Tell me if this sounds familiar to you:

You get to the computer first thing in the morning, excited that you have six uninterrupted hours to get everything done: make a dent in your freelance work, add a chapter to your memoir, do your daily Method Writing, answer emails…

What’s first?

How long for each task?

When’s lunch?

Oy, the phone’s ringing.

 

When I started this blog, I knew I’d have to revamp my day. I got up at 6:00 every morning. My workday started at 7:30. Some days I’d work on my latest freelance project for two hours, and then leave the house for another job. Other days I worked at home, changing tasks every two hours.

I found that working every day on each project for a relatively short amount of time was in keeping with my energetic personality. I even wrote a blog post about it.

 

What happened when everything fell apart

I recently took three months off from one of my part-time jobs, and as June 1st rolled around I started panicking: how was I ever going to get everything done once I started back at the office?

The leave of absence helped me to concentrate on this blog as well as complete a few freelance projects, but I can’t in good conscience say that I was consistently organized and did the same thing at the same time every single day. Many times I felt as if I were spinning my wheels, never really focusing on anything to the exclusion of everything else.

And sneaking in a few chapters of whichever novel I was currently reading was not exactly helping either.

I knew I could not continue at this frenetic pace of switching tasks every two hours, putting in a load of laundry between paragraphs, and answering “urgent” emails.

Now to be fair to myself, I do get a lot accomplished in 24 hours, and have had a lot of successes in my life. I’m also very fast, and capable of multitasking even though it’s inefficient and bad for you.

 

What changed

With two weeks to go until the beginning of June, I stumbled across this video on one of the best business and finance blogs I know. Ramit Sethi, the man behind the blog (and the man behind the course I took to start my business), basically says that a lack of focus is really an inability to set boundaries.

Read that again. It changed my life, and it might change yours.

 

Lack of focus is really an inability to set boundaries.

 

My husband, who is super-focused and -disciplined, has been offering to help me create a weekly schedule for the past…how long have we been married?

Joke. But the truth is that I have been resisting his organizational advances for months.

By the last week in May I was in full panic mode, and I knew something had to change. I finally agreed to have my husband help me. One evening, I stuffed pen and paper into my purse, dragged him to a bar (I had mint tea and vegetables; I am not making this up), and watched him sip his beer and work his magic.

 

90-second (I promise) goal-setting

The first thing I realized was that my lack of boundaries was preventing me from getting closer to my work goals, which are…

Huh?

I had no idea what my work goals were.

Here’s what I came up with:

• to work a certain, set number of hours per week on each project.
• to have very little or no work time in the evening.
• to have leisure time for reading trashy novels well-written fiction and nonfiction.
• not to work on Fridays (my husband’s suggestion)

Lesson learned: You need to have at least a loose goal before creating a schedule. And it takes about a minute and a half.

Once I articulated (and actually wrote down) my goals, I asked myself some questions:

• Should I get out of bed later and start later – or get up earlier and start earlier? Or continue getting up at 6:00 am?
• Should I have a “daily theme,” or divide my day into several 2-hour task windows?
• How much time should I give to my blog? My in-house projects? The editing job that requires me to go to an office?

I discovered that I had been way too rigid about how many hours I had to devote to certain tasks. My husband assessed my goals and my clients’ needs/demands, and suggested I try some new ideas and adjust as necessary. He was able to think outside my self-created box and visualize something different.

Lesson learned: Be flexible, and believe that there’s always more than one way to look at a problem.

 

My new weekly schedule

Here’s what we came up with (Sunday is a regular day where I live):

Basically, my husband cleaned out my work time to be work time only,  carved out four long but doable chunks of work, and gave me several shorter chunks for lesser tasks and longer-term projects.

Two years ago, I wasn’t ready to buy in to the idea of working longer chunks at a time and actually counting the hours I work on each project, but by the time I entered that bar and sat down with my husband, I was prepared to trying something new.

Lesson learned: It’s okay to ask for help. Someone who isn’t you is more objective; you’re too emotional about it and can’t see the big picture.

 

The tension between boundaries and flexibility

Above I wrote to be flexible, and know there’s always more than one way to look at (or solve) a problem.

However, what if you are too flexible?

That’s my issue; I haven’t been strict enough.

Having boundaries is not only about getting up in the morning and starting to work, I would argue that it’s more about knowing when to finish each task.

It’s easier for me to start a task than to stop working on it for the day. If I have a lot of loose ends to tie up, it makes me crazy to just leave them for the next time I work on that project.

