Quotations: Writers on Life

By becksta on 6/10/10 4:04pm
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Quotations: Writers on LifeQuotations: Writers on LifeAs everyone who writes knows, writing definitely gives you a different perspective on life than most people and this is not necessarily a bad thing. As part of a weekly series of Writers' Quotations, here are a few  quotations from different authors on life. Please feel free to share any of your favorite  quotations on life in the comments section and if you would like to take a look at what writers have to say on writing, you can check this out.


Margaret Atwood:  Don’t let the bastards grind you down.



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What Blogging Has Become

By sparklyscotty on 6/9/10 2:00pm
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When I first heard of people writing online diaries and sharing them publicly I figured it was just another internet fad that wouldn't last.  To be honest, I found it a little creepy and sad that strangers would pour out their hearts to any voyeuristic stranger that surfed their way. However the trend grew and blogs soon evolved; writing styles refined, sites gained a focus and began to be designed better, and it wasn't long before the popularity of this new form of fast changing website became a valuable commercial tool.

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Stephen King's Writing Advice in "On Writing"

By becksta on 6/2/10 11:02am
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Stephen King: On WritingStephen King: On WritingI recently re-read Stephen King’s “The Stand”. While the novel was not quite as good as I had recalled, I still enjoyed the illustrious Mr. King’s descriptions and characters.  When compared to many of today’s best-selling authors (I’m thinking of James Patterson who cares about the words in novels so little that he doesn’t even write them), Stephen King definitely stands apart from the crowd.  On a whim, I picked up his “On Writing” to see what the horror maestro had to say about his craft.


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Quotations: Writers on Writing

By becksta on 5/28/10 10:24am
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Stephen KingStephen KingI absolutely love it when writers write (or talk about) writing. Depending on what stage a writer is in the writing process, the writer’s quotes range from the devoted, to the confused, to the alcohol-dependent, and to the ultimately creative.  In this short list of some of my favorite writer’s quotations about writing, I tried to leave out the mundane quotes and instead tried to include some of the more flavorful quotations about writing and the writing process. In most cases, the quotes seem to accurately represent the writers themselves.


Stephen King: I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries.


Ernest Hemingway:  Write drunk, edit sober.

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The Battle Between Money and the Muse

By sparklyscotty on 5/27/10 5:52am
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Whenever I meet someone new they invariably ask me what I do.  I still get a huge buzz out of saying "I'm a writer."  However, lately their follow up question has somewhat tarnished my initial glee.  "Oh yeah, what do you write about?"  Each time I hear it, it sounds more like a challenge than a question, and I realize this is because of the growing self-defensive feelings I have towards my answer.  You see if I am totally honest, I am no longer writing about what I want to write about.  Like so many other writers, I have followed the money trail and wandered so far from my original writing path that I sometimes wonder if I could ever find my way back.

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The New Elance Profiles. What Do You Think?

By sparklyscotty on 5/13/10 3:25am
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I have worked online in some capacity or other for almost ten years.  You would have thought by now I would have got used to things changing every time I turn around, but it still manages to throw me a little.  No sooner do I get comfortable with a site, system or software than it all gets "improved", "upgraded" and "revamped" with what are touted to be "great new features" presented in an "exciting new interface".  While I may not be happy about change, what my decade of experience has given me is the savvy to not waste time ranting and resisting, but to sigh, grab a cup of coffee and dive into exploring and learning how to get the most out of the latest and greatest reincarnation.

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Which Notebooks Do You Use to Organize Your Writing?

By becksta on 5/12/10 1:36pm
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Moleskine NotebooksMoleskine NotebooksI don't know if this is necessarily true or not, but I've heard it said that a writer is only as good as his notebook.  Julia Cameron, who is the author of "The Artist's Way" believes that it is imperative to use a cheap, spiral notebook to write your "Morning Pages"- three long-hand pages of stream of consciousness.

