Book Recommendations

Because I'm a writer, I am in on the business of reading. I don't know how you can be a writer and not read. A lot. And yet, that's something I didn't learn about being a writer until much later than I should have. I grew up thinking a writer just wrote stuff from their brain and never thought about putting material back into it to nurture creativity.

If you are not a writer, reading is still very, very important. It builds empathy. It gives you creative powers. It's fun. It opens your mind. It's relaxing. I don't know how you can enjoy sitting in the sun with a cup of tea unless you have a book in your hands (or ears).

Reading is important.

So without further stuff to get in the way, here are my most ardent book recommendations:

Fantasy: Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones.

She wrote Howl's Moving Castle, but in my opinion, Dark Lord of Derkholm is her best work. It's super funny and very intelligent too. Probably a quicker read than most fantasy stories.

Sci-Fi: The Android's Dream by John Scalzi. Also funny. But my oh my is it a fun adventure that massages the brain and ignites its creativity centers. The world-building is so delicately done that you don't even realize all the things you know about the world in the first two chapters. The beginning chapter is probably one of my most favorite examples of how to begin a book. It's just hilarious and breaks a lot of writing rules and still works.

Non-Fiction: Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle.

Yes, she wrote A Wrinkle in Time, but these are her thoughts on Christianity and Art. Mostly about art and I've found that it really helps me rediscover the artist inside myself when I am feeling uncreative. It's like a creativity booster. I recommend reading it one chapter at a time and doling it out over a longer period, since you will need to dwell on the concepts she presents. Also, I find that after I read a chapter, I immediately want to go write, so I only get through about a chapter at a time. This book fed my identity as an artist in a way I desperately needed.

Historical Fiction: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This book didn't get as good reviews as I think it should have. It sounds like it's a short, little romp into adventure with a lead female character. But really it's an incredibly intense emotional roller coaster that is anything but short and little, because it will stick in your mind long after you finish reading it. It's really good writing, too. And it made me feel like I could actually picture what things were like in WWII. I'm always a sucker for WWII settings, though. Something about the danger calls to me.

Young Adult: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

At first I didn't like this book, but then it grew on me, and then I realized how essential it is for knowing the current market of YA books. This is where books are headed: away from teenage vampires and wizards and towards adultier versions that are less silly. Even if you don't relish the thought of reading YA, I believe this is an important read to keep your finger on the pulse of today's publishing. I feel like this is the bridge from what we used to see in YA to what is next. I would recommend Sarah J Maas' more recently published series, A Court of Mist and Fury, but I haven't read that one yet myself.

What am I currently reading? Too many books.

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Stations of the Tide  by Michael Swanwick

Adventures in the Dream Trade by Neil Gaiman

Physik: Septimus Heap Book 3 by Angie Sage

So far, the Rithmatist seems like it's going to be a lesser version of what I've come to expect from Sanderson, but still fun. Stations of the Tide has been boring and confusing and I don't really like it at all, but I'm almost done with it so apparently it's just interesting enough to make me finish it. Adventures in the Dream Trade is more of a curiosity than something I'm looking forward to experiencing. It's a little disjointed, but the writing is still Gaiman quality. And you can almost always catch me re-reading one of the Septimus Heap books. I'm currently on book three of the series, and will probably start right back over again once I finish it for the third time.

Speaking of reading and books, you can find me on Goodreads! Just search for Reesha Rugroden under friends and I will pop up.

MFA thoughts and DIY

Tea: Huckleberry, black

Music: Volcano, Instrumental - Damien Rice

A few years ago I kept asking myself the question if I should go for an MFA in creative writing. Every time someone would mention it or I'd see an ad, I'd think rosy thoughts about a writing utopia of classmates and teachers who would encourage me and me encourage them in turn and I would suddenly become the writer I've always wanted to be. Plus I'd make useful connections I could hopefully turn into a publishing career someday.

But then I'd look at the money and the time and the requirements and realize it wasn't for me.

I stumbled upon this post the other day about a 1000 Day MFA that you do yourself. It reminded me of why I ultimately decided I shouldn't do an MFA: the biggest benefit I would get from it is self-discipline. (There are others, of course: the mentoring, the connections, etc.) I realized what I really wanted was someone to stand over my shoulder and make me write. Make me read. Make me be disciplined. And I realized that if I really want to be a writer that badly, that person standing over my shoulder should be me.

