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The Unexpected Shape Café
Public • 470 • Free
8 contributions to The Unexpected Shape Café
Nov '23 in
Memoir Analysis
Since I'm beginning to read many more memoir works closer to the kind of writing I'd like to write myself, I thought I'd ask the collective : What do you look for in terms of analysis when you're reading a memoir? Do you make notes? What do you make notes on? What are you looking at and for when you're reading? Essentially, I only studied English lit until I was 15, and so it's been a LONG time since I've read works in this way. I like reading this type of writing because I enjoy it, but if I can also make it useful to my writing practice, I'd love to be able to do so. TIA for your attention!
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New comment Nov '23
3 likes • Nov '23
I’m one of those readers that makes a complete mess out of books I admire. I’ll write on the sides of the pages, highlight sentences, dog ear everything. Now, it’s not a particularly searchable system. I should be more diligent to organize those notes into a document or data base of some sort. I’m usually too in the moment to do that when reading though.
1 like • Nov '23
@Kat B honestly, just things that feel relevant at the moment. Clever turns of phrase, beautiful sentences. Sometimes I’ll write notes on the side on why I highlighted something because I’m sure I’ll forget later. For books I’m using for research, it’s more straight up relevant facts (for example: there was an X% increase of Y over Z time) I have found Day One, the journaling app, to be useful for collecting random “inspiration” pieces I find here and there (think Instagram inspiration quotes or posts from the Paris Review); I’m thinking one of these days I will go through the books most relevant to my work and collect the highlights. One of these days…
Sep '23 in
Writing Tools
What are some of everyone’s favorite writing tools—pens, pencils, programs, things to help focus, etc.? Over the last few years I’ve found myself incredibly fond of .25mm pens because I press so hard on the page (I think it may be a mobility thing), but I also love Evernote. I’m not good at keeping organized, but I find the notes less intimidating than a Word doc.
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New comment Dec '23
6 likes • Oct '23
@Alex Venet actually think it would be awesome to start a specific thread on writing music 👀
4 likes • Oct '23
For those of us learning to use Scrivener for the first time (and maybe overwhelmed by trying to learn a new software) I found this 20min video gave me everything I needed to get started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO2t33J22yY
Oct '23 in
Writing Music 🎼
Anyone want to share what song/playlist they're jamming to while they write (or try to!) I've been listening to a lot of Studio Ghibli recently. Also discovery the work of Ryuichi Sakamoto not too long ago. This is an amazing rendition of one of my favorite pieces by him, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
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New comment Oct '23
0 likes • Oct '23
@Alex Venet love me some lofi. I have legend of Zelda and Pokémon lofi jams on heavy rotation.
Oct '23 in
Catalogue of Beauty
Beauty and whimsy. Nature, animals, flowers, sunrises, sunsets, art… Please add more posts.
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New comment Jun 10
5 likes • Oct '23
We’ve had some gorgeous sunrises in San Francisco this week
1 like • Oct '23
@Yarrow Rubin that statue is so monumental isn’t it? Love the picture
Sep '23 in
What are you reading?
Right now, I’m reading and rereading Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail, which is a comfort read for me—a sapphic romance novel. It’s interesting to go outside of my usual genres; I never read romance novels until very recently. At the same time, I’m reading a forthcoming memoir by Morgan Parker. What are you reading, and how are you feeling/thinking about it?
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New comment Jun 3
8 likes • Oct '23
I can’t believe it took me to just now to read Patti Smith’s Just Kids. The love she shared with Robert Mapplethorpe is so beautiful. She’s also clearly a poet at heart, I’m hoping to get the audiobook version next to listen to it (hopefully narrated by her)
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@alex-clemente-perez-7291
Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Living in San Francisco. Lover of silly TV shows
Active 287d ago
Joined Sep 17, 2023
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