Inspiration from Sara Bareilles

One of the most haunting songs I use when writing is from Sara Bareilles called "City." I first love the song because of the emotion she throws into the lyrics. It's a desperate plea, and that comes through. It is also one of my favorites because I often find myself restless. I don't like what I have accomplished so far in my life: longing for a new city, a new job, a new path. My dreams have not been achieved yet and my impatience is telling me that this is not acceptable, no matter the progress I've made. Yet the song is also a reminder of how the world can easily take advantage and lead someone astray...try to change them. I love this song because she longs for someone to ground her, to help her not lose herself or her life. She wants to find rest, something I also desire for.

"City"

There's a harvest each saturday night
At the bars filled with perfume and hitching a ride
A place you can stand for one night and get gone
It's clear this conversation ain't' doing a thing
Cause these boys only listen to me when i sing
And i don't feel like singing tonight
All the same songs

Here in these deep city lights
Girl could get lost tonight
I'm finding every reason to be gone
Nothing here to hold on to
Could i hold you?

The situation's always the same
You got your wolves in their clothes whispering Hollywood's name
Stealing gold from the silver they see
But it's not me

Here in these deep city lights
Girl could get lost tonight
I'm finding every reason to be gone
There's nothing here to hold on to
Could i hold you?

Calling out somebody save me i feel like i'm fading away
Am i gone?
Calling out somebody save me i feel like i'm fading

In these deep city lights
Girl could get lost tonight
I'm finding every reason to be gone
There's nothing here to hold on to
Could i hold on to you?

The Toughest Part about Writing

As I am writing through my fifth novel, I have come to an understanding that there are two things that make finishing a novel hard.

1. Finding the time. I imagine maybe bestselling writers who write full time do not have this issue, but I do. I also hear this from a lot of writers I know. Life is demanding. I have complained about it on this blog many times. For me, the creation is not hard. Yes, I get stuck sometimes. Yes, I have to fight with my characters to figure out what story they want to tell. But, I must be crazy, because I enjoy that. My trouble is finding the time to sit down with my characters and record their movements. Certain times of year are worse than others. August and May are bad because I teach. School is kicking back up in August and ending in May. Both are stressful for their own reasons. Another bad month is December. The holiday season and the end of the first semester of school make for a disastrous writing atmosphere. I look forward to the summer, when I have more time. But, as I have said before, it is also important to make time, even when it feels impossible.

2. Having the confidence to continue. This business is tough. I often wonder if one of these days a rejection letter will come and that will be the one to finally break my spirit. It hasn't happened yet...mainly because I am just as stubborn as my father. I go through cycles. I can drive forward seeing only the good and the passion in my work. Then I will go through spells where I dip into darkness, seeing only what I perceive is the flaws in my writing and the mounting rejections from magazines and agents. In these times, I, of course, don't always look at the present, but the entire group as a whole. I try to remember that many people write...and of them a whole lot are really good. Doesn't mean I'm not. I am just competing for attention, and, for someone who prefers to be alone sometimes, that is hard. I have to maintain the confidence in myself and my work. I have to remember that life is a roller coaster and I am along for the ride.

I wish life can be like the story's I write. It is a lot easier to create circumstances and manipulate people's reactions for the sake of the plot. Most of all, it is great knowing the ending as I plough through. But, I guess that would make life no fun. The excitement is in the ride. I just have to remember my love of writing and try not to let the outside factors push me down.

The World on His Shoulders: Atlas

One mythical character I can definitely relate to this time a year is Atlas. He is the god who holds the world on his shoulders. All the pictures of him depict a man who looks like a body builder, the world stretching from one shoulder to the other and towering above him. I think many people can relate to his burden. My chiropractor told me last week that he sees people walking in, shoulders sagging. He believes they are physically weighed down by other people’s opinions. We don’t carry the world, but we carry the pressure of fitting in and being accepted.

May has always been a tough month for me. In school, it was the month leading into final exams. Most exams were high stakes, the ultimate determining factor summarizing my entire semester. Now, as a teacher, May has become the month of deadlines. Everything is coming to a close at a quickened pace. We power through with the promise of a relaxing summer. I can feel the weight of the world on those days.

