Word Pirates

I like typewriters. I want to own a red one someday. Here is a page of amazing vintage typewriters. As far as I know, no famous writers used these typewriters. Still, pretty!

Link via Boing Boing
~ Joy

Just a reminder we have a meeting next Thursday, September 6. Bring in your attempts to be empathetic with your character so we can judge your efforts. Also don’t forget that we have a second critique workshop on September 20th for the essay. Lets send the revised essay around via e-mail on September 13 so […]

MtvU – the MTV channel for college campuses – chose John Ashbery as its poet laureate. At first, it sounded like a well-meaning attempt that would accomplish little. However, I was less cynical after reading about the contest associated with the new appointment. A contest with a real prize!
In another first, mtvU will help sponsor […]

Better late than never:
Last week, the WPs had a meeting. We read a few things we have been working on and talked about writing. Then we did the prompt:
Following Joy’s meditations on the use of empathy in writing–that is, empathy of the writer for characters even if the writer does not agree with the character’s […]

One in four Americans polled by the Associated Press-Ispos said they didn’t read any books at all last year. Not even one?
“I just get sleepy when I read,” said Richard Bustos of Dallas, Texas, a habit with which millions of Americans can doubtless identify. Bustos, a 34-year-old project manager for a telecommunications company, said he […]

Word Pirates,
I feel you need to know which Jane Austen heroine I am. Here are the results:
:: L I Z Z Y ::
You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your […]

There is something intimidating and off-putting about writing in a journal for me. I am a type to get obsessed with how nice the book of paper looks and whether or not I am using a good pen or crossing things out and making the page look ugly. Also, I begin to focus on what […]

A writer for The Guardian judges the books on the Booker list by their covers. Pretty funny, although I’m pretty sure one of the Word Pirates could have done a better job with this concept. Some highlights:
Edward Docx - Self Help
Docx, if cover photos are anything to go by, is good looking and […]

I’ve never actually seen a bookmobile in real life, but I like the idea. Reading is important, blah blah children society. OK, now I can get to the awesome part: bookmules and bookcamels! Children! Excited about books! All right, no more exclamation points.
About bookmules in remote areas of Venezuela:
Anyone who was not out working the […]

Last night, the Word Pirates did a critique of our personal essays. We got through all 8 essays and even managed to fit in a reading of Sarah Vowell’s essay The First Thanksgiving, for inspiration.
Next, we are going to edit the essays based on the criticisms. On September 20, we will have a second critique […]