“A Fine Line” is a weekly blog that begins with a great sentence from one of the books I am reading. A short paragraph follows, which provides some context about the book.
When I first thought of the idea for this blog, I visualized it sort of like this:
I imagined that the great lines would be like doors to the books. Readers might find one that interests them, and off they would go.
After a little while, I began to see the blog more like this:
Taken all together, these lines are sort of like the “crazy quilts” that the Victorians made. They called them crazy because they didn’t use a grid with uniformly-sized blocks that all fit together perfectly. If there is one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that almost nothing comes in uniformly-sized blocks.
Recently, I’ve come across a new image:
I am hoping that these lines will spark ideas, which is why I was drawn to them. I see them not as solutions to problems, but as ways to reconsider something familiar, complex, and worthy.
Q & A about “A Fine Line”
Q: Why are the paragraphs about the Fine Line so short? Are you in a hurry?
A: I assume everyone is in a hurry. My goal is to keep the posts to 100 words or less, which means that I have to edit down my first drafts. I think it makes them better.
Q: Why do your posts come out on Thursdays? What’s wrong with Mondays?
A. Everything is wrong with Mondays. I agree with my friend Rob who says that Thursday is the best day of the week because that’s when you can enjoy the most anticipation.
Q. Why are you doing this blog?
A. My grandma used to say, “It’s in the blood.” I seem to have been born with this need to share ideas with people, which is why I’ve always worked as either a teacher or a writer. This blog gives me a chance to do both.
Q. How do you envision this blog evolving?
A. I hope that people will submit guest posts, and that there will be an interesting mix of perspectives on great lines from books people love. Here are some guidelines on how to submit a post.
Or, if you’d like, just tell me about a book that you have enjoyed in the comment box below. Thanks!
Q. What’s new in 2017?
A. I’m making two changes this year. I’m dropping my “one and done” policy of blogging about a book only once. Many books deserve second looks. In addition, I’m switching from the Chicago to the MLA’s style manual.
I love how you shared your visualizations through pictures, and how you hope to have others join in your dialogue. I’m looking forward to more “fine lines”!
Is controversy the force which drives us? Or is it actually the curiosity that the controversy has stimulated? I choose curiosity because it is much more fun, more positive, more stimulating in a happy way. I happily look forward to more curiosity stimulating travels with you!