Greetings, Bearers (and writers)!
First of all, a shout out to those who have taken the chance on reading my books and short stories, as well as to those who have decided to check out my nonfiction book Beneficial?. I hope you’re enjoying and benefitting from what you’re reading. Expect some more releases from me soon, as I’ve been really cruising on the writing as of late! If all goes well, I’ll have another installment in the Surrealities series ready for you to enjoy, and possibly some other tidbits as well!
Anyway, on to my major discovery. I don’t recall whether or not I mentioned it in this blog at any time (too much of a hurry to get this out to look) but I’ve found one of the greatest things in the world for aspiring writers to read in order to improve their writing game.
No, I’m not kidding. Not by a longshot. The Farmer’s Almanac has to be one of the most interesting publications I’ve ever picked up. If you’ve never read it, you might get the idea that it’s all about… well, farming. And some of it is. But there’s also a whole lot that isn’t. And what isn’t about farming gets rather far out there.
For example, I first read the 2015 Almanac and found this great article about Northern Lights which delved into the scientific study and analysis of these beautiful heavenly phenomenae. In doing so, I caught an idea that might end up being incorporated into a story that involves a little bit more of a hard science fiction angle than some of my previous stuff.
And believe me, there’s a treasure trove of things in there just waiting to supply me (and you, fellow writers) with a library of inspirational ideas. Count on it.
So if you’re looking to up your writing skills, give the Almanac a shot. It’s meant to be read over the course of the year, so take your time with it. Read EVERY little bit of it. You’ll find the quaint, the wise, the accurate, and the humorous all rolled up into one wonderful publication.
Okay, that’s my writing tip for the day. Bed calls, and with it sleep. But I’ll be back to writing and reading more come the morning. And I hope you will be as well!
See you in the Vein!
J. Dean
The World of the Vein 