by Jamie
Excellent post from Steven Pressfield this week on how we improve as writers.
Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity • Tags: adversity, creative process, creativity, originality, steven pressfield, writer, writer's block, writing, writing life
by Jamie
I stumbled upon my first completed manuscript the other day. I scanned the first couple of lines, laughed, and put it away again. It will never become a published book, and I’m really quite happy with that. I remember the story well, and I wince at the many beginner’s mistakes I made. The first paragraph–the first sentence, even–alert the reader that here is an author who doesn’t yet know how to tell a story. Did I write it knowing it […]
Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity • Tags: adversity, creative process, first book, first manuscript, first novel, writer, writing
by Jamie
The publishing industry can especially be brutal for us creative types. We are emotionally invested in our work, but the industry necessarily is all about profits. It’s easy to become self-defeated, self-critical, and self-doubting. I saw a therapist last year to work through some job-related stress (my day job, not my writing), and as I was grieving the loss of a friendship I felt I’d invested a great deal of love and energy into, she listened and then said, “What […]
Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity • Tags: adversity, creative process, creativity, writer, writer's block, writing, writing life
by Jamie
“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.” ― Carlos Castaneda If you pursue any kind of creative passion seriously, you will encounter difficult times. The trick is to see the lesson in the adversity. What does it have to teach you about your art? Plenty, if you pay attention.
Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity, Quote of the Day, Random Stuff • Tags: adversity, carlos castaneda, creative passion