So a DIY MFA sounds really appealing. I'm not so certain of the specific schedule laid out in that post, but I could certainly tailor my own program to fit my needs. (For instance, the schedule says read at least one novel a month. I can't do that. I would be desperate for more like four books a month.)

Even if I don't construct some version of my own 1000 day program, I think it's important to think about daily habits and how serious this business of writing needs to be. If I am dedicated to my craft and want to accomplish the things I have dreamed about since I was a kid, shouldn't I make myself into the kind of person who can manage such daily habits on her own without paying $20,000 a year?

(Just so you know, I greatly admire anyone who has gone through an MFA program. There are lots of benefits and reasons to do so. I'm just not in a place where it would benefit me. Perhaps when I'm a more mature writer.)

Don't be afraid to bring your books with you

Tea: Iccha Kariban, second brewing
Music: Ocarina of Time, End Credits - Monsalve

I have a co-worker who is an incredibly gentle, soft-spoken woman, but who says things that make you realize she has a powerhouse of wisdom behind her and that she could yell truth at you through a single whisper that would change your life forever.

I try to spend as much time around her as I can, just listening to her talk. She's amazing.

At a meeting last year, she presented us with this TED talk on introversion. In it, Susan Cain talks about how she used to bring loads of books with her to camp, but felt afraid to open up her suit case and take them out to read because all of a sudden the world wasn't about sitting quietly to read, it was about being outgoing and energetic.

The other day, this co-worker of mine walked in the door, said a quick hi, dumped two bags on the floor, then disappeared again after propping open the door. She came back with three more heavy bags, put them in the same spot, then picked one up. The entryways at my work all have stairs right after them. There is no way you can get anywhere without going up or down stairs. And she is an older woman. Though she is strong, I'm sure, I worry about her sometimes so I offered to carry her bags up for her.

She thanked me and proceeded to her office. I picked up two of the bags (if I wasn't pregnant I would have tried to take them all), and they were heavier than I expected. I brought them up the two sets of stairs and put them next to her desk. Knowing her well-refined habit of reading, I asked her if they were full of books. She said they were, and went on to say that just having them with her motivates her to get work done. Because if she is able to get all the things done she came in to do, she might have some time leftover to read a book.

When I was just about to go off to college, I packed my backpack with a lot of books and journals and even some drawing pencils "just in case" I had some time to delve into them. They were company. They were friends. They always brought me joy. But my older brother looked at that and said "Oh, Reesha. You'll learn pretty quickly that you only bring with you what you need in college."

He was kind of right. I was carrying around way too much weight in my backpack for it to be healthy that first semester, and was saddened to realize that I had to stop carrying EVERY book I was currently reading for fun, on top of my course books and notebooks, and EVERY journal I was either writing or drawing in.

But after college, I always kind of felt like it was wrong to bring unnecessary books with me for some reason. The idea of practicality stopped me from overloading myself with the fun things just in case I might have time to get into them.

And I think my life was less rich for it.

When I got a smart phone, I felt I was in heaven for the first two months. I could read books anywhere and they didn't cost me an ounce of lifting. I could even write, if I was determined enough. But I soon found myself abandoning those activities on my phone because they just weren't as romantic as the real thing. Sure, I could capture a thought if I needed to. Or I could take in a paragraph here and there that I needed for information. But reading or writing for pleasure wasn't really a part of it.

After carrying my co-worker's books up those steps and realizing that even at her age, she insists on bringing books with "just in case", it warmed something inside me that had long been ignored.

I felt like I had been given permission to bring things along that I don't strictly need, no matter how much they weigh. Books are companions. And reading them on a phone is like trying to connect with a loved one through face-time: sure, you can hear and see them, but it just isn't the same as having them over for a long weekend visit.

I'm very glad I have the ability to read books anywhere at anytime. The thought that I can carry over 3,000 books in my pocket makes me giddy sometimes. God bless technology.

But sometimes you just need the real thing.

So, first I felt like it was suddenly ok to bring books and journals with me again. Even to places where I wasn't certain I would have time to get into them. But then, I decided to hold onto that forbidden feeling.

The books I read with a flashlight under the covers were always so much more fun than the ones I read during the day on the weekend sitting on the couch. (Actually I rarely read with a flashlight because there was a very powerful street light right outside my window that never turned off. How was I supposed to resist night reading when there was such a perfect set-up? But you get the idea.)

My point is, don't be afraid to bring your books with you. Even if you don't get the chance to read them. Susan encouraged her viewers to open up your suitcases and bring out the books you brought. I would encourage you to fill your suitcases with books in the first place.