I wonder if that is how the story of Atlas came to be. Sure, part of it came from the question, how does the world stay in the air? But, I imagine it has deeper meaning than just explaining physics. We are all Atlas at times, straining against the world. The challenge in life is to rise, lift the weight like it is nothing more than a beach ball. Or perhaps we need to toss it aside completely and just enjoy life.

Monday's Quote

The most popular quote on my facebook page is a funny classic: "Do not meddle with the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."

This, of course, is a take off J.R.R. Tolkien's famous quotes "Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger."

I think the funniest quotes come from famous lines. Happy Monday everyone!

want more quotes? Follow me on Twitter: @WriterBJKurtz

How to Get Through Classic Literature

Going through school, I enjoyed reading the “classics,” but I did become an English major. Sure, some were torture. I, for one, have read Frankenstein more times than I would like to count…although reading it through an “identity” perspective—an argument that Frankenstein and his monster were one in the same character—was the most interesting. The language creates the challenge. They may be cutting edge in their time period, but so much has changed. Today, the publishing world emphasizes action with a balance between description and dialogue. Jane Austin is mainly dialogue, which was valued in her time period. Others like Heart of Darkness are about the beauty of language and sentence structure.

One classic I still remember reading is Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I was a sophomore in high school. I hated it; called it boring. That is, until we had to interview someone from the great depression for a corresponding paper. I interview my dad’s client, a kid during the time. He actually described his parents packing everything they own into a truck and moving around to find work. He brought the story to life. From then on, the book was easier to get through and one of my favorites. I think the ability to relate is another problem people have with the classics.

My favorite classics so far are Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and The Crucible. I think what made The Crucible fun were the class discussions. I loved the movie adaptation of Pygmalion—My Fair Lady. Another movie adaptation I liked better was the 1995 version of Othello with Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh playing Iago. His acting ability stole the show.

However, I find great value in my classic’s background. I feel it adds an edge to my plots. If I only read today’s work, then I feel I would be too prone to mimic what is already out there, blending in with other writers competing for the spotlight. The plot structure of the classics is vastly different. Not to mention, they took risks in I just don’t see that often today. With that being said, I don’t think anyone should mimic their prose.

I find reading classics is too hard now that I’m not in school. I need the “requirement” feel to help my motivation, especially since I read mainly suspense and fantasy novels. For this reason, I love when movies come out. I’m currently reading The Great Gatsby because I saw the movie trailer. It gives me a hard deadline, just like a class. Plus, it gives me the joy of seeing the novel on the big screen. Last year, I did the same with Emma. The year before was The Three Musketeers…although I’m not sure what book they were following for this newest adaptation—flying ships, not in the book! I have found myself thoroughly enjoying the novels I have experienced as a result. I would recommend this method to any wishing to encounter the jewels hidden in classic literature.

The Parthenon

A few years ago, I visited the Parthenon...okay, not the real one. I am a broke teacher and can't afford that trip, although that is on my bucket list! No, this one was in a park in Tennessee. We didn't get to go inside, but the outside was pretty amazing. If you are ever near Nashville, I highly recommend going to see it. Oh, and those two tiny people at the front are my parents. :)

How Classic Literature Can Enrich Writing

I was watching an interview with a writer once...I wish I could remember who it was...where he said his background in classic literature helped his writing style. This stuck with me because I remember someone saying I have a very "Greek tragedy" quality about my writing. I always respond that's because I read a lot of Greek tragedy's in high school: Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Julius Caesar, Antigone. Yes, they are mainly Shakespeare, but that's most of the required reading throughout high school nowadays.

I think there is value in the classics. Are they hard to get through? Yes. Are there things about them that are outdated as far as writing style? Yes. But when looking at the plot, I feel a writer can learn a lot from their structure. Today’s works seem about the action and romance. I do believe this is important so my writing stays current. But I love books that have the gut dropping surprise at the end. Classics, especially tragedies, are about pushing the boundaries of status-quo. Romeo and Juliet kills off their main characters. That’s a huge no, no in today’s publishing world…and yet maybe killing off one is a possibility. The Hunger Games has a lot of tragedy in the series, none more shocking than the last book. She had a handle on what would rip at the reader’s emotions.
Readers want to be inspired. They want to be touched in some way. Classics seem focused on this. I feel it is important to have a broad range of reading. Only then can piece together what works in each to help strengthen my own genre. The trick is plowing through the tough language to get to the meat of what makes a classic good.