"Do it everyday for a while," my father kept saying. "Do it as you would do scales on the piano. Do it by prearrangement with yourself. Do it as a debt of honor. And make a commitment to finishing things."I don't even get through the introduction of "Bird by Bird" without it knocking me on my ass.
This quote can be applied to anything, really. Just within colorguard alone, I have pushed myself to perform the same tasks over and over again until they become natural. Until I get good. I started my daily ritual of organizing my meals, going to the gym and dance classes all the time, flossing, cleaning my apartment...
WHY have I not applied this principle to my writing?
Why do I keep coming back to this idea that writing should be easy and magical and not forced?
5 comments:
i shy away from forcing my writing--and usually end up not writing anything at all. i'm going to have to get this book. it sounds like a goodie.
btw, totally flattered that you linked me.
i look at writing the same way...that it should be easy and magical. perhaps it is to give myself an easy way out of ever actually giving it a go. or may be it's cause every book i fell in love with felt like it must have been effortlessly written, because the words just flowed.
then again, i used to think that love or relationships should be easy and magical too...marriage took care of that illusion in under three days!
because youre an idealist, red. five novels, and i guarantee ive fought them all fro time to time. just like a relationship. everyday isnt going to be roses and wine. somedays youre gonna have to work on it.
because youre an idealist, red. five novels, and i guarantee ive fought them all fro time to time. just like a relationship. everyday isnt going to be roses and wine. somedays youre gonna have to work on it.
i am constantly surprised at how difficult writing actually is. especially writing well.
god knows i'm still struggling.
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