What Does a Memoir Owe its Readers?: The Dilemma of ‘Truth’ in Creative Nonfiction Writing
Book Reviews / British / nonfiction / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest / Travel / writing

What Does a Memoir Owe its Readers?: The Dilemma of ‘Truth’ in Creative Nonfiction Writing


What becomes fraught is the expectation of ‘truth’ in nonfiction writing. And the truth I speak of here is not an ‘ultimate truth’ that is objective (although there are always objective truths in what we write). The ‘truth’ and the ‘expectation’ can be thought of as the relationship between the reader and writer. Continue reading

5 Life and Writing Lessons From A World Famous Author – Haruki Murakami
Book Reviews / Japanese / nonfiction / The Artistic Process / The Latest / writing

5 Life and Writing Lessons From A World Famous Author – Haruki Murakami


His latest work though is a very different kind of book. Instead of creating worlds in a well or alternate universes through tunnels, Murakami has released a book about his experiences as a career author, and in it, he details all the highs and lows of what it is really like to write books for over 35 years. In this book, he talks about each section being a speech rather than an essay or memoir, and I feel like that is perhaps the best way to think of this book. It does feel like Murakami is talking to you – delivering a speech at a graduation or event. Considering that Murakami rarely makes public appearances, he does this kind of speech writing well. Continue reading

How much should art cost?: a response to Lana Del Rey’s $1 poetry collection
Opinion Pieces / The Latest / writing

How much should art cost?: a response to Lana Del Rey’s $1 poetry collection


In a recent article published on Bookstr.com singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey announced that she would sell her collection of poetry for $1 (USD). According to quotes from Bookstr.com, Del Rey states the reason for the low price tag was because her “thoughts were priceless.” On the one hand, part of me was thrilled … Continue reading

#2 How to survive a long writing project
blogging / Opinion Pieces / The Latest / writing

#2 How to survive a long writing project


As the weather changes here in Switzerland, universities and schools are starting again and NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) is just around the corner. It doesn’t matter if you are writing a thesis, creating a novel, working on essays and assignments for school, or working on a long report for work. Writing is hard work. … Continue reading

What I have learned about blogging (so far…)
blogging / Opinion Pieces / The Latest / writing

What I have learned about blogging (so far…)


Blogging can mean so many things to so many different people. I’ve heard it described as pointless, rewarding, career-building, therapeutic, creative, and technical. Before I started blogging, I had an idea of what a ‘blogger’ might look like. To be honest, the image was not pretty: overweight, lives in parent’s basement, writes sad poetry… However, … Continue reading