tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post130313383765897342..comments2024-03-20T16:46:13.343-04:00Comments on Marly Youmans / The Palace at 2:00 a.m. / poems, stories, novels: Advice to the casual book reviewer--Marly Youmanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-22797381753220817692016-05-22T15:06:19.703-04:002016-05-22T15:06:19.703-04:00I don't read and comment on manuscripts any mo...I don't read and comment on manuscripts any more in that way-unless I'm writing a blurb for an author. Writers still ask personally for blurbs as often as their editors do. And in that case it's also persuasion at work and entertainment.<br /><br />But my biggest piece of advice for writers is to read their books aloud. I find many don't, and it teaches a great deal.<br /><br />Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-34565362532509137782016-05-22T10:18:52.938-04:002016-05-22T10:18:52.938-04:00An excellent check-list - I'd expect no less. ...An excellent check-list - I'd expect no less. One question: Is there any difference between (a) writing a book review for general consumption, or (b) reading and commenting on an MS submitted specifically to you by the author? <br /><br />Obviously one big difference leaps out: with (a) there needs be an element of entertainment since you will be attempting to persuade others to read what youRoderick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16828395545197001637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-86383970082863020602016-05-21T22:32:29.007-04:002016-05-21T22:32:29.007-04:00Our age has turned its face away from many things ...Our age has turned its face away from many things that take time and depth and soulfulness. Sven Birkerts has been talking about our lack of reflective time for years now... <br /><br />Unfortunately--or fortunately, perhaps--I have come to believe that the only way a little person in the great crowd of humanity can change culture (even a tiny bit) is to add to culture. That is not why I began Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-87420473140947751432016-05-21T16:49:34.776-04:002016-05-21T16:49:34.776-04:00"The reality is that we live in an age that w..."The reality is that we live in an age that works against poetry. Poetry is an act of attention and we're in a time where having an attention deficit is the norm. We're bombarded with images and information, but images and information are not knowledge - and they're certainly not poetry."<br /> Carol Muske - DukesMudpuddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17194891656971454279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-22757891441738918052016-05-19T15:38:04.086-04:002016-05-19T15:38:04.086-04:00Thanks for the addition, Tim...Thanks for the addition, Tim...Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-42012244890376799182016-05-19T13:17:33.646-04:002016-05-19T13:17:33.646-04:00May I add to your fine recipe: include a generous ...May I add to your fine recipe: include a generous portion of "conversation" (i.e., reviewers must focus on "talking to" readers rather than themselves).RTDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17113953356514605424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-72719704184217374592016-05-18T16:53:44.618-04:002016-05-18T16:53:44.618-04:00!!Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-43167146106478162862016-05-18T16:53:02.943-04:002016-05-18T16:53:02.943-04:00I just get bored by the usual way of going about i...I just get bored by the usual way of going about it... Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-82562281971374633052016-05-18T14:34:55.590-04:002016-05-18T14:34:55.590-04:00that's a deal for only 2 cents... although i&...that's a deal for only 2 cents... although i've never written a review, except in my head, if i ever did, i'd... well, no i wouldn't because i would have forgotten. but good procedures anyway... tx...Mudpuddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17194891656971454279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-31380532119175921562016-05-18T14:32:24.120-04:002016-05-18T14:32:24.120-04:00as my kids used to say: "You Bet, Exhaust Pip...as my kids used to say: "You Bet, Exhaust Pipe!"Mudpuddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17194891656971454279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-60458754708654928102016-05-18T13:12:45.914-04:002016-05-18T13:12:45.914-04:00I do like writing about art, and painting in parti...I do like writing about art, and painting in particular... But like you, I probably have enough to manage already! Though I do often say something about art by friends.Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-13195300959892644272016-05-18T12:44:16.482-04:002016-05-18T12:44:16.482-04:00How I squirm at reviews of books... or plays or fi...How I squirm at reviews of books... or plays or films, come to that... that tediously describe plot as though it were the only thing anyone would want to know about. And as for art, it is so rare to come upon reviews that create in words a sense of what may be found underneath the paint or mark-making. You, Marly, would make a wonderful art reviewer, because you have such power of evocation Clive Hicks-Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00573698513351018726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-73810519212016145022016-05-18T11:44:42.579-04:002016-05-18T11:44:42.579-04:00I find that talking to my painter friends (includi...I find that talking to my painter friends (including you!) always gives me new ideas because the process of translating from visual to written is often surprising, sometimes inspiring.Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-78711184946066882102016-05-18T11:26:13.281-04:002016-05-18T11:26:13.281-04:00What a dandy description of how to review a novel....What a dandy description of how to review a novel. Some bits would apply handily to reviewing almost any piece of art: "Describe what it is--not the plot, but . . . what it cares about . . . what purposes and vision drive its events and structure." Yes sireee bob-tail!How to contact Mary: marybullington53@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08174581825078147922noreply@blogger.com