Recently, I’ve been writing about Thoreau and Oliver and how they remind me to pay attention to the world. There’s magic to be found in the ordinary world, even if we don't always take the time to recognize it. We walk through our days surrounded by small but still remarkable things: the way the afternoon … Continue reading The Art of Noticing: Why Writers Should Pay Attention to Ordinary Things
literary life
From My Commonplace Book: Mary Oliver on the Wonder of Being Alive
I recently watched the documentary about poet Mary Oliver on PBS–Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World. Oliver's poetry, like Thoreau’s essays, is an invitation to pay attention. She writes about ordinary things, like nature, animals, walking, water, weather, silence, and yet her poems are never ordinary. Birds, fields, even a walk through … Continue reading From My Commonplace Book: Mary Oliver on the Wonder of Being Alive
How To Make Writing Feel Magical Again
One of the things I love about being a writer is taking control of my research and learning what I need to learn to write my stories. I love creating my own personal curriculum as well as my own commonplace books where I store what I've learned. Sometimes as writers, we need to do whatever … Continue reading How To Make Writing Feel Magical Again