http://www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=Steven+Barnes Writing Steven Barnes Sun, 11 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=58868&ca=Writing When the first reviews for my most recent novel (Great Sky Woman, Random House 2006) started coming in, my emotions went through the usual roller coaster. The first, from Publisher’s Weekly, was 90% positive, but mentioned that, in their opinion, it was slow in spots. My stomach sank. Slow? In spots... Self Help Steven Barnes Thu, 16 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=34923&ca=Self+Help Who has not watched intelligent, educated, good-hearted people unable to create the lives they desired, who eventually give up, consumed with despair and anger? They flail like gorillas on roller skates, with great strength, but no leverage at all. Why does this happen? One possible answer is that t... Entertainment Steven Barnes Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=28859&ca=Entertainment The very first line I ever heard Woody Allen speak was a joke on the Tonight show concerning theological issues, about how, during a divinity test, he cheated by “looking into the soul of the girl sitting next to me.” I believe that he used a clip from such a stand up routine in one of his films, pe... Writing Steven Barnes Sat, 10 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=23146&ca=Writing How is a writer to access her deepest and most powerful wells of creativity? How do we tap into our talent, our genius, our greatest potential for success? Writing classes often tell us how to plot, or structure, or build characters, or create poetic images, but the question of accessing our excelle... Self Help Steven Barnes Fri, 09 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22969&ca=Self+Help In one of the classic personal finance books, “The Richest Man In Babylon,” we are told that the way to wealth is to “pay yourself first.” That a portion of all you earn is yours to keep. Great words, and just as applicable to your life itself. In other words, out of every sixteen-hours of wakefulne... Self Help Steven Barnes Thu, 08 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22609&ca=Self+Help It would be impossible to list all of the things people have considered crucial to success in life. Honesty, energy, bonding, modeling, control of fear…all are important. For my whole life, I’ve searched for the answers in this arena, and treasured the gems that have been revealed. In July of 2005,... Writing Steven Barnes Thu, 08 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22773&ca=Writing There is a great deal of misunderstanding about what that particular branch of literature called “Science Fiction” actually consists of. Is it space-ships and monsters? Time machines? Galactic empires? Well, its all of those things, and often none of them. Science Fiction, broadly speaking, is story... Writing Steven Barnes Tue, 06 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22405&ca=Writing Good writing is often designed around a character who has a distorted vision of himself or of the world. During the story, he is placed under sufficient pressure to force an epiphany, a moment of clarity in which, he sees the world as it is, not as he wished it to be. A classic example is “Casablanc... Advice Steven Barnes Mon, 05 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22329&ca=Advice "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes." -- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself The dedicated writing student must continually search for tools to explore the core balance of plot, character, and poetics, multiple ways of climbing the great, misty... Wellness, Fitness and Diet Steven Barnes Mon, 05 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22182&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet Tired? Tired of being tired? You aren’t alone. There are few human qualities more highly sought than energy. It determines our ability to enjoy life, to attract mates, to finish projects, to protect our families, to shape our bodies effectively, and so much more. While there are endless specific su...