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Product Details
Notes
INTRODUCTION
the idea is to have a positive, happy, fun, easy writing life
the goal is to avoid stress and "forcing" yourself to write despite your feelings
it's not the writing that's hard, it's the setup and preparation that's so complex
good writing flows out of you easily, it's all about getting into the right state
look gently at what you love, if you love writing, it will keep you in a good mood
writing is a spiritual practice that helps you know who you are and what you need
you have to do the same stuff to get good at writing as building a relationship
you want to see writing as a way, and not as an end to something
she quotes Natalie Goldberg from the book, Writing Down the Bones, read this
try to get past your taste and try to learn from everything
every writer is different, but most writers deal with the same fears and blocks
CHAPTER 1
try to listen to your thoughts, instead of thinking or driving them
writing is more of a listening activity than a performing action
whenever you start something new, it won't be how you expect
you have to figure out how to learn from the new experience/class/book/teacher
resistance is our way of shutting down fear, plan for it and expect it
do 20 minutes of writing, no more, no less, and try not to think too much
excellent writers are very articulate about how they work and why
CHAPTER 2
your writing is influenced by all the books you've read and all your experiences
so you aren't really alone when you're writing
learn to listen, saturate your non-writing hours with writing-life stuff
surround yourself with books and writers and teachers
think of writing as a way of life, write in a way that will save your life
cultivate both the secret-keeper inside you, and the bold public chatty you
write as if no one will ever know you write
don't talk about your writing, it draws away energy that should go on the page
if you're talking about writing, you aren't doing it
talking can often be bragging, false promises, or killed expectations
silence your outer self to learn to speak more meaningfully from inside
make your input communal, feed on the books and writers that everyone knows
ask every writer you meet for insights into the practice of writing
don't talk about your work, just say you have a new project you're working on
but go to book-signings and live readings and interact with other writers
things to talk about: good books and why, good teachers and why
good writing and conferences and classes and bookstores and why
CHAPTER 3
chasing the writing life is like chasing love, make it the center of your life
have the courage to not be busy, don't use being busy as an excuse
to stop time, fall in love with your writing life
be willing to miss important meetings for the love of your life
people who are madly in love are not busy
love everything about your lover (your writing), including its flaws
successful happy writers carry writing in their thoughts all the time
don't say yes to things that have nothing to do with your writing dream
that's an easy way to pretend that you're not writing because you're too busy
you must choose -- writing as your lover in the center, or as a lover on the side
then support that choice with every fiber of your being and stop complaining
approach writing as a romantic partner, not as a discipline
CHAPTER 4
tools of a writer: ability to spend time alone in a room writing,
self-knowledge, access to a library, and an observant heart
don't complain about how hard it is to write, to find time to write, etc.
writing is a luxury, you have both the time and the ability if you want it
three tips: stop complaining, write about what you want, don't think about it
tell us exactly what it's like, moment by moment, the things you know
we make writing complex, but it's naturally easy and happy and free
be careful of self-help books that make you feel you're not good enough
keep it simple, writing is a simple process unless you make it complicated
CHAPTER 5
working writers all carry a journal or pieces of paper to takes notes with
don't "keep" a journal, let it go, don't set any rules, make it loose and easy
don't worry about writing in the journal every day or reading it over
use the journal when you're not at home
write down what you overhear on trips, sketch pictures of scenery you visit
jot down notes on recipes, along with a fun description of the moment
use the journal to let loose, and break free from creative restraint
make notes on what you're reading, stuff you want to look up, cool quotes
a journal can't be a chore, it should be free form, light, pleasant and fun
make your journal ugly if it serves the purpose of freeing you creatively
write down the flashes of inspiration any time of the day anywhere they occur
keep some books of writing prompts to help you when you're stuck
visualize the ideas behind the prompts before writing, then write what you see
CHAPTER 6
successful writers read, reading completes the gesture
learn how to write better by learning how to read sensitively and attuned
read widely and read against your grain, in addition to what you love
try reading in the morning, before talking or writing
read with reckless abandon and enjoy it, just like writing, it's not a chore!
