Ernest Hemingway Quotes – Carolyn M. Bowen, Author

July 21, 2019April 5, 2021

Ernest Hemingway’s Birthday

Quote of the Day: Courage is grace under fire. Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s Birthday

July 21^st is Ernest Hemingway’s birthday and an excellent time to reflect on his contributions to the literary world.

He lived larger than life – can’t think about the running of the bulls without thinking of him or salt-water fishing, war and peace, extreme sports… His passion for cultural experiences, at times, placed him in harm’s way.

We are the winners as he gathered bits and pieces in his pursuits and used his imaginative storytelling to produce masterpieces that are classics today.

His novels are guideposts for future writers to measure their growth. May he rest in peace! Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961)

Ernest Hemingway’s Novels and Non-Fiction Books

These are his novels and non-fiction books. For more information about movies, and other writing, visit Wikipedia for details.

(1926) The Torrents of Spring
(1926) The Sun Also Rises
(1929) A Farewell to Arms
(1937) To Have and Have Not
(1940) For Whom the Bell Tolls
(1950) Across the River and Into the Trees
(1952) The Old Man and the Sea
(1970) Islands in the Stream
(1986) The Garden of Eden
(1999) True at First Light

Nonfiction

Hemingway’s Advice to Writers

Here are a couple of my past posts about Hemingway with some tips for writers. Enjoy!

Hemingway’s Advice to Authors – Part 1

Hemingway Advice to Authors – Part 2

Thank you for following my blog. Carolyn M. Bowen

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May 29, 2019April 5, 2021

Hemingway’s Advice to Writers: Part 2

Quote of the Day: “For a true writer, each book should be a new beginning where he tries again for something that is beyond attainment. He should always try for something that has never been done or that others have tried and failed. Then sometimes, with great luck, he will succeed.” Ernest Hemingway

Part 2: Hemingway’s Advice to Writers

As promised, today’s topic is part two of Hemingway’s advice to authors provided to Samuelson, a journalist and aspiring author at the time. His book is titled, Arnold Samuelson, With Hemingway, A Year in Key West and Cuba.

Note: The book was published after the author’s death in 1981. You may have seen the movie, if not watch it. The book is available in hard copy from Amazon and at most libraries.

We’re looking at the novels Ernest Hemingway considered the “good stuff” in literature. Although, not handwritten as the list below, in conversation with Samuelson, he said, “the best book an American ever wrote,” the one that “marks the beginning of American literature” – “Mark Twain Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

Hemingway’s “Good Stuff”

In looking over the book list, I’m reminded of another quote by Hemingway about studying authors considered the best after their death for that was the true sign of greatness for their work had endured. In doing so, Hemingway’s novels should be added to the list of good stuff for today’s reading.

In his own words…

“Here’s a list of books any writer should have read as a part of his education… If you haven’t read these, you just aren’t educated. They represent different types of writing. Some may bore you; others might inspire you and others are so beautifully written they’ll make you feel it’s hopeless for you to try to write.”

Note: You’ll find most of these at your public library.

The Blue Hotel by Stephen Crane
The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Dubliners by James Joyce
The Red and Black by Stendhal
Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann
Hail and Farewell by George Moore
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Oxford Book of English Verse
The Enormous Room by E.E. Cummings
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Far Away and Long Ago by W.H. Hudson
The American by Henry James

Following Hemingway’s method of studying the writing of great authors whose works have stood the test of time, what author and books would you add to the list?

Here are a few of my favorites. Comment below with your must-reads of classic novels.

The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Catcher and the Rye – J. D. Salinger
James Bond Spy Series – Ian Fleming
Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf
The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
In Cold Blood – Truman Capote

Note: If you missed Hemingway’s Advice to Writer’s Part One, read here.

Thanks for following my blog and sharing on social media. Your support is greatly appreciated!

For more information about my novels, click here. Thanks, Carolyn Bowen

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May 17, 2019April 5, 2021

Hemingway’s Advice to Writers: Part 1

Quote of the Day: There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. Ernest Hemingway

Lifelong learning around my home means studying the art and craft of writing. This means I do a lot of reading and writing.

We all have our favorites and my reference to Ernest Hemingway probably doesn’t surprise you. I am fortunate to have read many of Hemingway’s novels and came across a book about him written by his friend, Arnold Samuelson, an aspiring writer at the time.

For the next few posts, I’ll share some of his advice to writers from the book by Arnold Samuelson, With Hemingway, A Year in Key West and Cuba.

Note: The book was published after the author’s death in 1981. You may have seen the movie, if not watch it. The book is available in hard copy from Amazon and at most libraries.

Ernest Hemingway’s advice on ambition, self-comparison, and originality:

“Never compete with living writers. You don’t know whether they’re good or not. Compete with the dead ones you know are good. Then when you can pass them up you know you’re going good. You should have read all the good stuff so that you know what has been done because if you have a story like one somebody else has written, yours isn’t any good unless you can write a better one. In any art, you’re allowed to steal anything if you can make it better, but the tendency should always be upward instead of down. And don’t ever imitate anybody. All style is, is the awkwardness of a writer in stating a fact. If you have a way of your own, you are fortunate, but if you try to write like somebody else, you’ll have the awkwardness of the other writer as well as your own.”