My husband – let’s call him Francis – made it clear that if I wanted to meet my goals I had to be more strict about starting on time and ending on time.

As I’m still working on this, Francis has given me a large lunch break twice a week (and a lunch break at my out-of-house job), which I can shorten if I go a bit too long on the morning’s task or simply had to take that phone call from my daughter. This has helped me to keep my afternoon schedule more or less intact.

Right now I’m working on sticking to my project boundaries in order to use some of this lunch time for between-project exercise and mini-breaks.

Lesson learned: You must start on time and end on time, but be sure to pad your schedule with transition time.

 

It’s not just about keeping to the schedule

Speaking to my kids in the middle of the workday notwithstanding, I’ve had to make stricter boundaries with myself and others. Therefore, during work hours:

• No social phone calls
• No social media
• No email
• No answering phones unless it’s a family member
• No doing laundry
• No kitchen work

Lesson learned: It’s not as hard as you think.

If you’re worried you’ll never be able to stay off social media during your work time, try Freedom, a free app that blocks Internet for however long you decide. I like it, and have discovered that after a while I don’t need it anymore, as I have developed a rhythm to my work.

 

Time to get serious about your writing

If you’re a writer – professional, avocational, hobbyist, whatever – you must find time to write.

Sit down with someone this week and set your writing and/or work goals. How many hours/words are you going to write each and every day? What other projects are on your plate? What are your priorities?

Let your partner then help you carve out a schedule that works for you.

Experiment with “daily themes,” in which you work half a day on one project, or try to create smaller work periods for each of two or three different tasks. Or mix and match, like I did, with a daily major project and one or two minor tasks after lunch.

If you’re a night owl, you might want to adjust your schedule to reflect this. I’m super-focused and alert in the morning, which is why I do my hardest and most important tasks then.

If you’re still not convinced of the importance of a daily routine, read this.

 

A couple of offbeat ideas

I find that eating more protein helps me avoid the ten o’clock and two o’clock slumps (am I the only one who gets two a day?). Since I started a new diet, both slumps have disappeared – instantly, I might add.

Deadlines are great, but what if you don’t have any? Perhaps you journal, or you’re putting together a memoir for yourself, or maybe you’re writing a novel but don’t yet have an agent to breathe down your neck.

Try making your own deadline, or find an accountability partner. Give someone a signed check to send to your least favorite charity if you don’t fulfill your writing quota or finish that book by X date.

Although this never worked for me, perhaps bribing yourself with something will work for you. (I used to bribe myself with chocolate, but always found some excuse to eat it anyway.)

Buy yourself a nice diary such as a Moleskine, or just print something out from the Internet! You can even use Google Calendar – whatever. A diary works for me as an auxiliary schedule because I like writing down everything I need to do tomorrow, the night before.

***

Life is dynamic, and priorities change. Right now I’m happy to use my new schedule, but perhaps in a few months I’ll take on fewer freelance jobs and devote even more time to this blog. As important as it is to stick to a schedule, nothing is ever written in stone. Try to find the balance that works for you.

I can’t wait to hear from you! Tell me about your new writing/work schedule in the Comments, or shoot me an email; you can even show me a copy of your new weekly regimen.

And let me know: Do you find it harder to start or to stop?

 

Happy writing,

 

 

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

A few weeks back I wrote a post on why you should read books you hate. At the end, I challenged you to read a book you really don’t want to read, and to let me know how the experience was and your impressions of the book.

I chose to read Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick because 1) it looked like the most boring book in the world, 2) I dislike animal books, 3) as a rule I can’t stand nineteenth-century American writers, and 4) I know nothing about the sea, boats, and whaling, so I was sure I wouldn’t understand a thing.

Here’s my report on reading the book and why I think we should all get out of our reading comfort zones more often, forcing ourselves to read books we swore we’d never touch.

 

Moby-Dick is a classic example of nineteenth-century fiction

Wow, Melville can pack a lot into his sentences.

Mostly because they’re really long.

But seriously, if you take a deep breath and just read, you will fall into the rhythm of the prose and understand everything.

Most classic nineteenth-century writers knew their punctuation cold, so it’s pretty easy to follow even the longest sentences. Granted, punctuation has changed, and so have some of the rules of writing. However, if done right, it doesn’t matter which century you’re in; you’ll understand an excellent writer no matter what.

