Guess what? Today is the very first day of my online novel-writing class! Sadly, I was super busy with very important chores and quality time with my superlative children, and I haven't logged in to do the lesson. Never fear! The beauty of an online class is that I don't have to log on today - I can do it tomorrow or the next day! Also, I started the optional reading list already, and I'm love with the first book. It's called Write Time: Guide to the Creative Process from Vision through Revision - and Beyond by Kenneth Atchity. There are a lot of gems in the book. Here are some of my faves so far:
- "[I]n order to become productive and professional, your philosophy must be optimism. Unwavering optimism, or at least optimism with a built-in swerve override."
- "The longer an idea 'percolates' in the mind, the greater its chances of being expressed clearly and powerfully when the time is right."
- "If you want to be a writer, don't hope to displace your anxiety. Instead, find ways of coping with it, tricking it, transforming it."
I feel like as a generally optimistic procrastinator who remains intimately familiar with anxiety, this book is basically written for me. That feels so good. Also, so far the author has not recommended drugs and/or alcohol as writing aids. I've been getting kind of nervous while reading Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey. In it, Currey catalogs the working habits of many a genius. Many a genius who rely on a steady diet of amphetamines and barbiturates to put the pen to the page. I'm hoping to get my novel written without requiring a stint in rehab, but maybe that's just me.
The other Writerly Wednesdays
A Talk on Creativity from TEDx Stanford
A Talk on Creativity from TEDx Stanford
2 comments:
I am quite confident that you will be able to write your novel without that stint in rehab, but if it happens, I will not judge.
Ive got to get this book.
Im loving the Daily Rituals too.
There's a good NYT video about artist spaces I watched today.
How's your space looking????
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