Creative Writing: Inspiration & Resources
Inspiration
KOMUNYAKAA: "I think everything around them should be a source of inspiration. If we are really engaged with the world, it can be the small things, those things that we think of as insignificant. It can be a meditation on something as basic as a maggot, which I have a short poem about. Usually many poets start out with those grand abstractions—victory, truth. I tell them, yes they can wrestle with those grand abstractions, but don’t be afraid to face the world that they can put their hands on."
This is from Fox, Alan. A Conversation Between Yusef Komunyakaa and Alan Fox. Rattler. https://www.rattle.com/a-conversation-with-yusef-komunyakaa/
Personal History
Maps, Geography, & Place
- PolicyMapPolicyMap provides data through interactive maps about communities and markets across the U.S., for research, market studies, business planning, site selection, grant applications, and impact analysis.
- Social ExplorerSocial Explorer provides visualizations of social science data sets, including the US census and the American Community Survey.
- USGS National Geologic Map DatabaseUSGS National Geologic Map Database provides maps and related data about: geology, hazards, earth resources, geophysics, geochemistry, geochronology, paleontology, and marine geology.
Language Learning
- Rosetta StoneRosetta Stone is back! Users may now access Rosetta Stone through a course shell in Canvas with the following URL https://canvas.vt.edu/enroll/KN77HJ.
Rosetta Stone is a language-learning platform offering instruction in 25 languages through an immersive approach. It features interactive lessons, TruAccent® speech recognition to refine pronunciation, and tools for naturally building vocabulary and grammar skills. The platform includes flexible learning options, and is designed to support learners at various levels.
For assistance, please contact Edward Lener, lener@vt.edu, and Craig Whetten, whettenc@vt.edu
Visual Art
- ArtstorArtstor provides high quality images of visual media like paintings, photographs, architecture, sculpture, decorative arts, and other forms of visual culture. It provides tools to create, manage, and present collections of images. Prehistoric times-present.
Law
- FastcaseFastcase provides access to primary law (state and federal), cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, and constitutions. You can search by case or keyword. You can view how many times a case has been cited.
Biography
- American National Biography OnlineAmerican National Biography provides HTML full-text biographical entries and over 2,700 illustrations on 18,700 men and women -- from all eras and walks of life -- whose lives have shaped the nation. It includes access to The Oxford Companion to United States History encyclopedia with entries on all aspects of American history.
- Biography Index Retrospective: 1946-1983 from EBSCOhostBiography Index Retrospective indexes citations of biographical articles and book chapters, interviews and profiles, and obituaries covering over 300,000 people: public figures, writers, artists, sports figures, politicians, religious leaders, scientists, educators, military leaders, teachers, actors, and business people. 1946-1983.
- Biography In Context from GaleBiography in Context provides access to over 650,000 biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study. It includes videos, audio selections, images, primary sources, and magazine and journal articles alongside reference content. Search for people based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates, places, or gender as well as by keyword and full text.
- Oxford Dictionary of National BiographyThe Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is an illustrated collection of more than 57,000 specially written biographies of the men and women from around the world who shaped all aspects of Britain's past. Includes deceased persons only.
