Comments on: Learning to Write

By: Missy

Missy — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:32:06 +0000

Never too old! I was in my mid thirties when I started taking German and I’m still studying. Love it!

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:52:45 +0000

Missy, thanks for stopping by. I remember I always felt my English comprehension suffered while I was taking French in school. It took a little while to pull the words apart and determine meaning. I wonder if I’m too old to study a new language.

By: Missy

Missy — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:08:25 +0000

I think you touched on something that hinders many writers when you mentioned your native language. It wasn’t until I started studying a foreign language (German) that I truly started to understand English, my native language.

I’m excited to see someone following the path I chose. I didn’t start writing seriously until I was in my thirties.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:43:47 +0000

Barbara, I am so glad you were able to visit my little new home here. Your words always inspire and I’m glad to have some of them right here! I don’t know any of those authors. I don’t think I’ve ever read any flash fiction. The first story came to me as I was driving. It just hit me all at once, and I thought of using the word, “mirofiction” when I posted it. So I looked up the word and found there’s a genre and it suits me! I’m enjoying this little journey. Thank you for reading! I will check out those authors.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:23:09 +0000

How wonderful–how absolutely doggoned wonderful to watch you here weave your magic in words–these flash fictions conjure up characters, situations, moods, moments and predicaments. Each one pulls me right in and keeps me there. And makes me look forward to the next.

Do you know the short stories of Mary Gaitskill? Lydia Davis? Amy Hempell? The early stories of Jayne Ann Phillips? Junot Diaz’s collection, “Drown”? Might find some kindred spirits there.

And oh those teachers who almost wallop the storytelling out of us. In my storytelling work with rural communities I encounter person after person who left their creative selves back in seventh grade, or so they think. To help them open up to story and to storytelling is a blast, a gift, an honor.

You go girl.