My husband has been after me about making my bag lighter as it is. He's started to brainstorm ways I can whittle down the amount of stuff I bring to take care of my toddler. Which is great to have him help innovate my carrying techniques. But I think I'm going to insist on at least one book, and one journal. At least until after I'm done being pregnant. Then I can bring more.

Books are worth it. More importantly, our brains are worth it. Do you even know all the things reading does to our brains? I think that's another post for a later time.

Self-Publishing thoughts

Tea: Toasted Maple Green
Music: Squirrel of Possibility - Punch Brothers

I keep flip flopping between these two thoughts:

"I definitely want to go the traditional publishing route. Working with an agent and a publisher would be so much fun!"

and

"I am definitely going to self-publish because it's such a viable option now and I could have control over every part of the process. It would be exciting to do it all myself."

Right now I'm on the second part of the flip flop. What changed my mind?

I was making a writing schedule for the next two years to plan out when my book(s) would be finished and when I could reasonably expect them to be ready for publication if I put myself on deadlines. This is something I'm always doing and redoing. It's a way to procrastinate from writing, actually. Even though it usually ends up getting me to think "Oh wow. I better get to it, then."

When I got to the part where I submit my finished and polished and edited novel to an agent, I started writing up all kinds of schedules for when to start writing my next book and when I would do each round of submissions. And then I hit a problem. I couldn't determine with any certainty when, or if ever, I would land an agent and a publishing deal. And it made me stop to think about all the rejection letters I've gotten on my previous project, and what that whole thing felt like.

I was never very disappointed with any particular rejection letter that I can recall. I expected to get at least some rejections. That wasn't what made me stop and cringe at the idea of going through the process again. It was the idea that I would put lots and lots of work into seeking out a traditional publishing route, and not be guaranteed any results. For my last project, I spent hundreds of hours writing and tweaking queries, personalizing them after researching each agent I was submitting to. I felt really good about having done everything I could to put my best foot forward, including writing a really good novel. But it just never worked out.

Now I am a mom of a toddler, with another one on the way, and I can see my writing time slipping away as I make writing schedules and have to completely block off two months because of giving birth and recovering. So the thought of putting the precious hours I manage to carve out for writing towards marketing and the fact that they may not even pay off makes me kind of sick to my stomach. And not because of the pregnancy either.

Part of the reason I wanted an agent so badly is because I am obsessed with the business side of writing. I think I would actually enjoy being an agent much more than being a writer. (But there's no way for me to get an internship with an agency while living in Minnesota. Grrrr.) So I really wanted to work closely with one, see them in action, be fascinated by all the wonderful strings they pull and things they do to make writer's dreams come true.

Well, if I can't become a literary agent, what better way to satisfy my desire to get in on the nitty gritty of publishing than to self-publish? Plus, in the end, I am guaranteed a result of being published. No promises on how well the book will sell or how many road blocks I will come up against that I will have to solve on my own. But even with traditional publishing, there are no promises.

So that's where I'm headed, as of today. There may be something along the line in the next few months that makes me want to go back to traditional publishing. Maybe I spot a new agent who is directly looking for what I am writing. Or I start to doubt myself and my abilities to get my own work out there. Or the thought of writing a query letter and sending it off to lots of agents suddenly sounds appealing again.

I know I said I don't have much time to write. Who does with kids? And that may prove to be the deciding factor since self-publishing takes a lot more time on the author's part than traditional publishing (or so I've been told). But...I still think I can do it. I would rather put in three times the amount of hours than it takes to go the traditional publishing route and know I'll have something to show for it than put in less time and have nothing.

If anyone has any ideas on how someone from Minnesota could become a literary agent, I'm all ears. Why are there no agencies in Minnesota and why are they all still in New York (and other major cities not near me) when we have such a thing as telecommuting?
(The obvious answer is that one can become a literary agent simply by saying "I am a literary agent" and putting together a website and then waiting for clients. But the thought of doing that scares me because...I would be in charge of people's dreams and I know what it's like to be the writer with a dream, hoping they put their trust in the right person. I'm pretty sure I would need an internship or some equivalent to be able to do it right.)

Community

Tea: Jasmine Green

Music: Sonata No. 2 in A Minor by Bach


"I’m giving myself permission to post whatever the hell I want, so I can just get past the internal gatekeeper slash critic who prevents me from using the one space on the Internet that is entirely mine." - Will Wheaton


From his blog which you can find here.


