“Creativity is an inherent human quality of the highest order. When we create, we become more than the sum of our parts.” –Yanni
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
10 Authors on Not Quitting
There are days (or weeks or months…) when the words don’t flow, the story no longer inspires, and it seems like no one cares about your writing, least of all you. Sometimes relentless malaise is a sign that maybe it’s time to reconsider your writing career. But when you have no doubt that writing is where you belong, yet you’re still asking “what’s the point?” maybe what you need are some words of advice and encouragement from others who’ve been where you are. Here’s what ten authors had to say about why you should keep going…
“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” -Richard Bach
“I know some very great writers, writers you love who write beautifully and have made a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts.” -Anne Lamott
“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” -Joseph Heller
“Finish the damn book. Nothing else matters. Stop second-guessing yourself and write it through to the end. You don’t know what you have until you’ve finished it. You don’t know how to fix it until it’s all down on the page.” -Lauren Beukes
“A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, or because everything she does is golden. A writer is a writer because, even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.” -Junot Diaz
“Writing may or may not be your salvation; it might or might not be your destiny. But that does not matter. What matters right now are the words, one after another. Find the next word. Write it down.” -Neil Gaiman
“I believe myself that a good writer doesn’t really need to be told anything except to keep at it.” -Chenua Achebe
“I think new writers are too worried that it has all been said before. Sure it has, but not by you.” -Asha Dornfest
“Write like it matters, and it will.” Libba Bray
“You fail only if you stop writing.” -Ray Bradbury
Do you have a favourite encouraging quote or words of wisdom of your own? Share in the comments…
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
Should You Write What You Know?
It’s been repeated so many times it’s cliché: write what you know.
But is it true?
Do you agree with William T. Vollmann, who said that you should indeed write what you know, and that you should also have as many experiences as possible in order to expand your knowledge?
Or do you believe Kazuo Ishiguro, who said writing what you know results in writing “a dull autobiography,” and essentially leads authors to stunt their imaginations and potential?
Or maybe you side with Ursula K. Le Guin, who absolutely agreed that you should write what you know, as long as you have a flexible definition of “know” (she happened to know quite a lot about alien planets, dragons, and the distant future).
You might even think Nathan Englander has a good point when he says you should write what you know–emotionally. (This actually is excellent advice–writing about an emotion you’ve never felt might seem like a good idea, but the sentiments will be obviously hollow to readers who have experienced it.)
For me, I think American author Meg Wolitzer sums it up best: write what obsesses you.
And I’ll also add: because writing should be about passion. When I wrote my first novel, what I knew was English Literature, so I wrote literary fiction. And there was nothing wrong with what I produced (I might even still publish it one day), except that the dark, macabre, supernatural things that warmed my geeky heart kept creeping into my early work. Now, it’s perfectly fine for a little para to mix with the normal, but when I realized those were the parts I enjoyed writing (and reading) most, I decided to focus on what obsessed me, starting with vampires, my lifelong fascination. I think my work is better now, and I certainly enjoy it more.
Whether you decide to write about what you know or not, you should always start from a place of passion, obsession, or love. Because if you’re not excited about what you’re writing, why bother?
If you want to see more about what authors have to say on this subject, check out this article on Literary Hub.
If you want to check out some of the dark and macabre things I’ve written (including two FREE stories) click here.
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
Quote of the Day
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
Happy Labour Day Weekend
Hope you’re spending this long weekend relaxing with friends and family. Don’t forget to thank your local unions for this statutory holiday (not to mention two-day weekends in general) 🙂
And a quick reminder that my new story, Tooth & Claw, will be available free on 7 September!
Mara, Dominic, and their fellow vampires arrive in Marseille, France in 1909, only to find another predator already on the loose. As the city tries to cope with a killer stalking the streets, Mara struggles to separate memory from delusion. Can she find peace when the past is haunting, the present overwhelming, and the future hopeless? Inspired by real events.
In the meantime, don’t forget to download my other FREE short story Blood Magic, and while you’re at it, pick up Love Lies Bleeding too, available in paperback or e-book. Your support is much appreciated.
Tooth & Claw, a new FREE short story inspired by actual events, available 7 September.
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
