So, we have met all of our authors but one. Who is your favorite so far? Why was he or she your favorite?
It is very difficult for me to pick, but I am going to say either Melinda Snodgrass or Kate Horsley. I probably enjoyed Kate Horsley's short stories more than anything else that we have read, and I tried to apply some of her advice to my own writing (for the creative project, specifically). I also really liked Melinda Snodgrass. Although her book was not one of my favorites (I have read a lot of urban fantasy, so it wasn't that interesting to me), I really felt like she was inspiring and interesting. Also, I love Star Trek and I watched some of the episodes that she wrote, and I was very impressed. She said that she thinks any kind of writing is good for you, and I found that inspiring coming from a successful writer. Not that I needed permission to write what I write or anything, but it was nice to hear her say it! So many people are condescending when they learn that you write certain things.
My favorite author so far of the ones we have met and read would have to be Kate Horsly. I particularly enjoyed her takes on life and humanity. I have yet to read her short stories again but those stories went straight to my core. One of the great things about X&O was that when I read it the first time it was great but after meeting Kate Horsly and discussing the meanings with the rest of you during class I had more insight to her stories. Kate Horsly was really spiritual without straight out saying that she was and she gave off a wonderful aura. I also, like Anna, enjoyed how she was so open to all types of writing and encouraging in that sense. All in all, that day I left class feeling more inspired than any other.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite by far is Daniel Abraham. Whenever I see him speak, I end up with two or three pages of advice that not only I can apply to my writing, but I can spread to my writing group. I think his stories--short or long (even the very long)--are well thought out. They both entertain me and make me think about how the story relates to my life. He is very encouraging to new writers; I loved that he wanted to know what and why we write. Not only did he encourage us to keep at it, but he gave really good advice on how to turn writing into a career.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite authors have been Daniel Abraham and Melinda Snodgrass. This is for a few reasons.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, and most obviously, but also the least relevant, is that they both write in my favorite genre – scifi/fantasy.
Secondly they both were really friendly and funny. I found myself really paying attention to what they were saying because of the way they said it. I’m going to be honest here and say that I found myself drifting off during the talks for a couple of the other authors (I won’t say who…) It wasn’t necessarily that they were boring, but that they just weren’t as good at public speaking maybe, or that they had done so many public talks about their works, that it seemed rehearsed. Either way, both Daniel and Melinda were really dynamic, funny and interesting.
Thirdly, they were both very inspiring to me. When Daniel Abraham asked us what and why we write, and I didn’t have an answer, I felt like my entire life changed (seriously). I have been really asking myself this question over and over and over. I have not yet reached a conclusion, but I believe this is because I am just starting. Melinda was inspiring to me because she has done so much. She has experimented and branched off into different genres. I tend to get bored easily, so if I can do different things, then I feel like I will never get bored. Daniel also said similar things. Having another pseudonym can save you when your career falls out from below you, which, as Daniel said, will inevitably happen.
All of the authors we have met have changed my view of writing professionally, but Daniel Abraham and Melinda Snodgrass have excited me and made me more passionate about writing that I have ever been before.
I have a feeling Anne Hillerman will also become one of my favorites too by the way, but I wait until after we meet her to say for sure :-)
My two favorites were Kate Horsley and Daniel Abraham.
ReplyDeleteI liked Kate Horsley because her stories were so fascinating and thought-provoking, made even more so by the true elements from her life that had influenced them. She was extremely honest and straight-foward about who she was, what her style was, and how it worked for her.
I liked Daniel Abraham because again, he was very honest and up-front, but in his own funnier, more approachable way. He also gave really good advice. I'm not a writer, but my mom is, and I wish she'd been able to attend his talk in the forum. I tried condensing his talk for her afterwards, but it just wasn't the same.
Horsley and Abraham wrote my two favorite stories of this semester, "Marla in Empty Space" and "The Cambist and Lord Iron." Like others have said, both authors also seemed very natural and unrehearsed in their talks, and even though I'm sure they've done that kind of thing dozens of times, it didn't feel like it, because I was paying full, 100% wide-awake attention the entire time to both of their talks.
First, I think I need to define favorite because I have different kinds of favorite. I liked all of them but in different ways. My favorite author, in terms of their writing, is Daniel Abraham. He writes the types of stories I enjoy reading. I loved his short stories and I am looking forward to reading some of his other work during winter break. I think what I really like about his writing is that he is just a good story teller. He makes his characters so real and easy to identify with, even the villains. Daniel Abraham also has good endings to his stories. He doesn’t leave the reader hanging or upset with the way the story ends but he does leave it open for interpretation. That is a skill many writers wish they had.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite author in terms of getting to talk to and know has been Kate Horsley. Like you Summer and Anna, I really liked that spiritual aura she had. I enjoyed watching her read to us about personal events in her life. She was just so real and that appealed to me. I don’t know if I would read other works by her but I would certainly go watch her read at another event. She was just my favorite to see in person and get to talk to.
Hands down, Kate Horsley! Her stories were very different and incredibly unexpected. What made them more enjoyable was the fact that they were short stories, so we had shorter time to "digest" the plot, get to know a little bit about the characters, enjoy the "scene" Kate provided for us, and be easily engaged.
ReplyDeleteNext on the list would be Daniel Abraham. If anything, his short stories were even MORE enjoyable and much more to the point (less random) than Kate's, but what turned me off to his works was the fact that he does everything "for money, what else??" On second thought, I would list Daniel as my #1, and Kate as my #2, but they were both equally enjoyable, it's hard to pick! I think this just goes to show that it's not what you write about, but how you engage your audience. So one could easily write a work of science fiction or a screenplay and still have the audience's full, undivided attention.
That is a good question Anna. I think my two favorite authors would be Kate Horsley and Daniel Abraham, but for different reasons. I really enjoyed Kate Horsley’s short works and how each story brought out different emotions, ideas about this crazy thing we call life. As everybody else said, she is very honest and open about her work and she has this sense of calm, spiritual aurora around her that lets her understand and accept the good and bad things that happen in life. You can clearly see this in her writing. I also like the different ranges of topic she writes about from troubled childhoods, to questioning life, and then to absurd theatre.
ReplyDeleteMy second favorite would be Daniel Abraham. I enjoyed the short work we read, because it had to do with economics and the idea that economics can be turned into a fairy tale is really exciting to me. Meeting him was a great treat. He is a funny relaxed guy and is honest on how to write and how to be a successful writer. I think also he was the only author that interacted with at least every student in the class. He had something personal to say or comment about to us. I could be wrong, but I know he told me a really good play I should read and it was actually the first absurd play that I have read and enjoyed when I was in high school.