“ . . . 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.
Category: Quotes
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
Our stories . . .
“Our stories make us stronger and better.” — Holly Curtin Just Write! #amwriting #iamawriter #justwrite
That Vulnerable Feeling
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” — Brené Brown Note from Marlene: I think that sharing your writing is an act of trust and courage. That vulnerable feeling is real. #justwrite #iamawriter #amwriting
People will never forget . . .
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou
Healing Starts When You . . .
“Healing starts when you write about what happened and how you felt about it then, and how you feel about it now. And in order for our writing to be a healing experience, we need to honor our pain, loss and grief.” — “Opening Up By Writing It Down” by James Pennebaker “The Write Spot: Writing as a Path to Healing” has an expansive section on how to write about difficult subjects without adding trauma.