CHAPTER 7
keep your butt in your chair, don't do errands, make calls, or anything else
sit in the chair whether you are writing or not
develop the talent of sitting in a room by yourself and getting used to it
most people can't sit alone by themselves for very long
athletes and yoga practitioners often have practiced solitary work
to develop your talent, you need training in concentration and focus
when you sit alone for more than fifteen minutes, you will look inside yourself
you need patience, a high tolerance for anxiety, and the skill of self-knowledge
start small, focus on nothing but writing for ten minutes straight using a timer
during that time, write exactly what you see in your mind, or what you hear
some tips: write by hand, very slowly, in all capital letters, don't think or plan
work slowly up to 45 minutes, most writers can't do more than 2 hours a day
at the end of the session, you should feel like time slipped away
you should feel pleasantly exhausted, with a sense of accomplishment
you'll want to read your work over, but don't do it, hold back judging yourself
the point is to practice concentration and focus every day for 10 days to improve
CHAPTER 8
some people tell everyone their story because they want them to say, write it
but they talk all day and tell their story and never write it
on the other hand, it's important you write the book for yourself
it doesn't matter if everyone else says you should write your story
it may take years and it will be difficult, so you should decide for yourself
writing is like cleaning house, it's fun when it's finished, less fun to do
think carefully if you should really be writing, it's not for everyone
maybe you have a story to tell, is writing it as a book the best way to tell it?
can you fit a dedicated time-consuming writing life into your regular life?
the two thing you have to do to write: withdraw and focus
if you are supposed to write, stop thinking about it or talking about it, just write
just because you are good at storytelling doesn't mean you should be a writer
can you not write? what if you took a whole year off writing? could you do it?
CHAPTER 9
the reason you write or don't write has something to do with your parents
maybe your parents are writers who don't write, unhappy because of it
it takes courage to be bad at something, and if you are to write, suck you must
the only harder than writing is not writing when you really want to be a writer
CHAPTER 10
writers are people who are comfortable with intense contradictions
practice writing while in a state of anxiety, stress, being too busy
many productive writers believe they are both shit and undiscovered geniuses
the best writers have anxiety, they doubt themselves, thus they revise
writers who think they're great don't revise and don't write as well in the end
make doubt your ally, make it useful to the process
when you feel anxiety coming on, keep working rather than stopping to think
one method is to start worrying earlier
use small amounts of early fear to hold back the later attacks of anxiety
CHAPTER 11
if you take one day off writing, your muse will take the next three
most writers typically write a book every five years
the secret is to not miss a single day
it's much easier to keep doing it in small amounts than to restart in a big way
if you do miss a day or more, remember that you'll need a period to ramp up
show up every day for writing to prove that you are capable of commitment
don't think about it or worry about it, just wake up and start writing every day
sometimes progress goes faster when you don't keep track of the pages or time
any day you write anything at all, even one sentence, is a cause for celebration
CHAPTER 12
pay attention and listen to your thoughts when you read books
be careful not to reverse the message by thinking the opposite of what's said
like when you read a positive statement and say, that's not me, i can't do that
watch out when you use qualifiers (but, not, no not really, sort of, sometimes)
CHAPTER 13
a bad mood in writers responds best to invitation and napping
you can't discipline your bad moods, you have to invite them in
when you are cranky, down on yourself, behind, swamped -- take a nap
the way to get out of a nonproductive mood is to stay in it as long as possible
if you're down, you may go through the motions, but you won't get much done
CHAPTER 14
you don't know where the next great story will come from
if you are going to get better, you are going to have to suck first
successful writers know how to learn to write, develop a tolerance for sucking
Atul Gawande talks about how surgeons learn in the book, Complications
tenacity, hard work and practice are more important than talent in the long run
the most important talent might be the talent for practice itself
top performers hate practicing just as much as we do, but they do it anyway
we say to ourselves, what's the point in doing something you're not any good at?
