This is my 100th post! I can't believe it! No, really. If you've been popping by for any amount of time, you know how sporadic my blogging has been. BUT, reaching this milestone proves to me that I can do this! And I want do, dear blog friends. I value each and every one of you (even those who are visiting for the first time). That may sound cliche for a blogger to say, but I mean it :D
Now then; about that title. Many of you have heard of and probably read Natalie Goldberg's amazing book Writing Down the Bones. If you haven't, hop aboard an air ship or harness up that narwhal and get thee to a bookstore NOW! Her books are mesmerizing and encouraging. They are raw and open and honest and remind me why I'm doing this day in, day out. Why I'm writing.
The title of this particular book of hers has always struck me. How does one write bones? Is she talking about a murder mystery? Or perhaps a remake of Frankenstein? If you ask me, it's more of an architectural manual. Bones are your support system. Without them, we'd inhabit a planet of jellyfish. While we'd all be more flexible and excel at Olympic level yoga, we'd have no support. No structure. No shape. There' be nothing there to keep our organs in the proper place or to keep our skin from running off during a particularly heavy rain storm.
The bones of your story are what makes it shape, shift, and merge into the story you see in your mind. We all see our completed story before it is completed. I can't tell you how many times I've envisioned my book, enfleshed, hard cover, my signature on the inside page, Tim Burton calling to make the film adaptation. Without the bones, however, there will never be a book. I love the skin, the make up, the stitching of eyes and ears and fingers and toes. The bones? Bah! No one sees those. You know what I'm taking about: the hours and years and reams of paper of research and backstory that no one will see until you've been dead fifty years and it all gets auctioned off to rabid fans for charity.
But those bones are necessary. They're what makes the skin weaving possible. While you're going about your day, getting those new year's goals all shiny and ready to go, think about the bones of your story. What is supporting your tale? What is allowing you to tell it? After I finish this *&#%$)(-ing math project, I'll be doing that myself!
Write fearless my friends!
Jen
PS: I almost forgot! I've decided to comment on comments (heh) in the comment section instead of email. I hope this doesn't inconvenience anyone. Feel free to email me if you want and of course I'll respond! But as for basic comments, they'll be responded to in the lovely comment section. xo
Good Wednesday to you!! First of all, allow me to toot my own horn for a moment:
This is my 100th post! I can't believe it! No, really. If you've been popping by for any amount of time, you know how sporadic my blogging has been. BUT, reaching this milestone proves to me that I can do this! And I want do, dear blog friends. I value each and every one of you (even those who are visiting for the first time). That may sound cliche for a blogger to say, but I mean it :D
Now then; about that title. Many of you have heard of and probably read Natalie Goldberg's amazing book Writing Down the Bones. If you haven't, hop aboard an air ship or harness up that narwhal and get thee to a bookstore NOW! Her books are mesmerizing and encouraging. They are raw and open and honest and remind me why I'm doing this day in, day out. Why I'm writing.
The title of this particular book of hers has always struck me. How does one write bones? Is she talking about a murder mystery? Or perhaps a remake of Frankenstein? If you ask me, it's more of an architectural manual. Bones are your support system. Without them, we'd inhabit a planet of jellyfish. While we'd all be more flexible and excel at Olympic level yoga, we'd have no support. No structure. No shape. There' be nothing there to keep our organs in the proper place or to keep our skin from running off during a particularly heavy rain storm.
The bones of your story are what makes it shape, shift, and merge into the story you see in your mind. We all see our completed story before it is completed. I can't tell you how many times I've envisioned my book, enfleshed, hard cover, my signature on the inside page, Tim Burton calling to make the film adaptation. Without the bones, however, there will never be a book. I love the skin, the make up, the stitching of eyes and ears and fingers and toes. The bones? Bah! No one sees those. You know what I'm taking about: the hours and years and reams of paper of research and backstory that no one will see until you've been dead fifty years and it all gets auctioned off to rabid fans for charity.
But those bones are necessary. They're what makes the skin weaving possible. While you're going about your day, getting those new year's goals all shiny and ready to go, think about the bones of your story. What is supporting your tale? What is allowing you to tell it? After I finish this *&#%$)(-ing math project, I'll be doing that myself!
Write fearless my friends!
Jen
PS: I almost forgot! I've decided to comment on comments (heh) in the comment section instead of email. I hope this doesn't inconvenience anyone. Feel free to email me if you want and of course I'll respond! But as for basic comments, they'll be responded to in the lovely comment section. xo
This is my 100th post! I can't believe it! No, really. If you've been popping by for any amount of time, you know how sporadic my blogging has been. BUT, reaching this milestone proves to me that I can do this! And I want do, dear blog friends. I value each and every one of you (even those who are visiting for the first time). That may sound cliche for a blogger to say, but I mean it :D
Now then; about that title. Many of you have heard of and probably read Natalie Goldberg's amazing book Writing Down the Bones. If you haven't, hop aboard an air ship or harness up that narwhal and get thee to a bookstore NOW! Her books are mesmerizing and encouraging. They are raw and open and honest and remind me why I'm doing this day in, day out. Why I'm writing.
The title of this particular book of hers has always struck me. How does one write bones? Is she talking about a murder mystery? Or perhaps a remake of Frankenstein? If you ask me, it's more of an architectural manual. Bones are your support system. Without them, we'd inhabit a planet of jellyfish. While we'd all be more flexible and excel at Olympic level yoga, we'd have no support. No structure. No shape. There' be nothing there to keep our organs in the proper place or to keep our skin from running off during a particularly heavy rain storm.
The bones of your story are what makes it shape, shift, and merge into the story you see in your mind. We all see our completed story before it is completed. I can't tell you how many times I've envisioned my book, enfleshed, hard cover, my signature on the inside page, Tim Burton calling to make the film adaptation. Without the bones, however, there will never be a book. I love the skin, the make up, the stitching of eyes and ears and fingers and toes. The bones? Bah! No one sees those. You know what I'm taking about: the hours and years and reams of paper of research and backstory that no one will see until you've been dead fifty years and it all gets auctioned off to rabid fans for charity.
But those bones are necessary. They're what makes the skin weaving possible. While you're going about your day, getting those new year's goals all shiny and ready to go, think about the bones of your story. What is supporting your tale? What is allowing you to tell it? After I finish this *&#%$)(-ing math project, I'll be doing that myself!
Write fearless my friends!
Jen
PS: I almost forgot! I've decided to comment on comments (heh) in the comment section instead of email. I hope this doesn't inconvenience anyone. Feel free to email me if you want and of course I'll respond! But as for basic comments, they'll be responded to in the lovely comment section. xo 
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