Why Storytelling Matters | Toni Morrison’s Lesson on Writing | Art of Saudade

Today we celebrate the birth of a legend, a superwoman, a fighter and a Nobel laureate. Did you know that Toni Morrison wrote her first novel, getting up every morning at 4 am to write, while raising two children on her own?  She described her first work, The Bluest Eye, as “history, sociology, folklore, nightmare and music”, depicting the dark side of humanity through the … Continue reading Why Storytelling Matters | Toni Morrison’s Lesson on Writing | Art of Saudade

Not all heroes wear capes, some wear glasses – Rosa Parks | Art of Saudade

American activist Rosa Parks was born on this day in 1913. December 1, 1955, Montgomery, Alabama – a quiet, 42-year-old woman was arrested for refusing to surrender her seat to a man on a bus. The reason? She was African-American and the man was “white”. Yes, I also can’t believe this happened less than 70 years ago. This event led to the United States Supreme … Continue reading Not all heroes wear capes, some wear glasses – Rosa Parks | Art of Saudade

Beckett’s Art of Failure: Fail again. Fail better | Art of Saudade

You know that frustrating feeling when you try your best but you don’t succeed? When you get what you want, but not what you need? Alright, I’ll stop quoting Chris Martin. But we’ve all been through this, right? There are high chances that you’re going through it right now. Social pressure, expectations versus reality, dreams taking time to manifest… These are hard times for dreamers. … Continue reading Beckett’s Art of Failure: Fail again. Fail better | Art of Saudade

Learn to write from the Masters: #1 Horacio Quiroga – Decalogue of the perfect storyteller

Fernando Pessoa said, “Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life”. However, what is truly agreeable is the final result which requires a long and painstaking work. Writers, whether they’re geniuses or amateurs, have all struggled with writer’s block. Quiroga, one of the greatest short story writers, shares 10 of his writing secrets that could help you get inspired, overcome writer’s block and finally, … Continue reading Learn to write from the Masters: #1 Horacio Quiroga – Decalogue of the perfect storyteller

Sounding as authentic as possible when speaking a foreign language

This is a question that language enthusiasts often ask themselves – is good pronunciation important when speaking a language, or what matters is being able to understand and be understood by natives? Is grammar important? Is it more important to be able to speak or to write? Learning a foreign language is not an easy process, especially because languages constantly evolve. The fact that it … Continue reading Sounding as authentic as possible when speaking a foreign language