the key is to dare to suck, dare to be mediocre for a long time until you're great
CHAPTER 15
writers don't really get solid ideas, writing is like sex, like desire not thinking
finding your material is like maintaining a compost pile
your best work comes from your own compost pile, not some constructed idea
childhood is a big component of the compost, most of it has been hidden away
many people want to write about anything but themselves and their true self
stop importing stories from television and movies that aren't really yours
compost takes years to mature before you can write about, sometimes 7 years
in some ways, all writers write about their family and themselves
your own life can teach you what you want to know about the world
go deep into your compost and write from there, don't let yourself think out of it
the critic is in your head, in your thinking, but the artist is in your compost
successful writers learn how to tolerate discomfort in writing for the higher goal
if you don't like your compost, live differently so you can build new material
write something that only you could write, from the heart not the head
CHAPTER 16
there is an intellectual and spiritual place common to all of us where art grows
getting there requires both complete focus and total abandon at the same time
dreaming deep means getting in the zone where art flows
the scary part is that you may never even know if you were great
but you have to be willing to go for broke and fall off the mountain with no ropes
you take the risk for the chance at creating art that can really move somebody
CHAPTER 17
Isabel Allende says we are all so lucky to write, no complaining
unfulfilling work leaves you drained, you want an exhilarated "good" tiredness
most writers can only have complete creative focus for two hours a day
the rest of the day is spent revising, reading, doing other work, not pure writing
two hours of pure, intense writing is like two productive hours shoveling snow
it's tiring, but hopefully the end result is satisfying
writing may look lazy to others, but it's hard work
be prepared for how much energy it will take to make it through a writing session
learn to say no to other people and tasks so that you can focus on writing
surround yourself with people who want you to succeed
warn others ahead of time that you might not make it to their event
don't do nonessential errands, nothing bad will happen if you don't do them
don't complain about work, don't talk about work, just do it and enjoy it
leave from events with friends when you want to leave, don't let them keep you
people understand if you leave because you're training for a marathon
they won't understand if you leave because you need to be ready to write
so lie, tell them something their feeble minds can understand
as long as it works, you can achieve your objective and do your writing
CHAPTER 18
put the drama on the page, don't complain about your life to others
make the reader feel smart and good, it's not about the author, it's for the reader
talk about life less, and write about it instead
keep your mind calm for creating, don't get sucked into other people's drama
when you have a period of great writing, don't be surprised when bad times come
CHAPTER 19
when people tell you to quit, they're testing to see if you have the guts to go on
you do not have to suffer in order to be a writer
you simply need to notice how suffering works
don't think about whether your childhood was bad enough to write from
instead ask how can i create a productive writing life today?
read about the lives of writers and learn about what shapes their presence
CHAPTER 20
it takes three years to establish a meaningful writing habit
hard fabulous things take a while to get good at, like any art or skill
get the place where you'd rather write than not write
sometimes it's better to start off with low, realistic goals and expect it to take time
get the point in your practice where quitting is less fun than doing it
CHAPTER 21
most people have ideas, but actually doing the writing work is the hard part
part of being a writer is paying really close attention to what's on your mind
read Michele Cassou, Point Zero: Creativity Without Limits
also read David Bayles and Ted Orland
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
CHAPTER 22
writer's block is a myth, write your way out of a block
there is a long delay in publishing, so it can take one or two years to come out
writing block, nervous breakdown, fear of writing, lack of knowing how to write
these are all different, it's important to make a distinction here
beginners who don't write but want to write aren't blocked, they're scared
fear can keep you from starting, knowledge destroys fear
a real block is when you've been published and writing and then you can't
a block is a combination of complex fears and anxieties
don't cling to what you've written, stay light, start new books and write to the end
if you are blocked, you might make bad choices, don't stretch too far right now
learn how to stay unblocked, don't wait for a block to learn it then
surround yourself with people who are already like how you want to be
write the books you want to write, not the ones you think you should write
align your writing goals with your schedule, abilities and habits
do not write alone, find allies, friends who are writers
people who are blocked sometimes make choices that keep them blocked
CHAPTER 23
say the words, "I AM A WRITER."
others will ask, what have you written? have you been published?
become more conscious of the kind of writing self you carry around inside
CHAPTER 24
how to get published:
follow your heart
write only the pieces you alone can write
keep your mind open to learning
conquer lousy mental habits and self-defeating thinking
revise your work
join writing communities
submit pieces to appropriate, well-researched markets
write every day for a good while, a year or maybe three years
put your time in going to readings and studying your craft
write page after page, work from a place of abundance
working is 80% of knowing how to write
fame probably won't happen, fortune definitely won't happen
beginning writers invest editors and publishers with power they don't have
remember that publication and selection is subjective
spend less time trying to figure out publishing and more time writing
don't think that when you publish a book, you'll suddenly be a new person
as a published author, you do get more invitations to readings, panels, etc.
