In this blog, I'll be taking on a number of topics, including: A look under the writer's hood; books that I love, and, today: WRITING ABOUT WRITING...
Now, writing about writing, that seems absurd, at first glance. Okay, I took a second glance, and it's still absurd: why not just write?
Since everyone and their uncle...okay, everyone and her aunt?...okay, then, half of everyone I know seems to want to be a writer, how will I keep this from re-reiterating that which is iterated to a fault? Perhaps I can interest the other half (would that be my better half? Half of everybody else's better half?)
Who doesn't enjoy reading a good joke, just a simple one that gets to the point with sufficient speed to satisfy? That is just plain fun...but, isn't it better if, instead of proceeding like an arrow to the mark, the teller stammers a little, totters on his bad leg, caroms off the wall once or twice as he tries to follow the footprints of the punch line there in the dusty reaches of his memory. Oops, right, ..."And the dog looked up at his owner and asked, So, if you wanted an answer, ask a question, don't say, 'Speak!'"
Sorry, I'm wandering...but, it's a rather intentional pursuit of my stream of conscience, since that is sometimes the way I write fiction. Non-fiction, different approach entirely...I'll work from an outline, I'll summarize and cite and rewrite after the fact, but fiction...well, I like the Stephen King approach: "Take strong characters, throw them into a situation, and see how they react."
Part of the discipline of writing is just that--discipline--and this blog is one of the disciplines of a writer who is determined to entertain, amuse, and intrigue his audience, all the while honing the creative craft. I will be writing about my inspirations, my role models, and will include occasional snippets or links to things I've written. I intend to spice up every day with an interesting quote...today's is from Stephen King (fellow Mainah and a truly great writer, although I don't always love his genre or his potty-mouth!) Do let me know if you never want to read it again, or if it resonates in any way with you and your life, eh? Unlike some publications, this is not printed on pretty colored paper, and thus will not be as appealing, visually, as a liner for your cockatiel's cage. Functionally...hmm, less absorbent, too.
***********************************************************************************
Other than writing to please yourself, I'd advocate only one thing: to write every day. The basic fact of novels…is that even the short ones contain a lot of pages. Stephen King.
**********************************************************************************
[additional postings, which are less goofy, can be accessed by clicking on a month in the column on the right...and, if you'd like to subscribe...the very bottom of this page offers the opportunity to subscribe via email, so that you'll receive a notification every time I post a new page. Of course, you could then delete the email, or fwd it to all your enemies, or label it spam or canned ham...so many options!]
