Burn down the school ...

[jaq_of_spades]

"Burn down the school. Save the books, perhaps, but get the teacher to tell you the real secrets: what does he read and write as a guilty pleasure? Guilty pleasure is what writing is all about. It is about attractions: words you can't resist using to describe things too interesting to pass up. And forget lofty motives."

That's what Julia Cameron

Comments

[skybluerae]

I think this is great. I've thought about getting a book for writing exercises b/c the writing course I want to take has been pushed back to January. But because of your post, I'm thinking 'DON'T just think about it. DO IT!' I need more original pieces and jottings for the course in January anyway and I was so disappointed about not getting started next month.

If I can find her book, I'll get it. If not, it is a joy for me to wander around a bookstore and look at every writing book they have. :)
I'm sure I can find a book that has some type of exercises, something to motivate me or at least give me a jumping off point.

Btw, I have to smile because your post is a ramble of your thoughts and you so rarely do that. I like it! There is great therapy in letting the mind run things off.

Best of luck with your exercises and I look forward to reading them.

[jaq_of_spades]

Hey Sky

[skybluerae]

Actually, I found the book on sale so I got a copy myself. I'm going to do the exercises in my journal, but on a filter. I'll add you in case you're interested.

[jaq_of_spades]

Absolutely. Filter me!

[vikingprincess]

excellent. and you know what, the less 'free time' you have, the more you'll get done, because you'll be more efficient and kick into a higher energy level. it's the strangest thing.

I very much enjoyed reading this - fanfic, for me, is also what has given me confidence that I can write, that I can write for ten hours blocks, that I can craft stories worth reading that touch people.

I owe an awful lot to fanfic!

[jaq_of_spades]

I think we all owe a lot to fanfic, because it relieves the pressure to come up with original characters, and helps release the writer in us! I keep meaning to do some research on the role of fanfic in modern literature, because its such an interesting topic, and I'd really like to raise it next time I go to a writer's workshop. (I'm thinking of doing a two hour speculative fiction workshop later this month). But the way some writers regard fanfic, all holier-than-thou, you'd think it was the devil!

[vikingprincess]

I think, also, established writers are often at a place where the Internet and fanfic were either in their infancy, or just barely getting rolling world wide, when they were writing. And they missed out on the opportunity of instant feedback, a quick turnaround for responses, and a very vivid, living relationship between writer and reader. They may just be a bit jealous. LOL