Free Republic

WRITING is one of the greatest inventions in human history. Perhaps the greatest, since it made history possible. Without writing, there could be no accumulation of knowledge, no historical record, no science - and of course no books, newspapers or internet.The first true writing we know of is Sumerian cuneiform - consisting mainly of wedge-shaped impressions on clay tablets - which was used more than 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Soon afterwards writing appeared in Egypt, and much later in Europe, China and Central America. Civilisations have invented hundreds of different writing systems. Some, such as the one you are...

I've written several books using Dragon NaturallySpeaking software and have pitched to my agent a book on how to write a novel using the software. It'd be useful to hear how others have fared. Any experiences with the software that would contradict my very good experience?

I collaborated with the late James A. Michener on his South African novel, The Covenant and later went on to write my own epic on Brazil. My plan for A Novel of America is to follow the same plan Jim Michener and I used in crafting our books, with a key difference of letting these multilayered tasks unfold on the Web. Much of my work is presented blog-style: current entries reflect a search for ideas big and small that will inspire and shape my story of America. As I go along, I share "Working Notes," "Research Links," "Images" and "Maps"...

Remember the Universal Translator? Peter Wood, in like manner, provides a useful guide to translating regular English prose into the style of Nobel-prizewinning author Toni Morrison, probably the most frequently assigned writer on US college campuses. The basic rules: Misuse common phrases Embrace inconsistency Omit words to create more forceful expression Mix up parts of speech Chop in self-conscious micro-sentences He provides some wonderful examples. For instance, this office memo: Just to remind you, I will be out of the office Tuesday to meet with our supplier, Acme Explosives. Please finish your work on the 2Q budget and let the...

Here's something that's not related to the election and the economy. Think of it as a little quiz, if you will. I came across the following article written by an immigrant while surfing the web. For those of you so inclined, answer the following question: 1. How long do you think this person has been in the States? 2. How old do you think this person is? 3. What, in your opinion, is the greatest thing about American culture? ------------------------------------------------------ Because you’re an American 　　 A couple of months ago I went to the Chinese Embassy in New York. The...

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - The man who announces the Nobel Prize in literature says the United States is too "insular" and ignorant to compete with Europe when it comes to great writing. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Horace Engdahl said Tuesday that "Europe still is the center of the literary world."

Below, we've begun a thread of memories of David Foster Wallace that will, we hope, be some kind of salve during this wretched and bewildering week. Remembering him, and hearing of his warmth, his realness, his generosity and incredible decency, from those who knew him well and those who only met him once, might dull the pain a bit and, at the very least, remind us all why he meant so much to the world.

Where's the paper trail on this guy Obama's writing? I've published a dozen novels and half a dozen nonfiction books and edited newspapers and magazines (I'm not a real journalist, honest. I used to be that way, but I'm just a fella now). Done some ghosting and teaching of writing, too. Nobody, but nobody publishes a polished memoir, let alone two (and forget that it's by the age 47 at that), until there's been a few signs of brilliance earlier. Where's the early signs of writing genius? The college literary magazine? Freelance pieces? Poetry? Fiction? Works that didn't sell so...

OK, I'm a conservative who is very excited about Sarah Palin. But, I have noticed over the past couple of days that Gov. Palin keeps using the EXACT same lines and phrases on the campaign trail that she used so effectively in her convention speech last week. This is not good. It is making her seem like a one-trick pony and it WILL be noticed by all very soon if she doesn't change up her rhetoric or at least preface such convention quotes with something like "as I have stated before..."

Science magazine this week details the discovery of a stone block in Veracruz, Mexico, that contains a previously unknown system of writing; believed by archeologists to be the earliest in the Americas. The slab - named the Cascajal block - dates to the early first millennium BCE and has features that indicate it comes from the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica. One of the archaeologists behind the discovery, Brown University's Stephen D. Houston, said that the block and its ancient script "link the Olmec civilization to literacy, document an unsuspected writing system, and reveal a new complexity to this civilization." "It's...

