Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Stuffy Writing?
Yes Stuffy Writing? Am I writing like I talk or writing how I want to talk? Am I trying to sound more intelligent then I am? I don't know, I just want to write. After sitting at this computer for a while and getting a little depressed because I don't think I having anything valuable to say I went and layed down and read my copy of the above book. (you have to click on title to get there) If you can talk you can write. I was very inspired by that. I can relate to people on a lot of different things. I think I've been through quite a few things in my life that might be able to relate to other people. Did I just say that before too? Anyway, I'm going to try his lessons on this blog and see how I do. A list of his lessons are as follows:
Well I wrote that and I'll give you a run down on what I just read. I'm not supposed to worry so much about what I write but just the fact that I'm writing. I need not worry about grammar or puntuation or any of that other goggely gook, because for me I don't know what alot of that stuff means anyway. I just like to write. Period.. I do know that I sometimes have to pause and make things sound a little better. That is a no no when writing. Or until you've at least finished what it is your writing. Don't want to clog the head up to much with should I should I not say that. I worry about that alot. He has alot of good advice in this book. I'm not trying to sell his book mind ya, I'm just saying it was an inspiration to me so Like I was saying it's good. Let me go on now....He talks alot about what writer's do to avoid writing, my big one is, playing with my template, posting pictures, and changing colors and fonts and stuff. Hmmmmm. Progress Not Perfectionism. That was something from AA on a T-Shirt that he put in his book. Anyway first exercise, 2 minute exercise of talking on paper. Writing what ever comes to your head and just flowing with that, sentences come from the words we put down. One stupid word can start an essay. Can I get in trouble for quoting quotes that he quoted in his book? This next sentence is something John Steinbeck once said "never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in progress is usually found to be an excuse for not going on". I think I covered that. I'm doing a really good job of it myself right now. By the way I went to John Steinbeck's house in Salinas back in 1974. A terrible plan when you're suffering from agoraphobia. I'd like to go there now though. I think Salinas is the town where they are going to close all the libraries because of tax cuts. Can you believe that? I'll write about that next. I don't know how to post that link inside this compose box. Plus that will just distract me from writing again.
He says in the book that Amy Tan author of "Good Luck Club" and "Kitchen God's Wife" was told she was a terrible writer and should just be an account manager. Geeze, there's hope for alot of us. Eeeck, I just had a terrible thought that somebody out there is thinking when they read my stuff that Yea, Bridgesitter should be an accountant! But....He has an exercise for that too, I'll paraphrase it: name all those people whose voices you hear telling you you can't write and put them on a piece of paper and get them the hell out of there. I need your name please.
So as you can see this book has had a impact on me. I have not even scratched the surface on all his tidbits of good stuff, and don't think I should have to write about the whole thing here. I have alot of my own stuff to say. But here is one thing he says alot, or other's say through him in the pages, "if it interests me, it interests others". Okay. Enough already.
¶ 1/19/2005 01:16:00 PM
- Pause, my dog wants a pat
- that wasn't a lesson....
- I can't find a list of lessons...Wait
- Here we go...Talking on Paper
- If you don't know what to say, start saying it. If I continued in this vein I'd probably get fined for plagiarism.
- I'm going to start over and list his "Parts" of the book.
- From Fear to Freedom
- Writing vs. Talking on Paper
- But what do I write about?
- Writing vs. Rewriting or "I've finally got a first draft. Now what?"
- Rules of the Road
Well I wrote that and I'll give you a run down on what I just read. I'm not supposed to worry so much about what I write but just the fact that I'm writing. I need not worry about grammar or puntuation or any of that other goggely gook, because for me I don't know what alot of that stuff means anyway. I just like to write. Period.. I do know that I sometimes have to pause and make things sound a little better. That is a no no when writing. Or until you've at least finished what it is your writing. Don't want to clog the head up to much with should I should I not say that. I worry about that alot. He has alot of good advice in this book. I'm not trying to sell his book mind ya, I'm just saying it was an inspiration to me so Like I was saying it's good. Let me go on now....He talks alot about what writer's do to avoid writing, my big one is, playing with my template, posting pictures, and changing colors and fonts and stuff. Hmmmmm. Progress Not Perfectionism. That was something from AA on a T-Shirt that he put in his book. Anyway first exercise, 2 minute exercise of talking on paper. Writing what ever comes to your head and just flowing with that, sentences come from the words we put down. One stupid word can start an essay. Can I get in trouble for quoting quotes that he quoted in his book? This next sentence is something John Steinbeck once said "never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in progress is usually found to be an excuse for not going on". I think I covered that. I'm doing a really good job of it myself right now. By the way I went to John Steinbeck's house in Salinas back in 1974. A terrible plan when you're suffering from agoraphobia. I'd like to go there now though. I think Salinas is the town where they are going to close all the libraries because of tax cuts. Can you believe that? I'll write about that next. I don't know how to post that link inside this compose box. Plus that will just distract me from writing again.
He says in the book that Amy Tan author of "Good Luck Club" and "Kitchen God's Wife" was told she was a terrible writer and should just be an account manager. Geeze, there's hope for alot of us. Eeeck, I just had a terrible thought that somebody out there is thinking when they read my stuff that Yea, Bridgesitter should be an accountant! But....He has an exercise for that too, I'll paraphrase it: name all those people whose voices you hear telling you you can't write and put them on a piece of paper and get them the hell out of there. I need your name please.
So as you can see this book has had a impact on me. I have not even scratched the surface on all his tidbits of good stuff, and don't think I should have to write about the whole thing here. I have alot of my own stuff to say. But here is one thing he says alot, or other's say through him in the pages, "if it interests me, it interests others". Okay. Enough already.
¶ 1/19/2005 01:16:00 PM
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