In the next post, we’ll look at what Ernest Hemingway thought was the “good stuff” writers should read.

Please take a moment and share your thoughts below. Thanks for following my newsletter. Wishing you a wonderful weekend! Carolyn

April 12, 2019April 5, 2021

Author to Author: The Writing Life

Quote of the Day: You see, I am trying in all my stories to get the feeling of the actual life across – not to just depict life – or criticize it – but to actually make it alive. So that when you have read something by me, you actually experience the thing. You can’t do this without putting in the bad and the ugly as well as what is beautiful. Ernest Hemingway

One thing I think we can all agree on is the road to discovery for authors is challenging. We write and hope for the best reception for our stories. Most times it seems as though our stories come from a place of inspiration rather than a rational decision to write and plot around a specific topic. I’m speaking for myself here. If you have a writing method that works for you, good!

I’m going to skip right to reviews and reviewers for this is the pressure point for deciding the fate of your novel.

The shoot-gun approach to seeking reviews thinking everyone will want to read and leave a great review is a journey filled with perils and one you’ll most likely regret.

What to do!

Find your niche, your tribe, or following many say. Don’t send out review copies or place your work on websites that are not friendly to your genre. For example, you may ask why in the world someone would download and read or attempt to read about murder mystery if they find it appalling?

They do and are subject to leaving crass reviews making it difficult for real mystery lovers to find your novel. It doesn’t matter if you’ve written in Agatha Christie’s style or the most eloquent presentation of your story. Your novel and some readers just do not match. And, Lord help you if you get an overly zealous reviewer that goes to every site your novel is published on and shares their distaste. Please beware this is cyber-stalking!

You may ask, “Didn’t they read the novel’s description, clearly stating what it was about?”

I’m with you there. If a novel is crime fiction or in similar categories, you can expect a story line with gritty details about happenings that some may find offensive. That’s why their different genres for novels on all the platforms selling books.

What to do

Clearly identify the genre/s your novel falls into.
Write an accurate book description about your novel.
Find where the readers hang-out who would enjoy reading your story.
Think about groups on social media seeking books of your genre.
Your website is a goldmine and where true readers will navigate to keep up with your writing. Also, your website is the real estate that you own unlike the social platforms where you may post. Think back to social sites now dissolved and the followers that you no longer have access to.
Become a developer and up your game by engaging your fans on your website and where they hangout.
Find professional reviewers in your genre. You can post their reviews to your online book platforms.
Don’t give-up! There are readers who will enjoy your novels and give positive reviews. An interesting part of the writer’s journey is finding your base support. Once you do that, the sky is the limit. Go create!

If you’d like a sample of my new psychological thriller, Primed For Revenge, the 1st in the Sydney Jones Series, follow my blog using your email address and I’ll forward you a PDF of the first 25 pages. Note: Crime fiction, murder mystery, psychological thriller, adult rated!

I look forward to this new season and connecting with mystery lovers here and on social media. Carolyn Bowen

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January 8, 2018April 5, 2021

Time Management for Authors 2018

Quote of the Day: Real seriousness in regard to writing is one of two absolute necessities. The other, unfortunately, is talent. Ernest Hemingway

I’ve resolved that 2018 is going to be the best year ever for me and my writing. First, I’ve got to clean out some debris from habits formed that keep me from my main focus – writing.

As an author they’re several hats we wear, or at least I do. From studying my craft, learning new computer applications (that’s supposed to help reach new readers) creating content for marketing campaigns, interacting with social media, I often have little time to actually write.

I need to set that in focus. For me to actually write – I need inspiration which usually comes through travel. It’s like a story is waiting to be told in the places I visit. Other words, I really need time to travel. If you’ve read any of my interviews, you know I write from the seat of my pants which makes editing a nightmarish expense as well as time-consuming. Yet, I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.

There are two things that I’ve learned are important to success – time and resources to accomplish your goals. How often have you heard the phrase time is money? Well, it is! When you’re spending time doing something, its dollars spent. You could be earning money elsewhere or in the least relaxing.

My Remedy

Have a clear objective of what I want to accomplish in 2018. This means stating (writing it down) an objective that can be measured. For example, more books sales – what does this require of me?

What are the tools that I need to accomplish the objective? Depending on your objective, the tools may vary. However, for authors who already have published books, there’s a need to continue promotions while writing new works of fiction.

In this case, research the best promotional tools – whether this is book marketing companies to promote your books, search engine advertising, Amazon advertising, or any of the major social media sites advertising.

Make a calendar and schedule time for writing new content for advertisements and social engagement.

Writing – set realistic goals and time frame for completing the steps towards completing a new manuscript.

Implement new strategies – Yes, trust the new process, monitor promotions and update as needed.

Back to my question, how can I make time to accomplish my personal goal of publishing a new book in 2018 while at the same time continue promotions of my books? It’s all about time management!

Today’s author has to be on the top of the playing field with presence and genuine offerings. I’d love to hear what works for you! Wishing you a super 2018, Carolyn Bowen