Reaction to “Advice to Writers”
While I was reading through this advice, I wondered if Mr.
Goldfine read my mind, and then used what I think while I write as a “Things
Not To Do” guide. I am guilty of all of this advice, especially ignoring
subjects that I think would be found boring to anyone but me. I am often
choosing subjects that I believe will please my teachers instead of choosing
ones that are interesting to me as the writer. I over-think everything I’m
writing, and one of my worst habits is editing while I write, instead of
writing everything on my mind and going back to edit later. So far, I have
found myself glancing back at this advice while I am writing my grafs. Since I
have been writing the same way for however many years I have known how to write,
it’s proven difficult for me to get rid of these bad habits. I plan to continue
using this advice throughout the rest of my writing career (a.k.a., until I
die.)
Knowing your sins is the first step to conquering them, but in writing, it's all a matter of habit (and finding better ones) and then of attitude (keeping proud of yourself), not a matter for resolutions or will power. You live out your problems and then you live out the solutions, such as they are, right there on the keyboard.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea if that makes any sense, but there you go....
ReplyDelete