Sticky Notes Blog

A blog of writing news, tips, and inspiration from Fat Plum

Category: Diversions

"All the serifs come out dancing"

When you're supposed to be writing, do you procrastinate by changing the font you write with? You're not alone. Check out this fun article in Slate, in which authors discuss the fonts they prefer when they're writing: "My Favorite Font"

I discovered this article by way of the lovely and creative India Amos, who adds her own thoughts on fonts to write with ("Choosy Writers Choose Courier"):

There’s a strong preference for Courier, which I happen to think is a good idea. Keeps the writer from getting to hung up on presentation. When I worked on the PEN literary journal, I’d format files in Courier for the staff, but in Times New Roman for the editor in chief. The book was then set in very small Adobe Caslon, and we’d find another round of typos on that version—you see different kinds of errors every time you change the typeface.

I write in Courier too. In fact, you can't tell but I'm writing in Courier right now....

Continue reading ""All the serifs come out dancing""

Posted by Cindy on May 27, 2007
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions
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Writing in heaven and hell

A joke passed on to us from Jennifer Angelo:

A writer died and was given the option of going to heaven or hell. She decided to check out each place first. Descending into the fiery pits, she saw row upon row of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they were repeatedly whipped with thorny lashes.

"Oh, my," said the writer. "Let me see heaven now."

Moments later, as she ascended into heaven, she saw rows of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. They, too, were whipped with thorny lashes as they worked.

"Wait a minute," said the writer. "This is just as bad as hell!"

"Oh, no, it's not," replied an unseen voice. "Here, your work gets published."

Posted by Cindy on May 09, 2007
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions
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Group reading of email mystery

Some time back I mentioned the mystery "Daughters of Freya," which readers receive in their email boxes rather than reading in bound form. A very interesting new publication concept. They're having a "group read" tomorrow (August 1), which the authors explain this way:

On August 1, readers around the world will be emailed the first installment of The Daughters of Freya, a mystery novel that is emailed to readers in installments over a three week period.

Participants will all read the mystery at the same time and will be able to discuss it as it's happening in an online forum, creating a shared experience out of what is normally a solitary activity. (Since everybody receives the installments at the same time, nobody can 'spoil' the mystery for others.)

Details available at the official site. Happy email sleuthing!

Posted by Cindy on July 31, 2005
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions

How to read your writing in public

From the New York Times Magazine:

Notes to a Reader by Amanda Stern

What to wear: Take everything out of your closet. Try it all on. Worry that you look pretentious. Change. Worry that you look sloppy, a touch unhinged. Now you are late. Panic.

Posted by Cindy on October 04, 2004
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions

Off to a great start

On the lighter side: Stuck for an unstoppable opening line for your breakout novel? Check out these stunning first sentence suggestions from the Morning News:

--Shoes were the ruin of young Benjamin's life.

--Ivan Sergei Shushmayovich was poor, very poor indeed, but every day he stood hopefully outside the little rich girl's house, a much-chewed pencil in one hand, a rusted mutton cleaver in the other.

--We never should have given the nine-armed monkeys machine guns.

--Of all of the king's cows, only Bootsie had magical poop.

Posted by Cindy on June 28, 2004
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions

Pick a book, not a pocket

Poets & Writers magazine shared this nice bit of news:

In January, Mexico City started a new program, "For a Quick Read on the Metro," that offers free books to riders of the city's subway. The program, designed to reduce crime on the subway and increase literacy among the city's 8.5 million residents, will distribute 7 million paperbacks, including books of poetry and fiction, through 2006.

If I could just get my book translated into Spanish...

Posted by Julie on May 19, 2004
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions

1,000 Journals Project

Inspired by the way complete strangers exhange thoughts via bathroom graffiti, in 2000 graphic designer Brian Singer bought 1,000 blank journals and set them loose in the world, to be filled a page at a time and passed along. One of the journals is finally full and has been sent back to Singer. You can check out some of the pages on the website and see if one of the journals might be in your neck of the woods.

Posted by Julie on May 18, 2004
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions

Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival road tour was in downtown Pittsburgh last night. It featured a selection of the many films on mountain subjects that were shown in November in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It was an incredible combination of adrenalin rush, inspiration, and thought provocation. You can check out other city stops on the tour at the Banff Mountain Festival's site.

Continue reading "Banff Mountain Film Festival"

Posted by Julie on April 15, 2004
This entry was posted in the following categories: Diversions