Saturday, January 22, 2005
Everynight when I go to bed I have to read. Now earlier I stated that this is how I do my traveling. Well the last couple of nights I've been traveling inside Joel Saltzman's brain. I'm really not that familiar with all of who he is, but I have been reading one of his books and learning a great deal. Beside all of his other lesson plans, last night was about rewriting. All great authors let their writing sit and steep for a while like a good cup of tea, then they go back and cut and shred all that they have written so their words flow easily from the page to the readers mind. He stated how a good author can make writing seem effortless, when in actuality they have worked very hard, spending hours on sentences just so you and I can get the right message. Also a point that I was particulary fond of was how everyone holds within themselves the ability to be a great writer but the ones who patiently and tirelessly rewrite are the ones who stand out. Here are a few quotes from some famous authors about rewriting:
I know I have lots of work to do. I am not in the rewriting stage yet, I'm still trying to get all my tea into the cup. But my goal right now is to write and write and write, even if it seems I have nothing to say. And even if what I say is said badly. The very exercise of writing is my goal. So if anyone reads my "stuff", I'm not finished yet.
¶ 1/22/2005 09:40:00 AM
- "The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock proof shit detector". Ernest Hemingway
- "I always listen for what I can leave out." Miles Davis
- "I find I have...... a tendency to overwrite, to use two or three words where one will do better. I have to go back and cut and cut". John Steinbeck
- "A writer's best friend is the wastepaper basket". Isaac Bashevis Singer
I know I have lots of work to do. I am not in the rewriting stage yet, I'm still trying to get all my tea into the cup. But my goal right now is to write and write and write, even if it seems I have nothing to say. And even if what I say is said badly. The very exercise of writing is my goal. So if anyone reads my "stuff", I'm not finished yet.
¶ 1/22/2005 09:40:00 AM
Comments:
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Love the quotes. They are all so true. If you want to be a writer, your are certainly going about it the correct way. Robert A. Heinlein said, "A writer is a person who writes." It sounds like one of those "Duh!" type statements, but its amazing the number of people I have met who say they want to be writers, but never get around to actually writing. What they mean is they want to "have written."
At one time (thirty years ago) I decided I was going to write stories for children. I set aside a certain time every day to write and every day at that time I would write. As you say, sometimes I would write and write with no clue as to what I was trying to say but sooner or later, it always came clear - and then I would go back and throw out everything I had written that didn't have anything to do with the story I now knew I was writing.
I had some success and published many things but never really enough to pay the postage, paper, and typewriter ribbons (typewriter ribbons! see, I told you it had been thirty years ago) so I finally realized that for me writing would remain a hobby.
-- Gar
At one time (thirty years ago) I decided I was going to write stories for children. I set aside a certain time every day to write and every day at that time I would write. As you say, sometimes I would write and write with no clue as to what I was trying to say but sooner or later, it always came clear - and then I would go back and throw out everything I had written that didn't have anything to do with the story I now knew I was writing.
I had some success and published many things but never really enough to pay the postage, paper, and typewriter ribbons (typewriter ribbons! see, I told you it had been thirty years ago) so I finally realized that for me writing would remain a hobby.
-- Gar
bridgesitter
GREAT WRITING! I struggle with writing myself. I have read a lot of books on the subject and two have had a great impact on my style and content. I'll try and find them so I can get you the exact title.
Thanks for your comment today. Funny you mentioned the number of toothbrushes. I just finished a post I will be putting up tomorrow that talks about choices.
Ralph
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GREAT WRITING! I struggle with writing myself. I have read a lot of books on the subject and two have had a great impact on my style and content. I'll try and find them so I can get you the exact title.
Thanks for your comment today. Funny you mentioned the number of toothbrushes. I just finished a post I will be putting up tomorrow that talks about choices.
Ralph
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