When you open up Moby-Dick, you’ll find paragraphs that span several pages. In fact, most writers up to the nineteenth century wrote lengthy novels with what my husband and I refer to as “Teutonic sentence structure.” It takes a bit longer to recognize the greatness of these books – especially for those of us in the twenty-first century – but the effort is well worth it. Melville’s prose is splendid, and his descriptions are as clear as a photograph.

 

It wins first prize for most description per square inch

Speaking of which, I’ve noticed that most of the classics are filled with pages and pages of description. Moby-Dick, for one, has chapters of nothing but description and explanation of terms. In fact, we are almost halfway through Moby-Dick before the least bit of real action happens. Sometimes I felt like saying, “For crying out loud, Herman, just get on with it!”

But by then our pump has been primed, and we’re both ready and armed with enough knowledge to “get” the action and understand why it makes sense. Melville’s lengthy descriptions have set us up for understanding the psychology behind Captain Ahab and the rest of the crew of the Pequod, and their relationship to the white sperm whale (i.e., Moby-Dick) and to each other. He describes each main character in excruciating detail, but when he writes about their innermost thoughts later in the book, it is much easier to understand their thought processes. All the more so when push comes to shove and they’re fighting the whale; it feels realistic.

Furthermore, it would have been difficult to believe Captain Ahab’s obsession with killing the white whale, and his crew’s acquiescence to putting their lives in danger to achieve this goal, if we hadn’t had these full descriptions of the book’s major players as well as some treatment of the minor characters.

 

It puts our short attention spans and need for instant gratification to shame

It’s a pity we live in a world where instant gratification is king – and our attention spans reflect this. For example, all (and I mean all) the advice I’ve read about blogging and content marketing says to make both your sentences and your paragraphs short nowadays, with lots of white space and graphics or photographs. My own blog is a good example of this.

As another example, although I loved both Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Book Thief, most of their chapters are short and sharp. No extra fluff there.

Another failing of contemporary literature is that more things are assumed. In general, characters aren’t drawn as sharply as earlier writers drew them. I often find myself wondering why a certain character would act in a particular way; according to his or her initial, short description, it makes no sense.

 

It encourages quality writing

Today’s readers won’t wait for many and lengthy chapters until the “action” happens. It must begin already on the first page. Isn’t that what all writing teachers say? Heck, even I’ve said it.

There is value in getting into the heart of a book right away, but we have to compensate for streamlined description and immediate action with more powerful, impactful writing. For instance, dialogue is a great way to impart character traits. So too, describing a character’s dress and appearance while simultaneously reporting action. Analogy, metaphor, and simile can help as well. For instance:

• They call my father Mount Vesuvius because of his terrible temper.
• ›The hostility [was] burning off her like heat off a sun-baked tarmac road. (Sophie Kinsella)
• The smell in the kitchen was reminiscent of the fallout after a nuclear attack.
• She’s as kind as Mother Theresa.

All of these are description shorthand for the modern reader and writer.

 

It is filled with symbolism and subtlety

There isn’t a lot of symbolism in modern literature. One of the few contemporary authors who imbues his books with symbolism is John Irving. (Let me know in the Comments if you can name anyone else.) Sometimes when symbolism appears in modern novels it’s forced, way too dramatic, or shoved down readers’ throats.

In Moby-Dick, however, symbolism is alive and well, but thankfully not in your face. Here are a few examples:

• Captain Ahab’s fake leg – made to replace the one cut off by Moby-Dick – is made from the jaw of a sperm whale. Moby-Dick is part of him, he has thereby become part animal.
• Holes are cut into the ship’s deck so Captain Ahab can insert his fake leg into them and remain standing. Not only is he part animal, he’s part of the ship. (He’s also compared to the mast of a ship.)
• There is Christian symbolism with regard to Captain Ahab: “Moody, stricken Ahab stood before them with a crucifixion in his face; in all the nameless regal overbearing dignity of some mighty woe.” Later, he is compared to a king.

The whale itself, of course, is symbolic of evil and ridding oneself of it, of conquering one’s fears, of man’s conquering nature. Yet Moby-Dick is white, which Melville himself associates with majesty:

Most famous in our Western annals and Indian traditions is that of the White Steed of the Prairies; a magnificent mild-white charger…. he was the object of trembling reverence and awe…. it was his spiritual whiteness chiefly, which so clothed him with divineness…which…at the same time enforced a certain nameless terror.