When Democratic primary voters go to the polls tomorrow in Ohio and Texas, it's a safe bet that few will be casting their votes based on senators Clinton's and Obama's merits as writers. To judge a candidate based on his or her literary ability would be as irrelevant, most people agree, as voting for the better ballroom dancer. It may be a nice talent to have, but it has nothing to do with being president. It even seems a little naïve to judge a politician as the author of a book bearing his or her name. Today, just about every...

I’ve always loved libraries. Both my parents loved books, and our house was chock full of them. Growing up in Baltimore, at an early age (perhaps ten) I was taken by the hand, driven to the nearest branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and introduced to the mysteries of a real library of organized books, rather than a couple bookshelves of miscellaneous books. It was love at first sight. By the time I was twelve, I regularly walked to and from the Guilford Branch of the Pratt. It was only a mile, and children regularly and safely walked the...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2008 – Being married to the military has its benefits, but it also comes with some very rigid truths, as one Virginia native began to understand when she and her Marine husband married 10 years ago. Anne Miren Berry participates in a book signing for “Operation Homecoming,” an anthology of essays, letters, journal entries and poems written by about 100 military family members. The book, a National Endowment for the Arts project, was edited by Andrew Carroll, who also edited “War Letters.” Courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Those realities are part of...

Why We Write by: Malcolm A. Kline, January 25, 2008 In his commentary on the demise of the higher education beat on many newspapers, the head of the National Education Writers Association reveals that these writers and their editors may have become too close to their sources. “Coverage of elementary and secondary schools is closer to readers’ hearts, editors argue,” writes Richard Whitmire in The Chronicle of Higher Education. “Higher education, by contrast, generally operates better and involves lots of out-of-town students.” Evidently, at least the public relations...

I have a friend, who has written a book, and he is attempting to perfect bind the book on his own. He has run into problems with the single-sheet binding, where the pages, even with hot melt adhesive are not adhering to the spine properly. The pages are easily pulled out of the spine with an even side to side pull. He's come to the point where he believes he as a single individual cannot purchase the best hot melt adhesive, and it is only sold to industry book binders. Any thoughts on this? Any help? Is there a type...

Taxes, weight gain, depression, loneliness—book advances are like lottery payoffs For those who think they have a book inside them just waiting to be written—and, really, isn’t that pretty much everyone?—landing a book contract would be like winning the lottery. Dreams would come true; doors would open. Anything could happen. “You hear about these big contracts coming in, and it whets your appetite,” said Leah McLaren, a columnist for Canada’s Globe and Mail, who landed a book contract with HarperCollins Canada in 2003 for her chick-lit novel, The Continuity Girl. “You start to think, ‘This is my lottery ticket …....

Chinese archaeologists studying ancient rock carvings say they have evidence that modern Chinese script is thousands of years older than previously thought.State media say researchers identified more than 2,000 pictorial symbols dating back 8,000 years, on cliff faces in the north-west of the country. They say many of these symbols bear a strong resemblance to later forms of ancient Chinese characters. Scholars had thought Chinese symbols came into use about 4,500 years ago. The Damaidi carvings, first discovered in the 1980s, cover 15 sq km (5.8 square miles) and feature more than 8,000 individual figures including the sun, moon,...

For some time now, years actually, my family and friends have been trying to get me to write fictional stories for publication. For a long time I resisted that notion because I write non-fiction and to tell you the truth I haven’t really considered fiction to be nearly as important an effort as non-fiction since I was a kid. But they’ve kept at me, and to tell you the truth I ain’t as opposed as I used to be to the idea, and in some sense I’ve even warmed to the proposal. The idea doesn’t automatically revolt me like it...

There is a small bit of business we ought to take care of. Most people have expressed to me a desire to allow critiquing of each other's work. I think this is a good idea, with one reservation: posting your work to an open forum, such as FR, could leave you open to copyright infringement. Granted, it's not likely to happen, but one never knows. It helps some that FR time stamps its posts, so you can get an exact date for when you created the material, and it would further help to keep a copyright posted in your posts...

I'd be interested in hearing from any FReepers who write and/or publish fiction. It seems most published fiction these days is by liberals or non-political sorts, and I am curious how conservative fiction writers are doing in the marketplace.