It’s another busy weekend.
Not only am I gearing up for week two of the Pioneer edition of The Art of the Start, but I’m also cooking Christmas dinner for thirty or so students plus some families.
Oh, and we’re launching new Write Way features, right left and centre.
Starting with the subscriber chat.
Yes, dear reader, if you have the Substack app you can now chow down in the chat. I’ll be in and out there most days. I want the Write Way on Substack to feel less like a megaphone and more like a meeting place.
Come hang out and ask questions and more. Any subscriber can join (for now) and paid subscribers can start new threads and discussions.
I may even end up moving the Weekender in there and just dropping these links through the week as I find them.
Now there’s an idea…
…but for now it’s here for you.
Welcome to Weekend Reading
(P.s. I’ve included Substacks boring “how to get started” bumpf about the chat at the bottom. It feels weird having a p.s. right here by the title…)
Short reads
I found this old poem in my archives and had to post it.
This one got some knickers in a twist, I recommend reading the restacks because some of them are hilarious.
Mid reads
Two from the archives, which cover two of our greatest enemies as Craftsmen Writers:
You’ll notice they both have optional “bonus lessons” at the bottom for paid subscribers, just a little thankyou for those who support this newsletter.
But don’t worry, there’s a whole newsletter before the bonus that you can read even if you don’t have a dime to spare.
And I know, that’s a lot of my own links instead of the variety I normally send, but we have so many new subscribers here on Substack and these will help catch you up to speed. If I come across more this week I’ll drop them in the chat.
Not Reads (and a long one)
Hilary Layne dropped a brilliant video on how Fanfiction has destroyed writing (and everything else) and it explains a lot of writing I see, even here on Substack. And not just the smutty kind, a lot of the dull “action and adventure” prose hits a lot of the notes she describes.
Be warned, this is a long one. But it’s worth it.
That is indeed all you’ll have time for, we’ll meet again next week (or sooner in the chat).
Substack’s Boring How to Get Started Bumpf about the Chat is below the line.
Yours,
James Carran, Craftsman Writer
Substack’s Boring How to Get Started Bumpf about the Chat
Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.
Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.
That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.
I wanted to comment on the bantersnatch post but for some reason the app won’t let me. I just wanted to say, well done 👍, I really enjoyed the post. It was well written and hit the nail bang on the head.
FWIW I wasn’t offended and yes I loved Crank an Crank 2, were they good movies? No. Totally over the top nonsense, were they funny and entertaining, yes, 100%.
And that quote by Larry Niven 😘🤌
Hey James, I’m a new sub and I have a question regarding an anthology of short stories I’m writing—adaptations of classics gothic American literature (Twain, Melville, Hawthorne) along with some old country songs (Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn).
I’m having a hard time judging whether they justify themselves on their own though. I don’t just want to make a cheap imitation, what’s the best way to go about that?
Any help would be appreciate. I need at least a pipe-full if you can afford it!