I was so looking forward to Chuck Wendig’s flash fiction challenge. I could already see myself spinning some tale of good old-fashioned romance with a bit of steam in the mix. The fact that I would have to do that in one thousand words or less didn’t faze me. It’s called “challenge” for a reason, and […]
Yesterday I talked about Chuck Wendig’s post on writing tricks and the mental stimulation I get out of reading his blog. Today, I’ll try to summarize his post and to point out one major mistake he made. Even our idols are not perfect! What a relief. Before I start, I should say that this post will […]
There is a good reason I love Chuck Wendig, and, no, it’s not just because his writing turns my mind on. It’s also because … uh, wait a second, I have to think about this. Never mind, that’s actually the reason I love him: I find his writing to be a perfect combination of wit, […]
I started reading a collection of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories just a little while ago. In the foreword Mr. Hemingway talks about the stories he wrote and mentions that one of his favorites was ‘The Light of the World’, “a story that nobody else ever liked”. My first thought? I want to read this story. […]
Every good writer tells you to write the story you would like to read. Here’s how Anne Rice says it. “Go where the pleasure is in your writing. Go where the pain is. Write the book you would like to read. Write the book you have been trying to find but have not found. […]
I read something today that resonated with me. Here it is: “Words are permanent. Someday you’ll say something you wish you could take back.” It’s a good reminder that sometimes it’s best to keep my mouth shut. Not everything that is on my mind must get out on paper. Or, even worse, on […]
Only once was I truly tempted to see a fortune teller. I had just experienced the loss of someone I loved and still do very much and it was hard for me to cope with it. I didn’t end up going anywhere. A family member discouraged me from it and I’m glad they did. Fortune […]
I’m reading “The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art” by Joyce Carol Oates. I like it very much. It makes me think of myself. Not in terms of talent, skills, or potential. It’s the doubts, the questions about the meaning of it all, the acceptance that nobody can come up with answers for my […]
I love listening to music while writing. Having music on makes it easier to concentrate somehow. That’s how it used to be, anyway. All that changed a few weeks ago when I “discovered” Damien Rice. See, my music knowledge is extremely limited. Until very recently I probably knew less than two dozen artists. If I […]
I’m a pretty good cook when I put my mind to it. Surprised? Probably not, right? If you’ve read my blog for a while then you already know I’m good at whatever I set my mind to trying or doing. What can I say? I can’t help it. It comes naturally to me. There was […]
Ada Ireland is a pen name I came up with for myself. Unashamed Writing is a name I came up with for my blog.
The pen name is fake. The writing on this blog is real ... as close to real and truthful as I can get it to be. Read More