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Sunday, 07.05.2009 |
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| Surviving a Writer's Life |
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Product Details
Notes
life is raw material for books, don't waste your experiences by not telling them
writing a bad book can be just as hard as writing a good one
William Kennedy wrote in obscurity until late in life
John Kennedy Toole was published after his suicide by his mother's efforts
Barbara Pym was unpublished until famous critics promoted her
Amy Tan was discovered by literary agents through her journals
these kinds of stories fuel the persistence of writers who never give up
most people have entertained the fantasy of becoming a writer
storytelling can be a contribution to culture, or it can be a need to hear yourself
reading gives you access to other people's memories to learn about life
traveling to other countries can give you new perspectives to write from
don't try to make a story out of an experience you really want to just forget
writing is about surviving your raw material, life offers the stuff of art
the key is to live through it, then look back open-eyed without flinching
just writing doesn't make a real writer, it's writing plus life that does it
life creates a point of view, stories bridge the separation between us
years may pass before you know what moments will be remembered most
readers are looking for books they can personally relate to
writers can show unique perspectives that have been missing in past literature
like when most writers were men, and academics didn't take women seriously
most classic women writers were childless
some people say you have to be in turmoil and unhappy to be a writer
but this author wrote best when she was well-loved
having children might have delayed her start, but it didn't block her writing
motherhood has lots of slow times when you can think about your story
even though taking care of kids is busy, it has lots of lulls and pauses
she used those to think of plot ideas so she was ready for her writing session
writing is inspiration and hard work, but the driving force is desire
each writer has their own uniquely individual creative process
by writing, you learn the process and find ways to adapt it to your situation
understanding your own process leads to trusting it
this leads to better results and more enjoyment in the process itself
it takes years to truly learn and understand your unique process
you can think of your life as the first draft
revise it and fine tune the description to turn it into words on a page
it's not self-indulgent to draw meaning from your own life experiences
books are the doorways into other people's lives
getting a coauthor credit means a lot to a professional writer
it's the difference between collaboration and ghostwriting
it's hard to complain about being a ghostwriter
writers may do it just for the money, to survive while they write their own work
ghostwriters may be listed in the acknowledgments for "editorial support"
sometimes it's the famous name and the book idea that gets published
execution of the writing may be less important to mainstream publishers
but a ghostwriter is making someone else money, while their own projects fail
it's difficult to write book reviews while writing your own book
reviewing other writers can lead to resentment if they are local
the author wrote her first novel at age forty
love of the work keeps it alive despite rejection, criticism, and indifference
a work can stay alive because its creator loves it, even if receivers don't
rejection measures the strength of your commitment
once you've published your first book, you struggle to stay in print
agents and writers often have complicated relationships with mistrust
the average writer makes less than $10,000 a year
what you create can detach from you and become its own thing in the world
that can allow you to love it for itself, not just because you made it
the reality of fiction and fact are no different when it comes to the truth
if they focus on the truth, writers grow deeper and better with age
creative people don't slow down in their fifties, they find direction and purpose |
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