As a Side Note

From a booklover’s life

by Jules Morgan, via Flickr
by Jules Morgan, via Flickr

I remember the day I was going to Ireland “possibly for a year, maybe forever”. Since I was flying over there, my luggage was restricted by weight and I only could take four books with me. Two of them were dictionaries: Polish-English and English-Polish as I had a hunch they might come in handy. The other two were fiction: one that I already read and loved and the other one that I didn’t, but was supposed to write a review. That’s it, four books.

Just a year later I pushed my bicycle up the hill, carrying a package on it. It was my first bookshelf: meager, small and insignificant, but at least I could transport and assemble it on my own. I had few more books back then, but they still all fitted in and there was even some space left for boxes with “stuff”. (more…)

10 Comments
April 14, 2014
On Writing / Personal Rants

The Most Dreaded Questions

By takomabibelot via Flickr
By takomabibelot via Flickr

We all have questions that we don’t like to be asked, that makes us feel uncomfortable. From “So, what’s your story about” when you would have to give away the precious plot twist forged so carefully to “So, are you planning on publishing it?” that would lead to hours-long lecture on differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing and why “planning” is not necessarily the correct verb. It even might be “Why did you kill that character?” when you simply don’t know the answer…

But the most dreaded question on my list is something different. It makes me feel a bit lost and I start wondering how one explains passion to others. The ones who have a passion on their own, something that occupies their thoughts almost all the time, will understand, but they rarely ask such question. They already relate and they would instantly understand a simple answer such as “Because I have to.” (more…)

8 Comments
March 16, 2014
On Writing / Personal Rants

Climbing the Literary Mountains

I remember the time from my early twenties when I first went to Tatra Mountains in southern Poland to hike.

Of course, I’ve been there before, but back then I was too young to consider the mountains something more than just pretty surroundings. Our parents took me and my brother around Zakopane, picturesque town at the foothills of the mountain, and strolled with us through valleys that looked like they’ve been stolen from fantasy books. I can still recall some of the views, particular places, the mood even though over a quarter of century passed since then.

Tatra Mountains, Czerwone Wierchy - by Ryszard Zuchowski
Tatra Mountains, Czerwone Wierchy – by Ryszard Zuchowski

But it was only little over ten years ago when I packed my backpack and embarked on a train to Zakopane knowing this time I won’t be simply admiring the mountains, I will be actually climing them. I felt excited and I felt ready: even if I wasn’t an athelete, more bookworm than a fitness freak, I knew I could walk for ages, so I saw no reason why I couldn’t make it to the very peaks. (more…)

18 Comments
January 20, 2014
As a Side Note

No New Year’s resolutions!

The New Year is here. Some people already had their first days at work while others finally got over their first hangover this year, and they either already announced or they are just putting together their New Year’s Resolution List. And even though I admire people who make the Big Plans, I can’t help but wonder how many of them will stick to it (according to scientists over two thirds won’t make it) and how many of them will have the courage to revisit their list in December 2014 to honestly announce how much they accomplished. Or, letting the statistics giggle cruelly for a moment, how spectacularly they failed. (more…)

2 Comments
January 2, 2014
On Writing / Writing in a second language

Writing in a second language – part III

After a bit of a break I am back with the third part of “Writing in a second language” and a next tip. Last time I advised you to not translate when you write, this time I suggest:

Do not use dictionaries

Catchy, isn’t it? And since I got your attention I will clarify a bit: do not use bilingual dictionaries when you write. Although, all in all, dictionaries are more than beneficial to any writing (be it native or a second language), being too attached to bilingual dictionaries might bring you more harm than benefits. (more…)

0 Comments
December 30, 2013
News

My story in a Polish anthology

Polish publishing house Fabryka Słów presented cover design for an upcoming anthology "I żywy stąd nie wyjdzie nikt" ("And nobody will get out of here alive") which will be featuring my story. The release of paperback is planned for 21st of February 2014. More information on the anthology is available…

0 Comments
December 11, 2013
On Writing / Writing in a second language

Writing in a second language – part II

Last time I promised to share a few tricks that would help you to improve your second language writing skills. These are not ultimate truths (and maybe they will even they will be something obvious for you) and they don’t guarantee your second language will suddenly become perfect: in fact, they might not work for you at all. But I hope that at least they will inspire you to try or to come up with your own tricks.

I thought I’d be sharing all of them at once, but it turned out I have a lot more to share than I thought. This is why I decided to focus only on one or two tricks in a post otherwise the text would be too long and you’d have to wait for it much longer. Today comes the first of the tricks.

Do not translate

I have to admit that I sat for quite a while trying to decide which advice would be the most crucial, the most beneficial of them all. There it is: do not translate. (more…)

10 Comments
December 9, 2013
On Writing

You can find a story in a single sentence

Sometimes it feels like creating a story, a good story, requires a lot of time and effort, but a good story idea might be hidden in one sentence if you only give it a chance.

Of course, one sentence itself is not enough to be a story, there still will be some thinking and creating to be done, but it’s a good start and base you can build on. Contrary to what you think, I am not about to advise you to “try to sum up your story in one sentence”, as this would be something you do after all the creating and thinking is done. (more…)

0 Comments
November 18, 2013
As a Side Note

Why I won’t buy the newest bestseller

Recently Polish sci-fi and fantasy websites were electrified by the news that Andrzej Sapkowski, the author of “The Witcher”, has written another book in the witcher universe, starring Geralt himself. Many people (myself included) grew up with the white-haired monster slayer, impatiently waited for every next book in the series, quoted the countless punchlines and consider the Witcher series somewhat of a legend. Regardless of speculations what was the reason for the author to come back to writing the series (which he said countless times was not an option), there was little doubt of whether to buy the book or not – we all pretty much knew we are going to get it. (more…)

4 Comments
November 11, 2013