The Four (Canada Reads) Agreements: Don Miguel Ruiz-Wilson

Authors, take with a grain of salt. I'd do the same. And you didn't do it to yourself, the Mother Corp did it to us all. (CBC, take with a grain of salt. You give us so much to debate and it's always a fascinating journey!)

With that . . . The Four (Canada Reads) Agreements: Don Miguel Ruiz-Wilson

1. Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. When pitching your book during Canada Reads, avoid self-deprecation, because, really, you're probably right, your book isn't any screaming hell. But, buck up, little one! That doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the same shot as all the other mediocre books in Canada. (I happen to like the look of a lot of the titles on the list. Don't take this personally. Oh, but I've gone and spoiled #2!)

2. Don't take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When pitching your book during Canada Reads, ask yourself, "Has this person actually read my work? Does it matter?" It's OK, writer-friends, to just ask for what you want because you want it. There's no room on the poll for passionate elaboration. It's not a solid. We don't owe one another. It's a click. Frankly, get enough wine in me and I'll likely hit the wrong button anyhow.

3. Don't make assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. When pitching your book during Canada Reads, don't say, "If you vote for me, I will give you my first born child!" Because, listen, I'm already outside your house and I have fucking candy and you've already told him/her he/she can't have any until Halloween, which kind of makes me more popular than you with or without a poll.

4. Always do your best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. When pitching your book for Canada Reads, don't be a pussy, punch em' in the throat and get 'er done!

Take good care. And as I always like to say: Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. (Like Casey Kasem stands a chance against me.)

Margaret Atwood v City Hall?

Seriously! In an unprecedented show of neanderthalmanship, Toronto city councillor Doug Ford has decided to shit-talk Margaret Atwood. 

Atwood took issue with Ford’s comments on talk radio that he has more library branches in his Etobicoke ward than there are Tim Hortons outlets.

Asked about her efforts, Ford said: “Well good luck to Margaret Atwood. I don’t even know her. If she walked by me, I wouldn’t have a clue who she is.”

Here's the link to the Toronto Star article. And apparently Ford Nation knows who she is, as the Toronto Sun also deemed it fit for reporting. 

As my friend Robbie pointed out to me, he must not have gone to high school, as you cannot escape without reading a Margaret Atwood novel. 

Moreso, when you have an internationally-famous artist in your city, as a high-ranking official, would you not want to pay her some modicum of respect? 

Writing the 5-Hour Novel

Recently, I reorganized my life around a new full-time game writing job at Ubisoft, where I get to work on Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, writing, among other things, the dialogue of all the in-game dance coaches. This is a total sandbox playtime job for movement-enthusiast, dance-writing me. I love it.

Since taking this big step, I've been getting a lot of questions from friends, acquaintances at book launches, and People of the Internet, about whether this means I'm "giving up" on my "career as a novelist."

This question surprises me, since I’ve always done other things along with writing fiction. But more importantly, writing a novel, and especially, writing well, has never been a function of how much time I have, nor do I think it should be.

So how does this work, exactly-- writing long fiction, while also sustaining a full-time writing gig in another discipline?

I'm still learning my way through my new novel writing routine. I have about 45 minutes to an hour every week day morning to work on my novel. (I also have an an available hour or so a few evenings a week, and a few hours on the weekend, but I tend to fill those with various business chores and designing silly t-shirts. I also cook a lot at home and get a reasonable amount of exercise. A girl can have multiple priorities.)  

The question is: can a novel really be written in 5 hours a week? 

My answer: yes. 

Since I started this new routine, the time I spend fictionalizing takes place very early in the day, enveloped by ritual calm.

I get up early, make lunches, walk the dog. I read on the metro for half an hour. By 8am, I’m at a cafe, with a coffee and bagel. I open my iPad, and something productive happens. Every day, something productive-- a small thing each time, but completely productive, every time. 

I carry each small advancement and all my characters around with me all day. I sleep on it. The next morning: another hour, another small advancement. No drama. No hair pulling. Just every week day, a coffee, a bagel, a few paragraphs that make sense, or some editing that leaves me satisfied. With my basic needs provided for by my job (including a great measure of daily creativity and interaction with other creative professionals), I go about my routine. I feel energized. The text grows.

Writing a novel can be like quilting or embroidery. Few people need to quit their jobs to quilt or embroider. Writing a novel can be like running a marathon. Few would say “when I quit my job and run full time, I’ll finally run a marathon.” We have piecework. We have interval training. We have novels fed by the rhythms of life.

AppSumo - Groupon for Web Nerds

Hola amigos, been a while since I rapped at ya. The data keeps coming in and I've been pulling long nights working on this food book for the fall. 

But I still find time to go on the Internet. If you're reading this, you do too! 

And so, since you love the web, like so much you want to marry it, I bring you AppSumo. It's like Groupon, or w00t, except you don't destroy a local small business and it caters to web-minded individuals like us!

Today's deal, for instance, is 17 Wordpress themes from Themify for $75 bucks. I know you can get WP themes for free, but there are a lot of benefits to buying a pro-theme. Customer support, generally a lot better usability, and often are much more customizable than free themes. AppSumo also had a great deal a while back for Zed Shaw's Learn Python the Hard Way course (now in it's second edition). 

Currently on the AppSumo all deals page, they've got a ton of stuff, like learning to code Ruby, Wordpress training, and one-year access to a design library from MediaLoot. Beats half-price at the tanning salon, that's for sure. 

EVENT: Parkdale Street Writers Launch New Zine. @GladstoneHotel. July 1. 7 p.m. FREE!

To learn more about the Parkdale Street Writers, visit their site: www.parkdalewriters.ca

The group is run by writer and activisit Emily Pohl-Weary. I really have to force myself not to get gooey over Emily's work this past years, because it's not about heroism. But, jeebus, is it ever inspiring the amount of dedication and vision she puts into this project and the weekly workshops, as is the participation of those who help facilitate them. It's truly a labour of love and passion.

So, why not help Emily and the youth celebrate their efforts and accomplishments by attending the launch of their latest zine?

Party to launch our new zine Underground Inspirations, with performances by contributors, plus special guests LAL and Abstract Random!

Canada Day
Friday, July 1, 2011
7 p.m. at Gladstone Hotel, 2nd Floor
1214 Queen Street W, Toronto

FREE! fun! SNACKS! cake!
READINGS! books!
DJ! art! PERFORMANCES! really nice people!

More info about the event or Parkdale Street Writers: 416-779-1448 or info@parkdalewriters.ca

We are grateful to our community partners (Lakeview Lunch, Toronto Public Library, Small Print) and our sponsors (Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Celebrate Canada Fund, Diaspora Dialogues).

More on the Parkdale Street Writers and how to get involved.

What: PARKDALE STREET WRITERS is a free weekly writing group for youth 16-29 led by local authors, poets, graphic novelists and lyricists.
Where: Parkdale Library, 1303 Queen St. W (Toronto)
When: Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Info: www.parkdalewriters.ca