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Natalie Goldberg's Writing Advice

By becksta on 5/10/10 4:07pm
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Because I loved Natalie Goldberg's, "Writing Down the Bones", I was under the (mistaken) impression that I would also love "Wild Mind- Living the Writer's Life", too. Unfortunately, "Wild Mind" failed to make the same kind of impression on me and didn't really help with my writing as much as I would have liked. 
"Wild Mind" is a mixture between Natalie Goldberg's personal experiences and her writing exercises. Unlike "Writing Down the Bones", her personal experiences in "Wild Mind" barely touch the surface of her life. In "Writing Down the Bones",  I really appreciated her attention to the deep, dark details of her writing life and Zen Buddhism, but "Wild Mind" lacks the wisdom I have come to expect from Ms. Goldberg's writing. 
Instead, she tries her hand at explaining punctuation through her Zen-mind, but again, it doesn't even come close to reaching the level I would expect from her. Here's part of paragraph from "Wild Mind" as she ponders the comma. 
Bologna-a whole object, a whole thought in mind, a visual picture. Yes, then gum with a comma after it. Pause and feel its own solid being. 
I've read "Writing Down the Bones" numerous times and only came across a few sentences which were quite like that particular quote, but "Wild Mind" is rife with them. In "Wild Mind", Natalie Goldbert is also guilty of common writer's mistakes that we all make; redundancy is notable theme throughout "Wild Mind", including two chapters almost back-to-back that begin in almost the exact same way. 
Because Ms. Goldberg is usually such a great writer when writing about writing, I have to wonder what kinds of stress she was under when she was writing. Taking into consideration the fact that "Wild Mind" was first published four years after "Writing Down the Bones", I'm curious as to whether or not the writer has taken the time to read her own advice from "Writing Down the Bones" from time to time because that book is a treasure trove of writing advice that might have assisted her in writing "Wild Mind". 
In one passage in "Writing Down the Bones", Natalie Goldberg advises writers to step away from whatever project they happen to be working on if they feel that their own hearts aren't into what they are writing about. Rather than abandonning the piece altogether, she suggests writers to come back to their project at a later time with fresh eyes and a new perspective. Perhaps "Wild Mind" could have been helped by this advice as it definitely lacks the focus of her earlier writing. 
Another "Writing Down the Bones" passage underscores the importance of the use of details and specifics in writing, which is advice that most writers could definitely benefit from- even Natalie Goldberg herself. 

Wild Mind by Natalie GoldbergWild Mind by Natalie GoldbergBecause I loved Natalie Goldberg's, "Writing Down the Bones", I was under the (mistaken) impression that I would also love "Wild Mind- Living the Writer's Life", too. Unfortunately, "Wild Mind" failed to make the same kind of impression on me and didn't really help with my writing as much as I would have liked. 

"Wild Mind" is a mixture between Natalie Goldberg's personal experiences and her writing exercises. Unlike "Writing Down the Bones", her personal experiences in "Wild Mind" barely touch the surface of her life. In "Writing Down the Bones",  I really appreciated her attention to the deep, dark details of her writing life and Zen Buddhism, but "Wild Mind" lacks the wisdom I have come to expect from Ms. Goldberg's writing. 

Most of her advice falls a little short. Instead, she tries her hand at explaining punctuation through her Zen-mind, but again, it doesn't even come close to reaching the level I would expect from her. Here's part of paragraph from "Wild Mind" as she ponders the comma. 

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The Trouble With Too Many Options

By sparklyscotty on 5/5/10 2:05am
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I often think that Seth Godin and I are on the same wavelength. In fact, given that fact I often wonder why has amassed a blogging empire while I sit on my little molehill, but I digress... His recent post which struck a chord was in regards to how an overabundance of opportunities can actually hinder progress.

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It may seem like false logic, but often being faced with a huge number of possibilities can actually grind your momentum to a halt as you panic over which choices are correct, which direction is best or which decision will have the best long term outcome.
 

Be a Healthy Happy Writer

By sparklyscotty on 4/30/10 4:50am
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I had a pretty unproductive month in April.  After getting off to a flying start and loading up my schedule with new clients, new projects and lots and LOTS of work,  I promptly caught the bug that was going around and ended up ill for two weeks.  Only to recover for a few days and then end up in bed again with back spasms.  The silver lining to this (I always try to find one) is that it finally taught me that I need to respect my body.  I'm not talking "my body is a temple and I only eat things that have been gifted to me by mother earth once they have completed their natural life cycle" nor even "wake up at 6.30am to go for a run, or to do yoga on the beach as the sun rises", just a renewed effort to acknowledge that I can only function well as a writer if my body and mind are healthy and energized.

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