Comments for Odyssey Writing Workshops

Comment on Interview: Graduate A. W. Prihandita by Mike Howard

Mike Howard — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 11:12:31 +0000

Very interesting and mature. Someone to watch.

Mike Howard mike@zbdbo.com

Comment on Interview: Graduate & Guest Lecturer Carrie Vaughn by Grant Watts

Grant Watts — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 06:51:44 +0000

Thhank you for this

Comment on Interview: Graduate Donna Glee Williams by scottmatthewgray

scottmatthewgray — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 16:25:01 +0000

What a lovely interview! I learned so much! Thanks for sharing your experience Donna, and thanks to Rebecca for the excellent questions. Best! Scott

Comment on Q&A Excerpt: Steven Barnes by Mike Howard

Mike Howard — Mon, 08 May 2023 13:59:19 +0000

Hi there,

This is a really nice piece and right on the money. Thanks for sharing this.

Mike

Mike Howard mike@zbdbo.com

Comment on Q&A Excerpt: Steven Barnes by gratiaetnatura

gratiaetnatura — Mon, 08 May 2023 13:26:37 +0000

That is the best analysis of writer’s block I have ever read.

Comment on Graduate Essay: “Footnotes & Fetuses: Exploring Unusual POV Modes” by Barbara A. Barnett by scottmatthewgray

scottmatthewgray — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 21:09:18 +0000

I love the idea of mixing and matching various POV types! The examples and analysis you provided have sparked my interest in trying one! Best!

Comment on Graduate Essay: “Why Your Personal Odyssey Was Life-Changing, from Someone Who Hates the Word ‘Life-Changing'” by Iris Hwang by Derek Edward Griffiths

Derek Edward Griffiths — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:07:39 +0000

An exceptional essay and with real candour. My guiding principle, also as an aspiring writer but with a few more decades on me, is always follow your instincts rather than the well-meaning advice of others. Every writer has a uniquely individual voice that is particular to them and the experiences and innate qualities, good and bad, that have formed them. Finding and refining that voice into a good storytelling instrument is difficult. It takes time and most good writers take a lifetime doing it. I believe the key thing to finding your voice is trusting the ideas and concepts and scenarios that occur to you, entirely on their own merits, no matter how unlikely or unpromising they may initially seem. What comes directly from your inner voice is the most authentic thing, and it will guide you. Ultimately you don’t need to imitate any other author or writing principle, as long as the story is coherent. If it ain’t, put it aside and use in something else! Each story and piece you write is part of your creative evolution and the best thing to do is try and test and push yourself to the limit of your talent each time. That’s how you advance it.

Comment on Director’s Corner: The Compelling, Emotional Complex Sentence by Jack Calverley

Jack Calverley — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 09:15:51 +0000

Thank you for this great, step-by-step analysis. Often we are warned against long sentences, possibly because many believe Hemingway wrote in short sentences and they take his writing–at least their perception of his writing–as their example. There is a book I came across which might be of interest to the student of long sentence construction, and which I think complements this blog. It is “Building Great Sentences: How to Write the Kinds of Sentences You Love to Read” by Brooks Landon. Thank you, in any case, for explaining the structure of the passages from King and Bradbury so clearly, for shedding light…

Comment on Interview: Graduate P. A. Cornell by David Stier

David Stier — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 22:23:39 +0000

Great interview Patty. I wish you all the best in your evolving journey. Dave Stier Odyssey ’02 grad.

Comment on Interview: Guest Lecturer David Farland by Scott

Scott — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 19:07:59 +0000

Enjoyable characters are those whom your readers can relate to. While it’s understandable that it’s difficult to relate to wizards or superheroes, besides, we can’t shoot lasers from our eyes; you can still make your characters relatable by giving them actual everyday conflicts and fears. Make them more human than fiction.