i decided that if i'm gong to start writing again, i should probably start reading, too.
right now i am reading the writing life by annie dillard. this book hurts me. it absolutely kills me, cuts to the core of my soul, exposes writing for the burden that it really is. but it's amazing. annie dillard is so amazing. the words and the way she manages to string them together... just, wow.
i am also reading getting things done by david allen. i am only in something like the second or third chapter, but so far he is making some sense. let's see where this goes. the first advice he gives in the book, which is to write down something that keeps nagging you and what you need to do to resolve it, already helped me. i had a thought keep popping into my head yesterday while i was trying to review a lengthy document. as a result, i found myself scanning the same page over and over while this thought took over my brain every 2 seconds. so i whipped out a post-it note and wrote it down. instant relief.
i am also reading the complete tightwad gazette by amy dacyczyn. i am only 30 0r so pages into it, but i'm already seeing how it could be a great resource. it's kind of geared toward families (she and her husband have 6 kids!), but it still has some useful tips. and humor, which tends to make a concept like "tightwaddery" more enjoyable.