If you notice, all of the symbolism I’ve cited is subtle – another quality of nineteenth century and earlier literature. So is the humor. With few exceptions, humor in the classics is neither raw, slapstick, nor spelled out. I found myself thinking, “Wow, even in those days they knew how to make jokes.”

 

Melville has an amazing command of English

Although there are some grammar mistakes in Moby-Dick – some of which are not really mistakes but merely the way they wrote in those days – Melville’s prose is a delight. Here are a few gems:

• “Human madness is oftentimes a cunning and most feline thing. When you think it fled, it may have but become transfigured into some subtler form.”
• “You cannot hide the soul.”
• “Queequeg was George Washington cannibalistically developed.”
• “Heaven have mercy on us all — Presbyterians and Pagans alike — for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.”
• “When a man suspects any wrong, it sometimes happens that if he be already involved in the matter, he insensibly strives to cover up his suspicions even from himself.”

 

Melville is unafraid to explore touchy issues

Melville also explores black/white and Christian/heathen relations in Moby-Dick, with more Show than Tell. As an example, the non-whites are the harpooners, i.e., they are the ones who pierce the whales in order for the white men to take their lancers and go in for the kill. The harpooners live and eat separately on the boat, lower in status than the captain and his mates, but higher than the simple sailors.

Ishmael, the protagonist, becomes close friends with Queequeg, a cannibal prince. As the two men walk about the port, “people stared; not at Queequeg so much – for they were used to seeing cannibals like him in their streets – but at seeing him with me and upon such confidential terms. We heeded them not.” (Emphasis mine.)

The two men even share a bed at the beginning of the book, something I’m not sure modern literature could pull off without our thinking all sorts of…things. It is readily apparent that Melville didn’t craft this scene for gratuitous purposes. The relative innocence of the nineteenth century allowed for deep exploration of friendship in a way I’m not sure could happen in our time.

 

Melville experiments with different types of writing

Modern novels do not have the monopoly on “experimental” novels. Melville, too, employs different methods to tell his story. He uses narrative most of the time, but occasionally he’ll switch to what can only be called the script of a play. At other times he tells us what different characters are thinking, in first person. Some of his chapters are extremely long and description-heavy, while others are barely two pages.

I found this fascinating, as I had the mistaken impression that nineteenth-century writers stick to rigid rules of fiction (whatever they are). Instead, Melville was all over the place, but it worked.

***

Now I’d like to hear from you! Which book did you read, and why? What did you learn from reading a book you “hate”? Was the experience worthwhile?

Let me know in the Comments how you did. I look forward to reading your thoughts and insights.

Happy writing!

 

 

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Writing by hand helps me remain open to all those particular circumstances, all those little details that add up to the truth.  Amy Tam

I’ve always loved writing in longhand. I love the feel of a blank pad of lined paper and a really nice pen. They always seem to be calling to me, “Come, start writing!”

 

What I learned from writing in longhand

When I experimented with writing in longhand during the writing course I taught earlier this year, I realized how it can actually be better than using a computer – especially for a first draft. I found myself writing more honestly, and more from the heart. I was less constrained about getting my emotions on paper, and they were much rawer.

I feel freer when I write by hand. In fact, I know I do. I write at odd times. I have a notebook by the bed. A lot of things will come to me, which I’ll note down longhand.  Jhumpa Lahiri

Computers feel more formal, don’t they? They make us more inclined to perform the no-no of self-editing during the first draft. Longhand flows much more. You’ll find yourself writing without looking over your shoulder, making it about the prose instead of about you (even when you’re writing about you).

Longhand is friendlier. It feels like you’re writing to a well-loved confidant, or to some alternate self.

Many authors, such as Beverly Cleary, Truman Capote, Amy Tan, and Jhumpa Lahiri (bonus points for her because she transcribes her drafts on an Internet-less computer) write their first drafts in longhand, so you’ll be in good company.

 

The benefits of writing in longhand

In light of my own anecdotal evidence, I wasn’t surprised to learn that many psychologists encourage their clients to journal, as it’s a great alternative to either being depressed and anxious between appointments or being forced to have daily meetups with a therapist. The more you write, the more clarity you get.

If you’ve read my recent post on Method Writing, you will recall that the purpose of daily writing – even for 15 minutes – is to get in touch with your emotions and to make sense of your experiences in order to use them in your writing. Writing by hand forces your brain to work harder and your self-investigation or character development to go deeper. Emotions  rise to the surface much quicker than when writing on the computer.

