Light and Shadow
  • Home
  • The Rains Come
  • ecographs
  • Monochrome

Stories of Place

2/19/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo of a Catesby's Trillium, named for the naturalist Mark Catesby. Photographed at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, many years ago, Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Stories of Place 
All writing is place-based, or so they say. I don’t know who said it first, but it may have been Wendell Berry. He may have written while teaching in New York, but his return to Kentucky is marked as the beginning of his literary career. In one of his essays, Berry speaks of how others tried to dissuade him from that return, fearing that leaving New York would end his career. 

Berry’s fictional town of Port William, where his novels and short stories occur, is based on Port Royal, Kentucky, where he lives. His poetry and nonfiction spring from the soil of the working farm where he lives. 

Although I am sure Berry knows that some of his books have been electronically published, I am also certain that he has not read them on an electronic device. He does not own a computer. He handwrites his manuscripts which his wife types on a manual typewriter. 


As I Look through the books on my shelves, I see many that are place-based. They are the ones I have already read and seem to turn to regularly. For the next few weeks, I will focus the content of my newsletter and blog on place-based writing.


Help Along the Way

Tell it Slant is a lovely resource for writers wanting to explore the creative nonfiction genre. Reading the short chapters, you will gain insights on writing a family history, a memoir, or a travel piece. The authors included other aspects such as nature writing and literary journalism. The chapters end with numerous "try it" exercises to get you writing. 

Shameless Self Promotion

My short story, "Life After Writing," won first place in the Chattanooga Writers' Guild's October contest. It takes place right where I live since it is a satire of organized critique groups,

I am now offering a free PDF of my broadside, Light and Shadow, including nonfiction pieces and a short story. Email Ray Zimmerman to request a copy.

An Announcement from the Masters' Review

Every year The Masters' Review opens submissions to produce our anthology, a collection of ten stories and essays written by the best emerging authors. We aim to showcase ten writers who we believe will continue to produce great work. The ten winners are nationally distributed in a printed book with their stories and essays exposed to top agents, editors, and authors across the country. Our third volume was awarded the Silver Medal for Best Short Story Collection through the INDIEFAB Awards in 2015, and our fourth volume was an honorable mention for best anthology. In honor of our tenth anniversary, This year’s prize pool has DOUBLED. $10,000 will be awarded between the winning writers!
https://mastersreview.com/ 



0 Comments
    Picture

    ​Archives                

    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    Environment
    Literacy
    Nature

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly