Note from Marlene:Grant Faulkner’s musings on his Substack page are golden comfort to a writer’s soul, offering unique perspectives that inspire writing. For example, his essay on “Surrender as Action Verb.” “When we surrender ourselves to our art, we allow ourselves to soften. Surrender invites us to give ourselves up to something larger, to meld with wonder and awe. Surrender creates intimacy and expansiveness at the same time. It sparks curiosity, exploration. It’s the equivalent of going to sleep: by sinking into an unconscious state, we allow dreams to fill us. We give up trying to change and control things. The rigidities of expectations, desires, and aspirations melt away. Think what would change if you allowed yourself to surrender in a conversation. What if you committed to listening, to let another’s words and spirit rise up and take you instead of focusing on your point of view, your needs. What…
Category: Quotes
Memory is a river, not a block of cement
“Alternate versions of past events are common, because it is human nature, especially where childhood memories are concerned, to move ourselves—over time—to the center of a story. We are hardwired to see the world through our own points of view, and increasingly so with the passage of time. Memory is a river, not a block of cement.” — “But My Sister Remembers It Differently: On Working with Contested Memories,” by Dinty Moore, Aug. 15, 2024 Brevity Blog.
What is creative intuition?
KimBoo York has this to say about intuition: “It is your brain connecting dots so quickly that you are not aware of the connections until you look backward to figure out why you know what you know, or did what you did.” — “The Secret Sauce for Writers: Intuition,” by KimBoo York on Jane Friedman’s September 4, 2024 Blog More Write Spot Blog posts on intuition: Trust your intuition for creative writing Bella Mahaya Carter writes about courage, love, and intuition Intuition . . . Prompt #741 Just Write!
It’s more than okay to ask for help.
Faulkner: Intimations
“ . . . our primary drive as humans is to be understood, be seen, and writers use words, these tools of precision and imprecision, to make ourselves understood, to make life understandable—to try rather, to endlessly try.” —Grant Faulkner To read more about Grant Faulkner and why he started his Substack platform “Intimations: Writer’s Discourse,” click on Intimations.
Writers: Open doors to flights of imagination
“. . . the urge to be a writer is a generous act at its core: we want to share our story with others, to give them a world that will open doors to insights and flights of the imagination.” — Grant Faulkner Excerpted from “Sharing stories, sharing yourself,” from Grant’s Substack newsletter on writing and creativity, “Intimations: A Writer’s Discourse.” Grant: As a boy, I spent my allowance on all sorts of pens and paper, so there was never much question I would become a writer. I received my B.A. from Grinnell College in English and my M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. It seems like I should have other degrees, such as an MFA in Novels about People Doing Nothing But Walking Around, a PhD in Collages and Doodles and Stick Drawings of Fruitless Pursuits, or a Knighthood in Insomniac Studies, but I don’t.
Be Brave!
“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end . . . because in the end, it shows you a whole new world.” — Manoj Arora Just Write! #amwriting #iamawriter #justwrite
Connections elevate our days . . .
“Because in a busy, noisy world, it is our connections with one another that truly elevate our days.” Real Simple editor Leslie Yazel Sept. 2017 I love finding quotes with the word, or the idea of, connections in them. I have been fascinated with the idea of connections for a long time. And so it isn’t a surprise that one of the books in The Write Spot series has the theme of connections. The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Connections is currently on sale at Amazon. And available as a Kindle ereader. Here’s an excerpt of the updated Connections description: Ready to share your experiences but not sure how to start? Use this book of evocative essays and writing exercises to unlock your unique voice. Connections is a vastly diverse set of stories, vignettes, and poems. Choosing selections penned by interconnected individuals such as mothers and granddaughters, sisters, and…
Chatting . . . that connected feeling
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez “Chatting with a stranger makes you happy. Connecting with another person, even briefly—like talking to the barista brewing your coffee or a random seatmate on the train home from work—gives you a feeling of belonging and improves your mood.” — “Your Body’s Trying to Tell You” May 2016 Reader’s Digest
You are a real writer if . . .
“You are a real writer if you are writing, if you are working on your craft, listening to critique, and striving to be better.” —Lauren Danhof Excerpt from the July/August 2023 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine #justwrite #iamawriter #iamwriting