Writing Wednesdays: Three Common Writing Myths - and What to Do About Them
[caption id="attachment_30" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Gazing into the world of words. Where to start?"]
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Here's three common writing myths. Call them myths or call them fears, sometimes they stop us dead in our tracks.
Some of my favorite writing quotes to keep us inspired during the last few days of Retrograde. Did anyone's computer blow up yet? No? Good. Let's keep creating!
Did you miss my last writing post on how to keep going when you just want to strangle your muse? No? Go here. And that's the thing about writing. As Colette said, "Writing creates more writing." In other words, the more you do, the more you want to do.
Writing is like jogging. You swear you'll run again. You really will.
But at 6 am, things are blurry and the outside world is dark and overrated.
But if you can crawl over the prone body of your dog/cat/partner/husband/wife and pull on your shoes and actually get outside in the first place, you're halfway there. 90% of starting is showing up.
Writing is the same. You swear you're a writer. You are. Really. And can I tell you about my story? It's amazing! But the world will never know it if you have it locked inside your head. Just like you'll never be a jogger if you sit on the couch day in and day out, watching Oprah. (Nothing against Oprah. She does wonders for the soul. Her book clubs are great. But no one ever lost weight watching Oprah. No one ever wrote a book watching her, either.)
Here's the thing.
1) "I don't have the time. I have kids. I have a job. I have a family."
You drive your kids to softball games that take hours. You go food shopping for your family. I understand. I know, I know. It's a lot. And it's so easy to look at all those words on all those pages and just whine "But look at all of this! And I bet this writer is famous! That's why they have the time!"
Here's the thing. No one starts out famous. Most writers either have day jobs unless you're Stephen King, and even the famous ones have kids. For them, writing is a job. And one day, we'll be there. But for now, consider this.
* You're worth five minutes a day, right? Five minutes. 300 seconds. In five minutes, write whatever comes into your head. Write it anywhere. On a napkin. Inside a small notebook. Anything. This small act will help you get to know yourself. At the end of a month, you will have about 150 minutes worth of writing. Discover your soul and your mind. Write.
2) I don't know enough grammar. I was terrible in my english classes.
Worry about grammar later after your month of daily, five minute writing sessions is up. For now? Just begin. Please. Some of the most amazing writers I've known have been students I met when I taught college level prep classes. My students knew nothing about grammar but they knew how to express themselves. And that's where you begin. Expression.
3) Every writing teacher I ever had said that I should not write how I talk. That's the only way I know!
Then write like YOU write.I have news. Sometimes, teachers lie a little. Some of the best literature comes from directness. Hemmingway wrote short, direct sentences. ("The dog walked down the street.") That's it.
See above. You sit your butt in the computer chair and you don't move a muscle until you have five minutes worth of writing. Just go. Run. Just begin.
First, let's start with the Man. Ray Bradbury is currently pushing 100. He's still a one-man powerhouse who started writing in the 50s and never stopped. Best known for Fahrenheit 451, about a totalitarian society in which books are burned (and if you're caught with one, you go to jail), he's also known for Something Wicked This Way Comes, about two childhood friends and a haunted carnival. Most of all, Ray has a ZEST and PASSION for writing that makes me want to sing, dance, and scribble long into the night. All of his below quotes are from the fabulous Zen in the Art of Writing.
The Ray Bradbury Quotes
When honest love speaks, when true admiration begins, when excitement rises, when hate curls like smoke, you need never doubt that creativity will stay with you for a lifetime - Ray Bradbury from Zen in the Art of Writing
Time is there. Love is there. Story is there.
If you are writing without zest, without love, without gusto, you are only half a writer.
-----
Here's some other great ones.
There is more than enough! - Unknown
Magic Happens -- Unknown
Energy rightly applied and directed can accomplish anything - Nellie Bly
Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds. Shine. - Buddha
At times, it is necessary to go over the top. How else can we get to the other side? - Kobi Yamada
I am here to live out loud. - Emile Zola
You can't lead a calvary charge if you think you look funny on a horse. - John Peers
---
Happy writing. Enjoy the time connecting.
[/caption]
Here's three common writing myths. Call them myths or call them fears, sometimes they stop us dead in our tracks.