Studies show that writing by hand helps you retain what you learn better, clarify what you really want to say (despite the brain dump), and maintain your cognitive faculties as you age. Check these articles out:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/33508/4-benefits-writing-hand

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/03/creative-writing-better-pen-longhand

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41927258

More reasons to write in longhand

Pragmatically, I love the idea of having a spiral notebook or two and a very good pen that I can have with me all the time — it demands no power supply, no table (my knees work fine), and no coffee shop.

• Paper doesn’t crash, turn off for no reason, run out of batteries, or break when you spill coffee on it.
  

  Photo by hackNY

• We’re not as intimidated by a blank sheet of paper as we are by a blank screen. Therefore, there is a greater likelihood that we’ll actually write every day.
• Writing in longhand lends itself better to doing a “brain dump,” which is what I recommend for both your daily writing exercise and your first drafts.
• You can do it anywhere. And don’t argue with me about using a laptop in bed; it’s much more awkward and stilted than paper.
  

  Photo by Johan Larsson

• The physicality of writing longhand is much more efficient than a computer when you have writer’s block, as you’re able to release pent-up energy and get out of your own way to let your brain work.
• The act of transferring your prose to the computer enables automatic self-editing. Welcome, instant second draft!

 

What other writers have to say about writing in longhand

Kelly Barnhill

I love walking into my office with no electronics, no distractions. Just slippers on my feet, tea on the desk, and a story in my fingers. I love the scritchy sound of the pen on the paper. I love the fact that I am forced to slow down — to breathe as my characters breathe…to unwind the story like a long, tangled thread.

Kiersten White

With nothing between myself and the page, the story finally spilled out the way it needed to. No editing, no second-guessing, and no internet. When I’m truly stuck, pen on paper always frees up words in a way a keyboard just can’t.

***

Writing in longhand is a tool with many benefits. Try adding it to your arsenal of writing aids and strategies. Can you commit to using it for your daily 15-minute writing stint?

I challenge you to write the first draft of your next article or chapter in longhand. Let me know in the comments how it felt, and whether it was helpful and why.

Happy writing – with pen, pencil, or even computer!

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Hi, Everyone!

As you know, I’m a strong advocate of writers reading a lot of good books, a lot. I’ve often been asked what my favorite books are. I have decided to devote this post to some of my recommendations, along with my editorial comments.

One caveat: this is by no means an exhaustive list. By next month I’ll probably have added to it, but that’s what it’s all about: reading lists should grow and be dynamic, just like you.

 

The classics

Just as modern dancers began with ballet and Elton John learned classical music first, you must build your reading and writing foundations with the classics in literature.

Yes, I know, they’re “boring.” (Not.) Trust me: reading for fun and edification is completely different from reading because Mrs. Johnson (name of my twelfth-grade English teacher) or some college professor made you read. And think of the Alzheimer’s prevention benefits.

If you can’t get into a book after fifty pages or so, set it aside and find another author to read. Here are a few authors I’d recommend (notice the inclination toward late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century British writers):

Dickens. Need I say more? My favorite: A Tale of Two Cities. Nothing beats it. The first paragraph alone is worth the price of the book. Great Expectations is another winner; in fact, it makes me want to use the cliché “achingly beautiful.” Sorry. In any case, get your hands on any of his books. Two other popular ones: David Copperfield and Oliver Twist.

Hardy. True confession: I am not a big Hardy fan, although I’ve read several of his books. Many people love him, and he definitely deserves to be on this list. Far from the Madding Crowd and Tess of the d’Urbervilles are the most well-known because they were turned into movies, but check out The Return of the Native, which is one of his best-known novels, and The Mayor of Casterbridge as well. If you are going to pull out all of your fingernails without anesthetic on Monday, and are going to jump off a roof on Wednesday, you might want to read Jude the Obscure on Tuesday.

Austen. I like Jane Austen. Some of her observations are hilarious, and you’ll find many of them, if quaint, right on target. I’ve read several of her books, and so far Mansfield Park is my favorite. However, she’s written so many other great novels: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and others. Take your pick and settle in for a treat.

The Bronte Sisters. Lots of talent in the Bronte family. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) is one of my favorite books; I’ve read it many times. Emily Bronte’s only book is Wuthering Heights (a three-hanky novel), and Anne Bronte’s first of only two novels is Agnes Grey. Those will give you a good start.