I have started many blogs and they have fallen by the wayside because I either tried to follow what seemed like good advice about being a niche voice, or I was trying too hard to come up with brilliant posts.


And I forgot that this place on the internet is entirely mine.


Rather, I hope that it is entirely ours.


Back in July of 2016, I got a new job at a place that highly values community and I was like "Ok, sure. Community is good. But I'm here to do a job." I very quickly learned just how important community is and the difference it could make. It's not just a good thing for a blog or an author or readers. It's THE thing. It is exactly what I want for this blog.


So please join me here in this space, and know that you are welcome to feel at home here. I hope to foster a little pocket of community where we can explore and get excited about many things, have fun, educate one another, etc.


I'll admit I don't really know how to do that yet, but I'm going to be thinking about it a lot in the next few weeks. If you have any suggestions on ways to make this space more welcoming and more community oriented, I would love to hear from you.


Excited to build this space together.

Why Scrivener?

Tea: Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls
Music: none

There are two things you should know about me: the first is that I love Scrivener and the second is that I participate in NaNoWriMo almost every year. (Though not in 2017, because I'm having a baby. Although, I might go crazy and do it anyway if I'm feeling up to it. I've heard of moms participating and even giving birth mid-November and still winning. Crazy people.)

I love using Scrivener above all else to write. For one, it feels like it's made with me in mind. But also because I was able to get it cheap. If you participate in NaNoWriMo and win, you get a code for like, half off.

I'm sure you'll hear me talk more about NaNoWriMo closer to November, so instead of telling you about it, you can just follow the link to read more.

Now about Scrivener...it's just so easy to get at writing and have everything else jump out of the way, but still be there when I need to find it. The biggest strength of Scrivener is the binder system. It collects all your single documents on the left in an easy to find place, and keeps them in order. With the power of the binder, I could write an epic fantasy series with 40+ characters and 15+ books and tons of backstory and short stories and notes and research, and be able to navigate the entire thing easily.

As I've been thinking about it, the binder system is a no-brainer and really quite simple. And sure, you could set up your own kind of binder system in a different program or in some folder system on your computer as long as you stay organized. But Scrivener helps mightily and is made for this.

Here's an example screen shot of my work to show you what I mean:

This is from a book series that I've written, submitted for publication, and ultimately had a lot of fun with but don't think the market is right for it. Maybe someday if Steampunk becomes more popular or if I get impatient and decide to self-publish. (Note: The text shown is a very early first draft and a part that I eventually cut from the final draft. So...basically my apologies for the bad writing. You don't have to read it.)

On the left, is the almighty binder. As you can see, I have folders for every draft from first to sixth, and other folders to hold a ton of other odds and ends.
The split screen is another one of my favorite features. It lets me look at the text I'm writing while looking at a character profile for reference, or an older draft, or any other notes. The pop-out screen is a picture of a devices I had planned to incorporate into the story, and having the visual right there was helpful when I needed to describe what part the main character was working on fixing. There's also a full screen feature

Wow. Looking back on this project, I remember just how much fun I had writing this. Ok, enough nostalgia.

Hopefully this gives you some insight into what Scrivener is like and how it can be used. And yes, you can export all your stuff to Word or PDF if you wish. For instance, if an agent asks you for your full manuscript in Word format, you can do that quickly without even needing Word (though I always like to double check how it looks before sending).

You'll hear more from me about Scrivener and some of its wonderful features in detail, I'm sure. I just love it and am passionate about sharing this wonderful tool with other writers.

If you have any questions about Scrivener, I'd be happy to try to answer them. Or if you just want to gush about it in the comments, I'd enjoy that too. :)

A little about me

Tea: Lychee black
Music: Fragile - Hauschka

Hi there,
I'm an administrator by day and a writer by ...well any hour I can squeeze in, not just at night but the wee hours of the morning, too. Usually from 5-7am which is when my toddler wakes up.

There's not much more to say in a first post so I hope you like it here. I have plans for this blog. Interests you're likely to see on here:

• Writing
• Reading
• Mom stuff (yes, I'm a mom but this is not exclusively a "mom blog", as much as I love a good mom blog)
• Science fiction
• Fantasy
• Gaming (board and video)
• Pottery
• Origami
• Crafts
• House stuff
• Tea - I'm serious about tea
• Tech stuff
• More reading...lots about the wonderful art of reading
• More writing stuff
• Hopefully someday publishing stuff :)

I invite you to make this blog one of your online communities and would love to hear comments from you. Thanks for reading!

Reesha