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Robert Cutillo

On Reading & Writing

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I've been having problems finishing books lately, and I'm confused as to why. For example, I recently began reading The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. It's an interesting book and highly philosophical, but after finishing the first part of the novel, I've now moved on to The Iliad.

Sigh.

Perhaps it's a lack of discipline. Perhaps there's something about the book that's not grasping me. Perhaps I only enjoy the idea of reading something like The Moviegoer but don't actually enjoy reading it.

I'm also indecisive about what I should be writing. I've just had a poetry phase where I've churned out around 40 poems over the past 6 months. But now, suddenly, I want to write a pulp novel. I want to create my own private investigator with a no-nonsense attitude. But I can guarantee within in 3 months I will think, 'No, literary fiction is the way to go instead. Get to it!'

I need to read more pulp literature to be good at writing it, anyway. I think I've only read a handful of stories, with the only one that springs to mind being The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. The Mike Hammer books look good too, so I think I will give them a go after The Iliad. If I can finish it, that is.

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Robert Cutillo

TMA, Writing, E3, and the World Cup

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OK, so my plan for my next TMA is sorted, which is good. I'll starting writing the essay tomorrow and hopefully have a final draft finished for Saturday. Then I can spend Sunday and Monday editing it ready for submission.

I'm trying to take writing a little more seriously. I've found a number of sites that accept volunteer writers, and I've applied to them. Hopefully, I can start building up a portfolio. All this writing should improve my skills, too.

E3 is on at the minute, which is a pain, as I still haven't bought a Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately, I don't have the money or the time at the minute. I've been dying to play Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey for a long time now.

For some reason, I'm not excited for the World Cup this year. In fact, I haven't been excited by football for a long time. I'm not too sure why that is. Maybe it's because people get too carried away with it. It's supposed to be a form of entertainment, not something you get violent about.

Not too sure what else to write, so I'll leave it there smile

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Robert Cutillo

Good Riddance TMA 04 and a New Routine

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Edited by Robert Cutillo, Monday, 28 May 2018, 19:19

TMA 04 was horrible; I did not enjoy it. I wasn't the only one either: people on the AA100 Facebook group also thought it was horrible. But it's over now, gone. Hopefully, the next TMA is more interesting.

I'm always obsessing over routine. At one point I was setting a 90 minute timer on my phone and doing whatever work I pleased within that time. It was good and I was more productive, but sometimes I would work on things that weren't as important as something else. So my new routine focuses on prioritising. I've made a list of everything I need to do and I've ordered them. Here's the list, beginning with what I consider the most important: writing, uni work, learning Italian and Greek, and reading and learning something new.

I really hope this routine works, as I feel I'm nowhere near accomplishing my goals. University, of course, will take time, but the writing and learning of new languages and new things is totally up to me. I've read that some people can learn a tremendous amount in three months when it comes to language learning. I've been learning Italian on and off now for... well, I don't really want to say. I think I just need to stay focused and stick with my new routine.

By the way, these are my goals: get a degree, be a traditionally published author, be able to speak Italian and Greek (and maybe another language), and to have bought my own home. I'm 30 now, so I believe accomplishing all this by the time I'm 40 is more than doable. I hope.

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Robert Cutillo

Taking Notes

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Edited by Robert Cutillo, Friday, 18 May 2018, 20:05

It's always advised you take notes in your own words, but for some reason I've always resisted doing this. I tend to copy everything out ad verbatim, which I know is hindering my learning. So from now on, I'm making a big effort to take notes in my own words. I'm also going to make the notes shorter.

I'm always undecided on whether or not I should plan my stories. I've tried both and yet still can't settle. I wonder why this is? Actually, I think it's because I'm unsure on whether I'm a good writer or not. I suspect I'm OK but not great. There's a lot of room for improvement. I think the best way to speed this up is to write more. Lately, I haven't been writing as much. I think it's because the last few short stories I wrote have been garbage. They're too simple, and the writing style is awful. I write my fiction with too many loose sentences, my ability to describe needs improving, and don't get me started on the dialogue.

I began reading Stephen Pinker's The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing. It has some interesting stuff in it, but he goes on and on about certain things. I think I'll put it down and read something else.

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Robert Cutillo

Assignment, Writing Competition, and a Bit of Poker

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I've just submitted my third assignment, and I'm glad to be rid of it. I found it much more difficult than the previous two, but I guess that was to be expected. I did have fun reading about Stalin and then Plato, however. I'm particularly drawn to logic, so reading Socrates' methods of finding truths was great. I think I'll take a break from uni work for the next couple of days.

I've entered a writing competition called the Bristol Prize. I don't think I'll win, but you've got to try I suppose. The story I submitted was only about 2,500 words, and it's about a man running away from the crimes he's committed. I'm also in the process of writing what I hope will turn out to be a book.

What else? I've been playing a bit of online poker recently. I hadn't really played for about two or three years but I fancied it one evening, and now I can't stop playing. I tend to play fixed limit games, as I find those more fun. I only play micro stakes, so I'm never in danger of losing anything more than $6, which is nice.

I don't think there's anything more to say. I'm just going to kick back and write some more of my potential book. Toodles!

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