E. M. Forster. Another confession: I failed the AP English test with A Passage to India (in Mrs. Johnson’s class). However, I reread it recently and loved it. Forster, by the way, wrote a book on writing, Aspects of the Novel. A Room with a View is probably his most well-known work, thanks to the movie version with the gorgeous actors as well as the magnificent Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. He also wrote Where Angels Fear to Tread.

Joseph Conrad. Now here’s a real man’s man. It takes me a long time to get into his books, but once in, I enjoy them. I confess I’m not always that patient, and sometimes his books are relegated to bathroom reading. Here are three to start with: Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, and The Secret Agent. Among these three, I read the latter most recently; I even reread certain parts of it, as he’s a bit wordy and my mind wandered the first time around. The most amazing thing about Conrad is that he was not a native English speaker. Nevertheless, his prose is first rate.

 

Contemporary great literature

William Broderick. Broderick is my current favorite author. I’ve read three of his novels, all part of a series, and can’t wait to read more. His prose is outstanding and his plots complex. The first in the series is The Sixth Lamentation, and my favorite is The Day of the Lie. Broderick is a former Augustine friar who became a barrister, and the series’ central character is a former barrister who became a monk. The books combine history with mystery. They are incredibly human and the characters are brilliantly drawn.

 

Anna Quindlen. All of Quindlen’s novels are spectacular. Still Life with Bread Crumbs, which I’ve mentioned before, is her lightest; Black and Blue her most depressing. Her prose is simply brilliant. She is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the New York Times, and she has written as many non-fiction books as she has novels.

 

Sue Monk Kidd. Anything by Kidd is worth the read, but I especially liked The Secret Life of Bees, her first novel.

 

Specific books

• Annie Proulx, The Shipping News. One of my five favorite novels of all time.
• John Grisham, A Painted House. Grisham’s best. It isn’t one of his lawyer novels; this is the real deal. Serious and well-written; a good, solid novel.
• Naguib Mahfouz, The Cairo Trilogy. Originally meant to be one gigantic novel, it was, thankfully, split into three separate books. As it was translated (beautifully) from the Arabic, I must give both the author and the translator kudos. The first, Palace Walk, is my favorite of the three.
• Marcus Zusak, The Book Thief. Unusual in a good way. Amazing and original book and plot. An unconventional World War II story, narrated by an unlikely character.
• Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I’ve written about this book as well. It’s not structured like a typical novel, and is very well done. Idiosyncratic in a good way. Great story. In some ways, it reminded me of a 9/11 version of The Book Thief.
• Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird. Can’t wait to read her prequel, Go Set a Watchman.

 

Kids and young adult books worth reading

These are a few of my favorite modern classics for the 12-16 crowd, but I’ve listed them so you can read them too:

 

Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved

Irene Hunt, Up a Road Slowly

Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows

 

Good trash

And I say that with love. The following are light but well-written novels, short stories, and non-fiction. None of them contain gratuitous sex or swear words that take away from the prose.

• Alexander McCall Smith. Smith has three series, all of which are worthwhile to read. His most well-known is The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. His other two, the Isabelle Dalhousie series and the 44 Scotland Street series, are even better. And don’t miss La’s Orchestra Saves the World.
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Conan Doyle wrote more than just Sherlock Holmes. His short stories reflect his interests in spiritualism, history, and science fiction. I especially enjoyed his historical fiction.
• Anne Tyler. This talented writer (another Pulitzer winner) has produced almost twenty novels. Her characters are quirky in a good way, and she has been recognized for coming up with the most interesting professions for her characters. Close your eyes and pick one.
• Helen Hanff. The late, great Helen Hanff rose to fame for her autobiography-in-letters, 84, Charing Cross Road. These were followed by The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, Q’s Legacy, and Underfoot in Show Business. All of them focus on different periods in Hanff’s life, and they are all a joy to read. A thread of melancholy runs through all her books, as she never really made it as a top-tier writer, though certainly not for lack of talent.
• Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved this book. You will not be disappointed. It’s just so good.
• Tracy Chevalier, The Virgin Blue. Super well written. I didn’t like her Girl with a Pearl Earring, but this one’s a winner. I’m planning on reading her other novels, as historical fiction is my favorite genre.

 

There you have it; Deena’s list. Now I have a request: Please let me know in the comments what your favorite books are – I’m always interested in expanding my list, and I’m sure other readers are as well.

 

Coming soon: All the “great” novels that I hated.

 

Happy writing and reading,

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com