Some of my favorite writing quotes to keep us inspired during the last few days of Retrograde. Did anyone's computer blow up yet? No? Good. Let's keep creating!
Did you miss my last writing post on how to keep going when you just want to strangle your muse? No? Go here. And that's the thing about writing. As Colette said, "Writing creates more writing." In other words, the more you do, the more you want to do.
Writing is like jogging. You swear you'll run again. You really will.
But at 6 am, things are blurry and the outside world is dark and overrated.
But if you can crawl over the prone body of your dog/cat/partner/husband/wife and pull on your shoes and actually get outside in the first place, you're halfway there. 90% of starting is showing up.
Writing is the same. You swear you're a writer. You are. Really. And can I tell you about my story? It's amazing! But the world will never know it if you have it locked inside your head. Just like you'll never be a jogger if you sit on the couch day in and day out, watching Oprah. (Nothing against Oprah. She does wonders for the soul. Her book clubs are great. But no one ever lost weight watching Oprah. No one ever wrote a book watching her, either.)
Here's the thing.
If you want to write you have to
WRITE.
Period. The End.
Three Common Writer's Excuses
1) "I don't have the time. I have kids. I have a job. I have a family."
You drive your kids to softball games that take hours. You go food shopping for your family. I understand. I know, I know. It's a lot. And it's so easy to look at all those words on all those pages and just whine "But look at all of this! And I bet this writer is famous! That's why they have the time!"
Here's the thing. No one starts out famous. Most writers either have day jobs unless you're Stephen King, and even the famous ones have kids. For them, writing is a job. And one day, we'll be there. But for now, consider this.
* You're worth five minutes a day, right? Five minutes. 300 seconds. In five minutes, write whatever comes into your head. Write it anywhere. On a napkin. Inside a small notebook. Anything. This small act will help you get to know yourself. At the end of a month, you will have about 150 minutes worth of writing. Discover your soul and your mind. Write.
2) I don't know enough grammar. I was terrible in my english classes.
Worry about grammar later after your month of daily, five minute writing sessions is up. For now? Just begin. Please. Some of the most amazing writers I've known have been students I met when I taught college level prep classes. My students knew nothing about grammar but they knew how to express themselves. And that's where you begin. Expression.
3) Every writing teacher I ever had said that I should not write how I talk. That's the only way I know!
Then write like YOU write.I have news. Sometimes, teachers lie a little. Some of the best literature comes from directness. Hemmingway wrote short, direct sentences. ("The dog walked down the street.") That's it.
See above. You sit your butt in the computer chair and you don't move a muscle until you have five minutes worth of writing. Just go. Run. Just begin.
Here's some quotes to get you moving.
And if you're not a writer, these wonderful quotes apply to any creative project. We look to others to learn, to follow, to understand. To see how to move along on our own path. To learn how to let go. Here are some of the most inspiring quotes I know. Enjoy, friends.
First, let's start with the Man. Ray Bradbury is currently pushing 100. He's still a one-man powerhouse who started writing in the 50s and never stopped. Best known for Fahrenheit 451, about a totalitarian society in which books are burned (and if you're caught with one, you go to jail), he's also known for Something Wicked This Way Comes, about two childhood friends and a haunted carnival. Most of all, Ray has a ZEST and PASSION for writing that makes me want to sing, dance, and scribble long into the night. All of his below quotes are from the fabulous Zen in the Art of Writing.
The Ray Bradbury Quotes
When honest love speaks, when true admiration begins, when excitement rises, when hate curls like smoke, you need never doubt that creativity will stay with you for a lifetime - Ray Bradbury from Zen in the Art of Writing
Time is there. Love is there. Story is there.
If you are writing without zest, without love, without gusto, you are only half a writer.
-----
Here's some other great ones.
There is more than enough! - Unknown
Magic Happens -- Unknown
Energy rightly applied and directed can accomplish anything - Nellie Bly
Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds. Shine. - Buddha
At times, it is necessary to go over the top. How else can we get to the other side? - Kobi Yamada
I am here to live out loud. - Emile Zola
You can't lead a calvary charge if you think you look funny on a horse. - John Peers
---
Happy writing. Enjoy the time connecting.