Written From Experience

Quite often, the writing process is overlooked while reading. How many of us think about the author while we're reading one of their books? But writing is what bonds author and reader, even for such a short time as it takes to read a book. Without it, there would be nothing to read. Every reader may not be an aspiring or current writer, yet the art of writing is so integral for that reading experience to even happen.

So, what exactly does writing entail? How does one become a writer? I thought it would be a good idea to get some opinions from writers who have experience with this, to get their perspectives on it all. It turns out they're a pretty insightful bunch...

❀   Have you always wanted to be a writer?

JOHN GRISHAM: "Writing was not a childhood dream of mine. I do not recall longing to write as a student. I wasn't sure how to start."

HUNTER S. THOMPSON: "As things stand now, I am going to be a writer. I'm not sure that I'm going to be a good one or even a self-supporting one, but until the dark thumb of fate presses me to the dust and says 'you are nothing,' I will be a writer."

❀   What are some things that every writer should know?

W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM: "There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."

MARK TWAIN: "Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be."

E. B. WHITE: "Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar."

❀  Writing isn't always the most successful profession. How do keep your job from seeming like a means to an end? Is it always about the money?

STEPHEN KING: "Like anything else that happens on its own, the act of writing is beyond currency. Money is great stuff to have, but when it comes to the act of creation, the best thing is not to think of money too much. It constipates the whole process.

MOLIÈRE: "Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money."

❀   Where do you get ideas for what to write?

RAY BRADBURY: "My stories run up and bite me on the leg - I respond by writing down everything that goes on during the bite. When I finish, the idea lets go and runs off."

JULES RENARD: "The story I am writing exists, written in absolutely perfect fashion, some place, in the air. All I must do is find it, and copy it."

ERICA JONG: "I write lustily and humorously. It isn't calculated; it's the way I think. I've invented a writing style that expresses who I am."

 

❀   Getting started is sometimes the hardest part when it comes to writing. Any advice?

ROBERT FROST: "I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering."

BEATRIX POTTER: "There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you."

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

❀   What would you tell someone who hasn't had much success with their writing?

RAY BRADBURY: "You fail only if you stop writing."

STEPHEN KING: "You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you."

❀   What are your thoughts about writer's block?

JEFFERY DEAVER: "I've often said that there's no such thing as writer's block; the problem is idea block."

R. L. STINE: "I have a cheat-sheet for each one of my characters about their personality, the way they look, etc. So there is no possible way that I could have writer's block."

JODI PICOULT: "Writer's block is for people who have the luxury of time."

MARY GARDEN: "My block was due to two overlapping factors: laziness and lack of discipline."

❀   What can you do when you don't feel like writing?

DESIDERIUS ERASMUS: "The desire to write grows with writing." 

AUGUSTEN BURROUGHS: "The secret to being a writer is that you have to write. It's not enough to think about writing or to study literature or plan a future life as an author. You really have to lock yourself away, alone, and get to work."

❀   Some young writers aren't sure if they have what it takes. Are there things they can learn, or is writing only for those with innate talent?

TRUMAN CAPOTE: "Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself."

GUSTAVE FLAUBERT: "The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe."

TONI MORRISON: "I think some aspects of writing can be taught. Obviously, you can't teach vision or talent. But you can help with comfort."

❀   What does writing mean to you?

ISAAC ASIMOV: "Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers."

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: "When I stop working, the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing."

❀   How do you determine what to put into a story?

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: "If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water."

NORTON JUSTER: "When I'm writing, I write a lot anyway. I might write pages and pages of conversation between characters that don't necessarily end up in the book, or in the story I'm working on, because they're simply my way of getting to know the characters."

KEN KESEY: "When Shakespeare was writing, he wasn't writing for stuff to lie on the page; it was supposed to get up and move around."

❀   Any advice for aspiring writers?

LILLIAN HELLMAN: "They're fancy talkers about themselves, writers. If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves."


* None of the people listed above were actually interviewed by me. I take no credit for any of the quotes spoken by them.

Share Your Books!

I'm a book hoarder. If there is anything I have too much of, books are it. Multiple bookcases are crammed into my small bedroom, all of which are stuffed two rows deep with novels and sagging from the weight of them. There are shelves on my wall and above my desk that are filled to the brim with paperbacks. I have books in thigh-high stacks along the floor of my room and piled on my nightstand. The backseat of my car has books strewn across it, and there is even a growing pile of books on the half of my bed I don't sleep on.

All of that to say: I have more books than I know what to do with. Now, I'm not one to buy a book and read it just once. I know plenty of people who do this, and I have nothing against them. I just find too much joy in reading a book I've bought to discard it after only one read! But there are obviously books in my collection that are not being read. I may be a quick reader, but I'm not that good. So what do I do with those neglected books? I don't want to get rid of all of them. Yet, it feels wrong to let so many of them sit there whenever I'm not reading them. There are a number of things I do to solve this problem:

1. Donate

I have to admit I'm not very good at this one. I'm loath to part with many of my books. But then I'm reminded of those who can't afford books of their own, or libraries in need of some new inventory, or schools who don't have funding for more books. So, every couple of years I'll do a purge where I give away a portion of my collection. While it might seem difficult at first, it's really not. There are some books that we keep more for sentimental reasons than anything else. If you've grown out of a book, donate it. If you haven't read the book in over a year, donate it. If you haven't read the book at all since you bought it a year ago, definitely donate it. There are so many people who would love to read your old books!

2. Lend

Many of my friends consider me their personal library. They'll ask me for book recommendations, or come over and pick some books from my collection. It's an easy way to share my love of books, and it allows my friends to save some money. This way, my books are getting read and I still get them back once my friends are finished. Just put a name label inside of your book and it's ready to lend out. Not to mention, you'll now have someone new to discuss the book with!

3. Trade

Most towns have at least a few used book stores. I can guarantee almost all of them will have a trade system. You take in books you don't care to keep anymore, and the owner will take the ones they'd like to add to their shop. In exchange, they will either give you cash or store credit (usually credit). With credit, you'll be able to get books from their store! It's a nice way to make a few bucks or get some new reads, just from trading in some of your old ones. I've been trading with my local used book store for almost six years now; not only have I found some gems in the store, but the owner tends to give me extra credit for being a regular customer. You can't beat the hospitality of your local businesses, so go out and support them!

4. Pass It On

A few years ago, I received a letter from a friend. It had a short note and five address labels, one of which was hers. The gist was, choose 5 books you own and send them to those people. Then send out a letter to 5 friends with new addresses, one of them your own. It was a little network of book lovers who could share books with each other. What was even better was that this network was an ever-growing group as labels continually got spread around. BookCrossing.com also has a method of passing on books and connecting with other readers. You print a label with a specific code on it and stick it in inside your book's cover before selling it/giving it away. As the book gets passed on, people can put in the code on the website and you can track its travels across the globe! These are just a few fun ways to get some new reads and pass on your old ones!

There are so many other ways we can share our love of books, too. Keeping a book collection isn't bad, but there is a lot of joy in sharing it with others! Take a few minutes to go through your old books and find a way to give back. It's so very worth the effort.

What are some ways you share your books?