Time for another writing quote to start the week, and because we’ve been talking poetry all month, I thought I’d share this beauty:
A poem begins with a lump in the throat.
I don’t think I need say anymore – the quote is poetry in itself!
Writing Quote of the Week
This week’s quote of the week is brief – but it should make you think.
People often say ‘I wish I could write’, presuming it is something that comes naturally. They don’t see that writing and getting published is the result of a little bit of talent, and a whole lot of hard work – writing, rewriting, learning the craft, coping with rejection, rewriting again… Anyone can write a story – but it is the ‘being’ a writer which is hard.
But I love it!
Writing Quote of the Week
It’s Monday, so it’s time for another Writing Quote to share with you for this week. Although I’d not come across this quote before, it sums up exactly what I say every time I run a writing workshop. The quote is:
Three Rules for Literary Success:
1. Read a lot.
2. Write a lot.
3. Read a lot more, write a lot more.
(Robert Silverberg)
I like that Silverberg puts reading at number one before writing. It is so important if you want to be published in any genre that you actively read in that genre – and spend at least as much time doing so as you do writing. One thing I’d add to that, is that the majority of that reading should be of recently released books – so that you get a feel for current publishing trends, both in terms of style and subject matter.
I’m lucky – as book reviewer, I get a regular supply of new release books, arriving in my mail box almost daily. But if you’re not a reviewer, you should make your local librarian and your local bookshop owner your best friends!
Have a wonderful week.
Writing Quote of the Week
I’m cheating a little and posting this week’s writing quote a day early, because tomorrow is a special day for me – the release date of my new verse novel, Toppling. Anyway, today’s quote made me laugh out loud, as the mother of six chidlren:
Sure, it’s simple, writing for kids . . .
Just as simple as bringing them up.
(Ursula K. LeGuin )
Nuff said. Have a nice week.
Writing Quote of the Week
In my discussion of last week’s Writing Quote of the Week I touched on the fact that writing is not often a lucrative career, financially. So, when searching for a quote for this week, this one spoke to me as following on well:
If you have other things in your life – family, friends, good productive day work – these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.
(David Brin)
So, how does this relate to what I said last week? Well, I know that I am not alone in needing to have a day job (albeit part time) to supplement my writing income, and, like a lot of my writer friends, I sometimes resent that time away from my desk as lost writing time. But David Brin’s point is a good one. That work time (and the other non-writing parts of one’s life) can sometimes be the very thing which makes your writing richer. In my own case, I do know that because I work part time, those days when I’m at home are more productive. I have less time to write, so I try harder to make the most of it. I also know that its through interacting with people, facing challenges and so on, that I gain life experience which can sometimes either inspire a story, or at the very least, help to make it more authentic.
This week I am going to try to appreciate more those other parts of my life, and how they help make me a better writer.
Have a great week.
Writing Quote of the Week
Happy Monday! Time for another writing quote to inspire you as you start your week. Today’s quote is simple:
The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can’t help it.
(Leo Rosten)
Too true! If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard or read someone saying they want to become a writer to make some money, or add to their family income, I’d be richer than my books are making me. Yes, there are rich authors, yes there are famous authors – but, for the most part, writing is not a wealth-generating strategy.
For me, I write because I have stories to tell and, in the tough times, when I’ve struggled to be published, I’ve sometimes thought about giving up. But the truth is – I can’t. I have kept coming back to writing because writing calls me, pulls me, and the stories insist on being written. I can’t help it.
Lucky for me, I also just love writing.
How about you?