Like creation myths, the fables that get passed around among creative writers come in all degrees of, well, wrongness. That’s my opinion, of course, but an opinion backed by interviews with dozens of famous novelists and poets and also by psychological science.
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Carter NElsen
2:58 pm on
April 15th, 2010I’m writing a non-fiction book (family-history/memoir), & this is just me, but nothing irritates me more than when authors come out & *insist,* usually with more than a hint of arrogance, that if you’re not writing every day you’re not writing at all. Sometimes I have extremely productive bursts, sometimes nothing comes at all. I’ve never kept a journal, & that’s never made the least bit of difference. I write when I can write, not when self-important authors tell me I must write.
@Carter: I’m always amazed at how some people (in any field) think their way is the only right/correct/best way to do something. Good luck with the family history!
Kenneth
3:15 pm on
April 15th, 2010Well as a poet I am often criticized for lack of “proper” punctuation or structure. It has always been my belief that it is all about conveying an image in a persons mind that they can relate to so structure is less important than content in all respects. My reasoning is that most people don’t live by reason, they live by emotion and a poets job is to caption that emotion in mid-stride and sometimes to do that we have to play with the grammar or even structure a bit.
@Kenneth: Especially with poetry, you have to feel free to break the so-called rules. Just be aware when you’re doing it, and for what effect (or at least, when you polish or edit).
C.R.
7:07 pm on
April 15th, 2010Welcome–your first blog post is a hit.
Oddly enough, as someone who has been writing, editing, teaching writing, (and being published), for decades, I’ve actually given very little thought to the creative process of writing! I’ve always been drawn to the technical aspects and how-to-get-the-job-done types of information. I never felt I had the luxury of time to read entire books about the creative process, though I suspect I simply haven’t really been drawn to the subject. So, I am looking forward to your blog-sized nuggets of exploration. Sounds like they’ll be just what’s needed to pique my curiousity.
@C.R.: Thanks! (Actually this post isn’t the VERY first, but who’s counting?) I hope my bite-sized bytes are useful to you. I know, reading a whole book about creativity could actually be dull. Amazing, but true.
Eileen Donovan
7:26 pm on
April 15th, 2010I do have to avoid novel reading when I’m working on something. I am a mimic and even though I’m aware of it, I always find myself channeling things in the novel and losing my own voice. But that’s just me. 
Good post!
@Eileen: I don’t think I’m that good a mimic, but I certainly understand your feeling. Or I might read SO many books that no one style sticks, yet I learn something that I can perhaps subconsciously apply from many of them.
I’ve written my memoir: Ghost Child to Triumph (from a child with no voice, to someone who speaks up against injustice)…as yet unpublished, and my poetry book, Sanctuary of the Soul was just (self) published. My endorsements take my breath away:
Elie Weisel, Wayne Dyer, Nikki Giovanni, Alice Miller, Dr. Larry Dossey, Clint van Zandt, Dr. Elaine Weiss, Dr. Frank Ochberg, Patricia Evans, Dr. Ellen Langer, etc…..14 in all. I plan to have my website up soon! Sincerely, Alice (wacalice@aol.com)
P.S. I never listened to any rules about writing; I will self-publish again if the publisher indicating an interest rejects it.
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