RIP Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Here's a site dedicated to Vonnegut; note that his official website is now taken down, so check Wikipedia's entry for more.

I got to hear him read here at KU back when I was a grad student. I was so pleased to have even that glancing acquaintance.

So sad. Even his worst books tower over much of what gets published.

Chris

RIP Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Here's a site dedicated to Vonnegut; note that his official website is now taken down, so check Wikipedia's entry for more.

I got to hear him read here at KU back when I was a grad student. I was so pleased to have even that glancing acquaintance.

So sad. Even his worst books tower over much of what gets published.

Chris

front-yard wildlife update

Tiny baby squirrel eating yard strawberries! Oooh, they're so cute when they're brand-new! And still free of scars from the neighborhood cats.

Chris

front-yard wildlife update

Tiny baby squirrel eating yard strawberries! Oooh, they're so cute when they're brand-new! And still free of scars from the neighborhood cats.

Chris

Kurt Vonnegut's writing advice

This is grand. Passing on from scarlettina:

Some writing advice by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. on the subject of short stories from Bagombo Snuff Box:

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.

2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.

4. Every sentence must do one of two things -- reveal character or advance the action.

5. Start as close to the end as possible.

6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them -- in order that the reader may see what they are made of.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.

Best,
Chris

Kurt Vonnegut's writing advice

This is grand. Passing on from scarlettina:

Some writing advice by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. on the subject of short stories from Bagombo Snuff Box:

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.

2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.

4. Every sentence must do one of two things -- reveal character or advance the action.

5. Start as close to the end as possible.

6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them -- in order that the reader may see what they are made of.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.

Best,
Chris