griefandfriends

I only hope this is not covid.

There you have it. I'm so sick, and my mind and body are incredibly sore, but I wrote this as fast as I can so that I could drink my grandma's odd fever potion: her infamous boiled grass of unknown origin. Love you, grandma! 
          
          @edenwylie, Thank you for your get-well wish!

5. Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card (non-fiction/self-improvement)
          
          All right, the last on the list. Have you ever heard of MICE? Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. To write efficiently, one has to know what type of story he's/she's writing. 
          
          The milieu is the story's fundamental environment. The author must focus his/her attention on environmental details such as the landscape, the interior spaces, the surrounding cultures the characters emerge from and react to; everything from weather to traffic laws.
          
          The idea is the information that the reader is meant to discover or learn during the process of the story. 
          
          Character is the nature of one or more of the people in the story—what they do and why they do it. It usually leads to or arises from a conclusion about human nature in general. 
          
          The events of the story are everything that happens and why. 
          
          This book also teaches you how to handle all the persons of storytelling: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. And if dialogues are what move your story, you should definitely read this book.
          

4. On Writing Well by William Zinsser (non-fiction/self-improvement)
          
          If you're into non-fiction, which I pretty much am, this book should be added to your arsenal. William Zinsser teaches how to start and end a sentence with clarity, simplicity, brevity, and humanity. I can write an entire book explaining those 4 articles, but I don't have a year to do it. Long story short, only use words that are no longer than 7 words, use simple and straightforward words, abandon adjectives and adverbs (they make your writing cluttered and unsophisticated), and write as if how a real human being would sound like. 
          
          A major downside to this book is that William Zinsser uses a LOT of boring, often long exemplary excerpts from the books from the 80s and 90s. But hey, it's a small price to pay for eternal knowledge. 

3. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (memoir/self-help)
          
          Now, we move on to the technical stuff. Anne Lamott tells you the absolute truth: You won't make it as a writer. Uhh...
          
          How come this book is labeled a "self-help" when the author overtly encourages you to give up on your dream to become the next J.K. Rowling? That's the point. You're not J.K., or anyone else,  and you'll never write as good as them. But you are you and you'll always write as good as you. 
          
          Anne tells you another truth, this one I agree with her, "Writing is a great deal difficult. Yet, out of millions of people in this conservative world, only you have been given the chance to suffer through the burdens of being a writer, making you the most unique, privileged person in your circle."
          
          Let's talk about the "self-help" aspect of this book for a moment. Bird by bird is analogous to writing step by step. Anne's brother had to write a report on birds in three months and was due the next day. Her brother seemed to have been struggling. Then their father sat beside him and said, "Just take it one bird at a time."
          
          My own interpretation of this is: Take an idea out of many in your head. Cut it down to manageable pieces. Explore each and every corner there is to it. Sew them back together. And then put that idea in a sentence. 
          
          I've used this technique ever since I finished reading Bird by Bird. It's a foolproof strategy to have at your disposal when dealing with complex, philosophical ideas. 

2. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (non-fiction self-help)
          
          Do you want to enjoy a funny book without having to open that dictionary by your side? Well, this absurdly named book is for you. You'll get the hang of his lexicon as soon as you read the first chapter: "Don't Try". His voice is like the personification of an old friend sitting beside you on the porch, on the roof, or wherever you are loitering around, telling you a story that's rather hilarious otherwise you'll both fall asleep. 
          
          I had always been insecure about the way I look. My nose is so massive people always call me "Bombay" for laughs when I'm really "Tsinoy". When I tell them my Chinese surname, people freak out and think I'm "Korean", sometimes "Japanese". I didn't know which one I was. And this made me an introvert. 
          
          But this book turned up on my "to read" list and gave me the mighty slap in the face, but figuratively, 2 times (because I finished the book twice). 
          
          As the name suggests, why should you give a damn about anyone? I know the readers must sit at the top of the writer's priority pyramid. But what really makes you a writer are the things in your mind, not theirs. Sure, you can adjust those things to fit your audience's preference. But once you give in to your readers' wishes, because you think their ideas matter and yours do not, as Mark himself said in his book, you've lost your genuineness. In other words, you've become the consumer and your readers the creators.
          
          Write anything you want. Be kind to your readers. That's the only thing to can do for them because they're not always right. 

Since I can't write right now, I'm going to share with you instead my 5 most beloved reads from last year. I hope these books will compensate for my lack of progress. Grief will be back soon :)
          
          1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (non-fiction/ autobiographical)
          
          The bane of life is death. And to death, we all return. Illness and death are always depressing topics. But Dr. Paul Sudhir Arul Kalanithi, amid his deteriorating health, teaches us, through his sweet and heart-warming book, how to live through hard times and how to best spend life while it lasts. 
          
          When Breathe Becomes Air takes us on a ride along with Paul's ardent journey to become a neurosurgeon. If one of your characters is keen on that field, Paul's story will teach you lots of invaluable information. 
          
          The book is an easy read, except for a few medical terms and jargons, which you can easily look up on the Internet. The vocabulary is easy to understand and sentences are easy to follow. 
          
          The title is indicative of one's passing. I can't promise you tears after reading this book, but Paul's unfeigned words can.

Ahh...can't update. Fever just won't leave me alone!