Yeah, WordPress did that “Year in Review” thing for me. And yay, stats and numbers and math and that tired old Sydney Opera House comparison. The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 17,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, itContinue reading “2014 in review”
Category Archives: writing
Why I teach writing
One of my students from this past fall emailed me over the break and asked me a question: What is your favorite thing about teaching writing classes? I love this question, especially as I’m in the midst of (re)designing my winter syllabi, because it makes me stop and think about what I’m really after, whyContinue reading “Why I teach writing”
How a writing retreat becomes a writing life
Writing is work. And I’ve been working damned hard for a long time to realize that. I mean that verb, realize, in the transitive sense: to bring into being, to make this my reality. So it’s always a bit artificial, really, to go on a “writing retreat,” because that makes it seem that I’m withdrawing from theContinue reading “How a writing retreat becomes a writing life”
A Hagridden Christmas village?
My wife called this “an odd sort of Christmas village.” Back in March 2013, when I was in Louisiana on my research trip (thanks again to the Literary Arts and the Oregon Literary Fellowship that made that possible), I spent some time touring historic villages to get a sense of the buildings and town lifeContinue reading “A Hagridden Christmas village?”
The first short story I ever wrote
I was in ninth grade. I was taking home-ec because I wanted to learn to cook, but we weren’t always in the kitchens — often, our class sat in desks and did bookwork, which I tended to get through quickly. So home-ec soon became my daydreaming time, and so I could look busy, I took toContinue reading “The first short story I ever wrote”
Winter writing retreat, day 9
Okay, so I haven’t actually done a lot of writing today. I certainly intended to, but this morning I got an email notice that some books I’d put on hold at the library had arrived, so I went to pick them up and they’re an absolute TROVE! So it’s been more of a “reading retreat.”Continue reading “Winter writing retreat, day 9”
Winter writing retreat, day 8
Today is going to be another late-writing day. Which is fine — there’s a reason my mother cross-stitched this for me a few years ago: So I’m up for it. But I’m running late because today has been an on-again/off-again writing day, not much of a “retreat” at all. I’m off the novel at the moment,Continue reading “Winter writing retreat, day 8”
Winter writing retreat, day 7
Today has been a light day, folks, but that’s okay. Seventh days are traditionally restful days anyway, and this has certainly been restful! (I slept late, AND I got a massage!) Besides, it’s the solstice, so I’m celebrating the holiday by chilling out. Happy Yule, everyone! That doesn’t mean I haven’t done any work, ofContinue reading “Winter writing retreat, day 7”
Winter writing retreat, day 6
Today has been a quiet, rainy day (rainy even by Portland standards), which has been perfect for getting work done. It’s so quiet and cozy that I even came out of my study to write on the couch while my wife blogged beside me and the cats curled up nearby. Which is to say, IContinue reading “Winter writing retreat, day 6”
Winter writing retreat, day 5
Here I am blogging before I’m even finished writing, but today that’s because I’m enjoying a FULL day of writing and it’s not over yet. (My wife is entertaining company this evening, so I get to retreat to my study all night if I want to. Seriously: one of the most important things to any successful homeContinue reading “Winter writing retreat, day 5”
Samuel Snoek-Brown 