Welcome to my new office, my desk in the new library, a 5 minute bike ride from home.
Seriously? I’m knocking on wood all over the goddamned place.
I’m still off the WiFi map — I am! — but in the meantime here’s a quote for you and for me from our very own Kurt Vonnegut. The Paris Review Interviews, Vol. I” — page 195.
I would tell students to make their characters want something right away — even if it’s only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time. One of my students wrote a story about a nun who got a pice of dental floss stuck between her lower left molars, and who couldn’t get it out all day long. I thought that was wonderful.
Here’s to dental floss.
Teri Carter's Library 
I love that Vonnegut quote. In fact I use it often when I’m teaching to help students understand that whatever else we believe about ourselves, we are still basically creatures of desire.
Oh, what a view! So glad you’ve settled in to some digs–on and off the page.
I too have always adored that quote. In my mind, it is probably the most pervasive tip I use as I write to constantly remind myself of a novel’s crucial momentum. The need/want doesn’t have to be earth-shattering (the floss dilemma is nothing short of brilliant)–that’s our job as writers, to make even the smallest desire urgent and ripe with suspense.
I don’t suppose they allow huggable, furry writing pals to sleep under that desk?
Now I have the strong urge to floss. I am seriously distracted by this.
On the plus side — look at your view! Lucky, lucky.
I was thinking the same thing. About flossing and the view.
What I wouldn’t give for a view like that. My seat at the library looks onto a blank wall!
Enjoy yourself, my friend.
(Are those headphones? I was thinking of treating myself to something like that, do you like them?)
Noise Canceling Headphones. Can’t live without them.
Bose?
Yes. I wasted my money on 2 cheaper brands but they don’t do the job. Bose is worth the money.
Thank you! I’m going to spring for a pair, it’ll be my FTF reward.
I can’t wait to tell you in person what I think of your new office.
Thursday. I get off at five and will drive over to where you are. I repeat – Can’t wait!
Wait? Did I miss something? Lisa, you got some ‘splaining to do.
Teri is going to be very near my office in Atlanta on her way somewhere else. We’re finally going to get together!
You will love ever minute of her.
Agreed!
Your new library gets better and better. That view is inspiring.
Do those windows open? I can almost feel the breeze from here.
On a completely different note, last night was my book club where we discussed The Sense of an Ending. To be clear, I totally missed the core of the book. It took 7 women talking about it to discover that. We all agreed that the ending of that torn page from the diary read, “If Tony hadn’t of… gotten involved, I never would have met the woman of my dreams.” For sure, Mr. Barnes gets the lifetime achievement award for messing with his audience. What a smart cookie.
Can’t wait to re-read it to see what I missed.
What do you think about the whole Book Club thing, MSB? Me, I’m about to bow out, I think. Not sure I’m the right kind of reader for a club of any kind….. I don’t know, my book club also met this week and I’m leaning heavily on the other side of the fence lately. Which says more, obviously, about me than the club.
Yeah, I get that. For me, the benefits totally outweigh the frustrations. This book is a perfect example. I would have bowed out way before the end if I had been on my own. I’ve got no backbone when it comes to hitting literary walls. I plowed through only because of the club and then really only came away changed after the meeting. If I was as avid a reader as you, I doubt I’d be in a group but, as it is, I need the motivation.
I’ve had two readers recently say they want to know more specifically, early on, what my MC wants. Yes, I KNOW what she wants, but how to clearly show it?
Maybe what she wants is a gorgeous view, just like this… Hope it’s as inspiring as it appears in a photo!
What a view! And I loved the quote. I love when writing a short story you suddenly make the most normal thing happen. Getting out of a car, walking into the bank, emptying a bag. These are the real cogs of the story and the character springs to life.