but not much really changes, you still have to write each day and live the same
publication will not solve any problems you might have in your life
like writing blocks, money, health, procrastination, confidence, relationships
it is very common to become blocked after publishing the first book
you feel the pressure to fix all the problems of the first project in the second one
you start thinking too much, you are too aware of your audience
it's no longer you against the world, alone in your room
you feel like you should know everything now, so you're less open to learning
in our culture, writers generally never get rich or famous
never send money to have someone publish you
most writers have other sources of income, they are a jack-of-all-trades
if you are a writer, you are called to do it, regardless of money or fame
you might influence one person (and that one person might be yourself)
CHAPTER 25
your mentor is right inside of you with a deep understanding of yourself
you don't need a mentor to succeed, cultivate one within
learn how to become a mentee, when you're ready the mentor will appear
as a beginner, you need to get into your daily writing practice
the mentor isn't going to write for you
go to book signings, library fundraisers, art openings, bookstore readings
get to know local writers and join the writing community to get exposed
learn everything you can from books, journals, reviews, and websites
practice making contacts, write letters to authors you read
learn to follow up with authors you meet in bookstore signings
go to conferences, practice introducing yourself
write letters to authors without asking for anything
just make brief, positive remarks about their work and its impact on you
the best solution is often found in the next draft you do
you need to earn your mentors by doing all the preparation first
your best mentors are good library skills and good social skills
a mentor is not there to cheer you up or reassure you, a friend can do that
develop your subjects
don't complain, write for the reader, learn interesting things, become unique
gain unique knowledge and experiences and write about them
in order to grow as a writer, you must grow as a person
learn new skills, meet new people, develop your subjects
you have two things in your life: work and love
listen to your mentors, and then do what they say, take the advice and do it
needy people don't find good love
happy, independent, hardworking people attract the best partners
CHAPTER 26
learn to admit when you're genuinely wrong, this is all part of the deal
embrace rejection, it's like a tax that you pay and then move on with your life
rejecting yourself is different, that requires you to overcome your fear and doubt
make friends with errors and mistakes
there's lots of advice out there about rejection
ignore it, learn from it, save your rejection slips, get rid of your rejection slips
none of it really matters, publishing is a selection process, not a rejection process
rejection is not personal, send your work out, read the rejection slips and move on
keep working, keep writing, keep your life drama-free and don't dwell on rejections
it's not your job to figure out who gets published and why, your job is to write
let the academic researchers study the social dynamics if they want
there is no board up in the heavens arbitrating great literature
there's no literary god that enforces truth and fairness in awarding publication
the publishing world is full of people, and people make subjective mistakes
you're going to get rejected a whole lot more than you get accepted
the author does an average of seventeen drafts before sending out a work
it takes an average of ten submissions before a story is published
think of it like business, nine out of ten attempts will fail, but you don't give up
publishing doesn't change your life or make it any easier to write
usually a story is returned about four months after submission
revision isn't a chore, it's an opportunity to improve since the first submission
the author's first book was rejected seventeen times
while the story is out there, your relationship can grow, and it comes back new
it's a way of getting distance on your work, so you see it with new insights
spend no more than one-tenth of your time on sending out and revising returns
the bulk of your time should be spent writing, not thinking and worrying
if a piece keeps coming back that you know is good, you need to revise more
CHAPTER 27
celebrate your accomplishments, too much modesty can pull you down
be bigger, not smaller, who doesn't want to be happy and confidant?
when you're comfortable being good, you're also okay with your mistakes
other people are already trying to bring you down, don't do it to yourself
sometimes modesty is just insecurity, wanting others to pump you up
learn to accept compliments as well as criticism
some people may say in some form or another, who do you think you are?
learn to embrace being both brilliant and foolish simultaneously
CHAPTER 28
comments from writing workshops can be honest but mean and not helpful
the goal is to show your work to a group of peers and survive it
you can actually learn to write better through workshops
the benefit is that this a group that wants to write, even if they suck right now
remember you may get worse before you get better
CHAPTER 29
ambition can lead to fear of success, because success means change
it can lead to different friends, different habits, maybe a different you
to be successful, you have to imagine clearly and fearless what you really want
you could be successful, but you'd then not be the person you are now
work today with the habits of the writer you are going to be five years from now
what you think about is what you are heading toward
CHAPTER 30
your job is to understand the elements of human nature
as a writer, you're never totally safe or sure
you never know if your writing is really good, but you learn to trust yourself |
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