I read this quote in the September 2014 issue of The Writer Magazine. It aligns perfectly with my passion for genuine and authentic writing. “Years ago I read an interview with Paula Fox in which she said that in writing, truth is just as important as story. Reading that interview was the first time I really understood that there’s no point in trying to impress people with my cleverness when I can just try to write honestly about what matters most to me.” — Molly Antopol, The UnAmericans, Stanford University
Category: Quotes
Publishing is a journey, not a destination. — Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
Publishing is a journey, not a destination. — Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, author of The Pet Washer and Guardian Herd – Starfire. Jennifer was an amazing presenter at Writers Forum in Petaluma, summer of 2014. If you have an opportunity to hear her speak, or attend her author’s event . . . go for it! She’s warm, friendly and has a herd of information about publishing . . .both traditional publishing and self-publishing. She has done both and has stories to tell! She is welcome back at Writers Forum anytime! She’s a good writer, too!
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about writing?
Andrew Sean Greer answers this question in the September 2014 issue of The Writer Magazine. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about writing? “That you be clever as clever, and people will be impressed, but they will only be impressed for so long. After that, unless you are very real in your writing, and donate some piece of your heart, and are vulnerable, someone else will come along much more clever than you. Better to be ready from the outset. There is no competition for vulnerability. We are all in that together.” Note from Marlene: There’s that vulnerability thing again. Feeling vulnerable seems to go along with sharing your writing with others. . . that’s what Steve Jobs and I were talking about in the August 14, 2014 post about the most important tool in life about making big choices. Well, Steve and I didn’t actually have this conversation….
What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? — Robert Schuller Note from Marlene: You talk, right? And you think, right? Therefore, you can write. I just know it! Set yourself up for writing with paper, pen or pencil, or computer and keyboard. Choose a prompt. Set a timer for 12 minutes. And Just Write!
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. Khalil Gibran
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. —Khalil Gibran Note from Marlene: It seems to me this is what writers do . . . we give of ourselves every time we share our writing. We put ourselves out there . . . our emotions, our vulnerability, and our hope that our writing is understood. Kudos, Writers, for being willing to put yourselves out there. . . what would we do without you and your stories?
“Vulnerability is my strength.” — MK Asante
“I’ve always known that I had a story to tell about my education. I don’t mean school. I mean my coming of age.” — MK Asante, filmmaker, professor, hip-hop artist, essayist and memoirist. The Writer magazine, July 2014 “I didn’t have the courage to do it [write] until more recently. I was ashamed of some of the things I wrote about in the book. I didn’t want to deal with those things. As I had more distance, reflection and time, I realized that vulnerability is my strength, and everything I’ve been through is not something to be ashamed of.” How about you? Are you ready to write your story? You can jumpstart your writing with prompts posted on The Write Spot Blog.
Writing and editing is like sculpting a garden
I love to work in the garden, pulling weeds, and occasionally being creative with new plantings. I love tugging at weeds and hearing the slrrp as they surrender their grip and let go. Writing is a lot like weeding . . . letting go and enjoying the moment. Not always worrying about the end product; just enjoying the moment of complete surrender. Later, after the writing seedlings have sprouted, it’s time for editing, which is a lot like pruning. When I’m pruning a fruit tree or a rose bush, I make a few snips, stand back to see how it looks and how it’s shaping up. It’s the same with editing. . . . make a few changes, then re-read. Keep what’s good and continue pruning until the piece has shaped to satisfaction.
The only sin writers can commit is . . .
“The only sin writers can commit is not to write.” — Eleanor Hyde, originally in the August 1976 issue of the Writer Magazine, reprinted in the August 2014 issue. Note from Marlene: So, you are itching to write and need a jumpstart? Go to the prompts page of this blog for ideas. Click here for more prompts and read what others have written. Scroll down and click on a plaque.
It doesn’t matter whether the story is set in the present day, 100 years ago hence, or . . .
“It doesn’t matter whether the story is set in the present day, 100 years ago hence, or in a place that has never and could never exist outside the pages of a book: The writer’s job is to present an utterly convincing and wholly seamless world,” Simon Morden, author of fantasy novel Arcanum. — The Writer Magazine, July 2014 Photo by Jim C. March
Follow your heart and intuition . . . Steve Jobs
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” — Steve Jobs Click here for more Steve Jobs quotes. Map of “Steve’s Places” by Romain Moisescot, Webmaster, all about Steve Jobs.com I love what Romain has done with his blog, especially the January 26, 2013 post, since I love catching movie gaffes. And being a writer, of course I love stories. Here’s the story behind all about Steve Jobs.com: “My name is Romain Moisescot and I am the webmaster of all about Steve Jobs.com. By webmaster I mean the owner, designer, developer and editor of the website, which is a one-man operation. I started it on…