, only waves and motions all around. Here, you discard all belief in barriers to understanding. You put aside understanding itself. This universe cannot be seen, cannot be heard, cannot be detected in any way by fixed perceptions. It is the ultimate void where no preordained screens occur upon which forms may be projected. You have only one awareness here — the screen of the magi: Imagination! Here, you learn what it is to be human. You are a creator of order, of beautiful shapes and systems, an organizer of chaos.

–The Atreides Manifesto, Bene Gesserit Archives

“The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography”, by Sidney Poitier

Pg. 127

When you’re addressing power, don’t expect it to crumble willingly. If you’re going to say, “Hey now, look you guys, please look at what you did and look at yourselves and punish yourselves and at least try to square this thing, right?” — well, you’ll make even slower progress at that than you would expect. I mean, even the most modest expectations are going to be unfulfilled…

There are also people who say, “Hey, after thirty years of affirmative action, they’ve got it made. Black people — it’s their own fault if they can’t make it today.”

Yeah, well, of course they say that. And they say it not just about black people. They say it in every country. We did something for you people, whoever “you” are. And we think that’s quite enough now.

That’s the gist of it: we’ve done something, and we think it’s enough. It may not be perfect, but it damn sure comes close to being okay. Now let us hear you applaud that for a little while. And thank us. And you can take that hat off your head when you come in here thanking us.

That’s the way it is. But let’s not get stuck there. We have miles to go before we sleep. We have lots to do, and some things just aren’t going to get done, you know?

“You’re Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop: Scalzi on Writing”, by John Scalzi

Pg. 187

The most important thing the move taught me was simply this: There is always another way. What is required is the will to confront change from without and roll with it so it becomes change from within… There is always another way. Remember that when your own challenges and changes show up and try to knock you back on your ass. Maybe they will knock you on your ass, but it’s up to you how long you stay sprawled out.

Thoughts:

Well worth reading. Several funny moments where I actually laughed out loud. Contains useful, practical advice about writing, especially for those who strive to make a real living off of it and have no qualms about doing uninspired work.

“Beyond the Writers’ Workshop: New Ways to Write Creative Nonfiction”, by Carol Bly

Pg. xxii

Writers must do the hard psychological work of recognizing that some things are not “just the way life is, I guess” but actually evil — whereas other things are neither “just the way life is, I guess” nor evil, but remarkably beautiful or remarkably just — worth praising… A writer has to do the hard psychological work of living with terrific mood swings… That’s logical enough, since the people who don’t experience terrific mood swings are people who figure everything’s more or less just the way it is… Writers do the hard psychological work of forming their opinions as resolutely as they can, while knowing at the same time that they may be totally mistaken.

Thoughts:

The first 3 chapters and chapter 6 of this book were wonderful. The rest seemed superfluous and a solid 5 chapters out of 12 focus on how to teach creative writing, which didn’t seem at all useful for people who are writers and not teachers.

“Beginnings, Middles and Ends: How to get your stories off to a roaring start, keep them tight and crisp throughout, and end them with a wallop”, by Nancy Kress

Pg. 2

Learning about writing won’t help you write better unless you actually apply what you learn to a story in progress — just as learning about the ideal golf swing won’t improve your score unless you actually practice on the links. There’s no substitute for practice. The Mariana Trench doesn’t get crossed by discussing it.

Nor will this book help you improve the quality of the story in your head. That vision comes from everything about you: your experiences, your imagination, your beliefs about the world, your powers of perception, your interests, your sophistication, your previous reading, your soul. Vision, sometimes called talent, is not a teachable attribute.

What is teachable, and what this book can help you with, is craft. Craft is the process of getting the story in your head onto the page in a form that readers can follow, and remain interested in, and enjoy.

“The Acorn People”, by Ron Jones

Pg. 62

Why can’t life be like this? Human beings in all their magnificence. Working to find that moment of pride. That one second of excellence at being alive. Hearing our singular voice held in harmony by the voices of those we love. The feeling of belonging not just to oneself but to the entire universe.