tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6023093550014591790..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: My mentorsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70516858208906606722008-10-02T20:20:00.000-07:002008-10-02T20:20:00.000-07:00Many years ago sportscaster Greg (I forget his las...Many years ago sportscaster Greg (I forget his last name) was reading the Sat football scores on KGO in SF. Somebody "larruped Rice".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23027654869003995582008-10-01T19:17:00.000-07:002008-10-01T19:17:00.000-07:00d.mcewan said:And I recognized the fact that she h...d.mcewan said:<BR/><I>And I recognized the fact that she had shown me the respect of being brutally honest with me, and not sugar-coating anything. If I wanted to play with the big boys, I had better come up to a higher standard.</I><BR/><BR/>She wouldn't have done so had she not believed that your writing showed promise.<BR/><BR/>It took me a long time to realize that if someone really thinks writing sucks, they don't waste their time, energy, or expertise giving detailed, direct, cut-through-the-crap suggestions. Instead they say things like, "Your punctuation is flawless!"Mary Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186261066656584772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78336924442669979032008-10-01T10:20:00.000-07:002008-10-01T10:20:00.000-07:00Mr. Levine! You are incorrect. Google does, in f...Mr. Levine! You are incorrect. Google does, in fact, reap a small reward on the Bruce Anson front.<BR/><BR/>At this site, http://www.710kmpc.com/film.htm there is a promotional film and Anson shows up at about ten minutes in.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for answering the Friday question I had intended to ask, which was about writers that influenced you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24230880610805444142008-10-01T09:37:00.000-07:002008-10-01T09:37:00.000-07:00"Mary Stella said... The tough ones always teach u..."Mary Stella said... <BR/>The tough ones always teach us the most. The first time someone really ripped into an early manuscript almost broke me."<BR/><BR/>So true. About 25 years ago I got to meet Pauline Kael. She was very kind to me. I arrived with all of her books except her first. When she asked why I was missing that one, I said I'd been unable to find a copy. (The pre-internet world. One dodged tyrannosaurs) Two weeks later, a signed copy arrived in the mail.<BR/><BR/>At the time, I was trying to write Twilight-Zone-ish short stories, but had not succeeded in placing any (Though I did sell film rights to one. A long story there.) Ms Kael very kindly offered to read one and give me her critique. I gave her what I felt was my strongest one, and she took it away with her.<BR/><BR/>A month later she sent it back to me, with a critique that, in a bullshit-free way, tore it to ribbons. But no generalized "I didn't like it." crap. She was extremely specific about exactly what was wrong with it, which was, happily, more to do with story-structure than with the prose style or the humor.<BR/><BR/>I was crushed. A critic I respected very much had murdered a story of mine that I thought was good.<BR/><BR/>Except she was on-the-nose right about every flaw, and I learned a great deal from what she told me. (Including that this wasn't the type of writing I should be doing. That I was a comedy writer, and shouldn't be attempting to be the gay Rod Serling/Stephen King.)<BR/><BR/>And I recognized the fact that she had shown me the respect of being brutally honest with me, and not sugar-coating anything. If I wanted to play with the big boys, I had better come up to a higher standard.<BR/><BR/>I wrote back to her thanking her. For a very busy, extremely eminent critic to have taken all that time on me, was a gift which, while a bitter taste in my mouth at first, the high value of it I nonetheless deeply appreciated. It was a big step for me on the road to eventually becoming published.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again, Ms Kael. I miss reading new work from you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70749717492002057722008-10-01T09:04:00.000-07:002008-10-01T09:04:00.000-07:00My father worked in radio for over 60 years. (In 1...My father worked in radio for over 60 years. (In 1961 he briefly worked at KFWB as "Jim Kelly", though his real name was Jim O'Neill). d. mcewan, he was also good friends with Al Lohman, with whom he worked in Wichita, Kansas in the 50's.<BR/><BR/>I had the opportunity to work with my father on his last job in radio when I interned as a Sales Assistant at WSAI in Cincinnati. I volunteered to write spots for the Sales people, and gave my father a spot to critique that he was going to record. Well, I thought my prose was pretty lean, but he handed it back to me with several words crossed out. Of course his changes vastly improved rhythm and pacing, and I marvelled at his gift of pitch perfect "hearing" of words he saw on the page. Those "old radio guys" blessed those of us fortunate enough to hear or work with them with so much. Some day, if I'm a good enough writer, I also want to mentor.<BR/><BR/>Also, Ken, I've been meaning to tell you how much I enjoy your stories about radio and your childhood, because they bring back many fond memories of my father and my own childhood. I would be so happy if I could be 1/5 the writer you and your commentors are!<BR/><BR/>Kathleen O'NeillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37112242964190029722008-10-01T06:54:00.000-07:002008-10-01T06:54:00.000-07:00The tough ones always teach us the most. The firs...The tough ones always teach us the most. The first time someone really ripped into an early manuscript almost broke me. When I got over the ego meltdown and really looked at what she'd said, I realized she was right on all counts. The experience made me a better writer and helped me develop a necessary thicker skin.<BR/><BR/>It's good to hear more writers talk about paying it forward and mentoring. Lots of people laugh about the romance writers, but we rock when it comes to educating and helping less experienced writers. This isn't limited to the writing craft, but also extends to the whole publishing business. More business-savvy writers make fewer bad deals and that ends up being better for all of us.Mary Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186261066656584772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31911115107960319922008-10-01T00:34:00.000-07:002008-10-01T00:34:00.000-07:00And now if people Google him, they'll find him.Tha...And now if people Google him, they'll find him.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the inspiration, Ken. You make me want to be a good mentor.konberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04616226121996611123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85424754435638923142008-09-30T23:19:00.000-07:002008-09-30T23:19:00.000-07:00"Have a little Bruce Anson sitting on your shoulde..."Have a little Bruce Anson sitting on your shoulder when you write."<BR/><BR/>I know exactly what you mean. In my writing station, there's a small bust of Charles Dickens that sits above the computer, looking down at my monitor, frowning, because nothing I write is up to his standard. <BR/><BR/>On the wall to my right is a framed picture of Patrick Dennis: he looks at me quizzically, head tilted askew, as though saying "Really? Don't you think that could be a bit better?"<BR/><BR/>And directly in front of me a framed picture of Sir Noel Coward regards me with gaurded amusement, his fist covering his mouth, as though saying, "Nice try, but honestly, who are you kidding calling your self a writer? Did I mention I wrote PRIVATE LIVES in three days?"<BR/><BR/>I also was lucky to have a handful of amazing mentors, and I've yet to eat any of them: "Sweet Dick" Whittington first and foremost, Larry "Seymour" Vincent, Al Lohman, Bill Hudnut, and a few teachers who made huge differences: Barbara Covey, Rosemary Stevens, Phil Haynes, and Dr. Jack Vaughn.<BR/><BR/>Thank you to all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com