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“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” Mark Twain

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Free Writing Advice

I emailed the following to my daughter and she posted it on her writing blog so I'm going to borrow it back and post it on mine.


I was reading your blog entries--you're amazing--about writing. I have some advice. Unsolicited sure, but that's what moms do. At least it's only about writing.

1. If you write, you are a writer. not of sorts, but you ARE. damn, girl, you've even been published!

2. writers write every day or as often as possible. we make time to write, give up less important things to write--less important not meaning important relationships, getting out with people and having some new experiences-(consider it research for the future)

3. your short story--I guess your deadline is past. Did you finish the story? I mean plow through it until you could write the end? It's a first draft, not intended to be perfect. Hemingway said, "The first draft of anything is shit." Doesn't matter how bad you think it is, if it makes sense or not--get it down. Most times the first draft is where we figure out what the story is going to be about, etc. that doesn't have to be all ready before you type. I've been doing a lot of reading about writing and that's what everybody says. And it's true. Rewriting the beginning is a way to procrastinate when you're afraid to move ahead and see you might actually be good.

4.place to write. Isn't it the Isle of Wight? Even though the Isle of Wright might be a good place to write. Don't wait till you get the perfect place. It's a another form of procrastination. If i waited till I got a sewing room to sew all those dresses I made when you were little, you wouldn't have had them. Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote in a cold prison cell, etc. Set up a crate in your room for the typewriter (If that's how you insist on doing it) or take your computer or notebook to a coffee shop, whatever. You can get a cute little cottage when you sell a book. I'll share mine if I get it first!

5. I bet there's some writing groups in Philly. My critique group has been the best thing. I have learned so much about the language, style, everything. Including my writing is at least reasonable, people understand it, i occasionally turn a good phrase or hit upon some wisdom or something that resonates with someone. It's scary at first, but it's worth it. You have lots to share, too.

I like the way your writing blog looks. I started a new one-i must add another entry ASAP!

so there's my $0.02.

Be happy.
mom

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