I've got a confession: I love hearing how other writers, the famous ones, get their writing done. I love a craft book, an insightful interview, a confident lecture. For a long time I thought that if I, too, could wake up at 4 a.m. and write 500 words before my workday started that would be my secret for writing success. Or if only I had a summer house in Montana where no one bothered me, or if I wrote my first drafts long-hand, or if I wrote intense, detailed outlines while drinking mugs of black coffee, or if I got an MFA degree, or if I could afford to quit my job and just write all the livelong day ... 💭
Somewhere along the line I realized that each writer, famous or not, discovers what works for them. Each writer has their own unique set of privileges and setbacks. So while I no longer think there is anything particularly mystical about how writers accomplish their work, I do find it interesting. And inspiring. (So perhaps a little bit mystical after all!)
Tell me:
- What habits or "tricks" from other writers have been useful for you in your own writing practice?
- Do you have a favorite craft book you return to time and again?
Currently reading: The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp--a reminder that creativity is the work of a lifetime. I think that's great news, don't you? Our art is something we can explore, work at, develop. No one is great at their chosen medium from the first brush stroke or word. And what a relief!
Currently watching: Season 11 of The Great British Baking Show--a great example of all the practice and knowledge that goes into becoming an expert at something. None of these bakers are accidental masters of their craft.
Recommended Reading
George Saunders on what writers really do when they write.
Writing the Prado--an invitation-only residency where writers live at the museum and take in the art, then create a piece based on the art or famed museum. (We can dream!)
The 2004 National Book Award finalists answer some questions over at LitHub--some tips for how they get their writing done are included. (Miranda July also admits that during a particularly intense stretch of writing All Fours, she would take one sip from a bottled coffee and put it back in the fridge--until a friend told her she should throw it out. "I thought it just stayed good forever, like soy sauce," July says.)
If we only write the books we love, we can let go of books that aren’t working. We stay connected to meaning and purpose, and we don’t need to justify to anyone else why we’re writing a simple truth:
I love what I’m writing. I need to write it. -- Brooke Warner
Here's to the pleasure (and hard work) of pursuing our craft ✨