Posted in Other, Writing, tagged Anne Lamott, artists, birthdays, creativity, death, finishing, inspiration, persistence, Thoughts, work, Writers, yay on April 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Author Anne Lamott is turning 61 and took the opportunity to write down “every single thing I know, as of today.”
It’s a lovely list, full of the poignant and practical advice for which she’s known. It can be moving and a little sad, as when she touches on the challenges of family and death, but she also brings out useful truths on such topics as the necessity of exercise and writing shitty first drafts, the beauty of life and persistence and the fact that any of us are even here at all.
I especially like #2:
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
The original post was on Facebook, which I don’t use, but you can find the rest of her list and more on her thoughts in this Salon article.
Posted in Writing, tagged artists, books, creativity, dark chocolate, Fiction, finishing, gaming, genre fiction, Imagination Olympics, interviews, Lightspeed, Patrick Rothfuss, podcast, sff, speculative fiction, The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Slow Regard of Silent Things, Writers, writing, writing process on March 10, 2015| 1 Comment »
Back in the fall, The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy interviewed Patrick Rothfuss about his new book, The Slow Regard of Silent Things. In it, he touches on the details of his writing process, the likelihood that he revises “more than anyone else in the genre,” why his prose sounds like “dark chocolate,” role-playing games and many other topics.
… because we have the ability to have fantastic plots and armies clashing and magic and dragons, it’s easy to leave out other things and one of the hardest ones to do is language.
If you’re interested in the process of fiction, in Pat’s writing, or in why he thinks you might not want to buy his new book, check out the full transcript now posted by the good folks over at Lightspeed.
* As an added bonus, the interviewer describes fantasy and science fiction as “the imagination Olympics.” So true!
Posted in Writing, tagged artists, books, creativity, Fiction, finishing, genre fiction, inspiration, Jeff VanderMeer, persistence, publishing, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, work, Writers, writing on January 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »
This week there’s a fascinating piece in The Atlantic by Jeff VanderMeer, author and editor, on the experience of writing:
From Annihilation to Acceptance: A Writer’s Surreal Journey: The author agreed to publish three novels in one year—and then things got weird.
In it, the author details the terrors, trials and triumphs that went into the making of his latest series. Annihilation, Authority and Acceptance make up the Southern Reach trilogy, about “a dysfunctional secret agency called Southern Reach and its efforts to solve the mysteries behind Area X, a strange pristine wilderness.”
I’ve had this series on my books to read list and now plan to bump them up to the top. For more on the books, including sample chapters and links to retailers, or on the author, check out the links above.
Posted in Writing, tagged arts, books, creativity, Fiction, finishing, funny, genre fiction, Jim C. Hines, john scalzi, Motivation, nanowrimo, persistence, sff, speculative fiction, work, Writers, writing on December 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »
In the wake of NaNoWriMo, I thought it instructive to point out Jim C. Hines’s new book, Rise of the Spider Goddess. This is an annotated version of a novel he wrote in his formative years. In other words, it is a bad book. And he’s sharing it, on purpose, for entertainment, for edification, and to help other writers recognize that we all start somewhere.
So, fair NaNo’ers (and others), as you review your 50,000+ word opus, do not despair if you realize that the draft over which you slaved is actually really very awfully bad;) And as Jim says in his introduction to the book on John Scalzi’s Whatever:
Writing a bad book is nothing to be ashamed of, because dammit, I still wrote a book. Then I wrote more of them. And with each one, I got better.
Posted in Writing, tagged awesome, Fiction, finishing, genre fiction, nanowrimo, persistence, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, work, Writers, writing, yay on November 25, 2014| 2 Comments »
Hey, I hit 50,194 words for NaNoWriMo today! The novel still needs work, of course, but I’ve reached my November target. Now I can concentrate on shaping the story… after a little break to celebrate:)
For those of you still at it, keep going!
Posted in Writing, tagged creativity, Fiction, finishing, fun, genre fiction, inspiration, Motivation, nanowrimo, National Novel Writing Month, persistence, work, Writers, writing on November 10, 2014| 1 Comment »
I haven’t posted anything about National Novel Writing Month this year because I hadn’t quite decided whether or not to do it. I’m busy, I said. I’ve already proven I can churn out 50,000 words in thirty days, I said. I can do it when I’m happy. I can do it when I’m busy. I can do it when I’m sick. (I am, in fact, something of a freaking Dr. Seuss when it comes to NaNoWriMo.) Do I really need to prove that I can do it again? Would my time be better spent finding a new way to expand my writing experience?
Well, no. That’s what I decided. And when I committed to finding a new way to make the most of my 50,000 words this November, I had a mini breakthrough. Work on one thing, I told myself. Well, ok, work on 50,000 words and one other thing. That’s it. Practice high levels of word production while learning how to do better at *X* and see how that goes.
Turns out it’s going pretty well.
I’m traveling, and finding time to get my word count in has been a challenge. That’s ok. In fact, that’s a great part of this lesson. It is in fact possible to cram in that last 350 words in the ten minutes before dinner. Doing it while also remembering to focus on maximizing the conflict between your characters?
Priceless:)
Happy National Novel Writing Month, all!
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too… Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
― William Hutchison Murray
Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged #GaimanSays, artists, awesome, creativity, finishing, Motivation, neil gaiman, quotes, Thoughts, work, Writers, writing on August 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
If you’re making mistakes, it means you’re out there doing something.
This is a terrific saying. Thanks to Epic Reads for the lovely image, and thanks to Neil Gaiman for saying it.
Posted in Funny, Writing, tagged finishing, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, inspiration, Michael Palin, middle of the week, national parks, persistence, planning, quotes, Thoughts, work on June 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »
It’s the middle of the week and I don’t know about you but Friday, and finishing everything on my list, feels pretty far away. Must be time for an inspirational quote and fabulous photo. Like… so!
You can’t get a suit of armour and a rubber chicken just like that. You have to plan ahead.
— Michael Palin
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged creativity, double rainbow, Fiction, finishing, genre fiction, goals, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Motivation, persistence, Thoughts, work, writing, yay on May 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »
This may be the best advice I’ve given myself all week:
Don’t worry about being good – worry about getting better.
P.S. More good advice – don’t run barefoot over these sand dunes in the middle of summer. Ask me how I know!
J.R. Johnson 
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