Open Thread: Oracle Hotline
From Stephen King's On Writing again; King says he tries to write every day because otherwise his characters "begin to seem like characters instead of real people. The tale's narrative cutting edge starts to rust and I begin to lose my hold on the story's plot and pace. Worst of all, the excitement of spinning something new begins to fade. The work starts to feel like work, and for most writers that is the smooch of death. Writing is at its best -always, always, always- when it's a kind of inspired play for the writer."
There's another quote later where he says something like "The worst ten minutes I've spent writing is still some of the best time I've ever spent." I like that, and tend to agree--even when it's kind of "Gotta get through this scene to get to the one I really like," writing is still almost always fun. (It's wanting to write and not being able to that sucks!)
"Inspired play," that's good. I remember Ueland's metaphor of the writer being like a child with a string of beads, happily putting one after the other, lost in the play of creation. That's how writing feels at its best (and at its worst it's still not half-bad!) for me.
How have play and work been for you this week? I hope all of you in the U.S. have a great and relaxing holiday!
There's another quote later where he says something like "The worst ten minutes I've spent writing is still some of the best time I've ever spent." I like that, and tend to agree--even when it's kind of "Gotta get through this scene to get to the one I really like," writing is still almost always fun. (It's wanting to write and not being able to that sucks!)
"Inspired play," that's good. I remember Ueland's metaphor of the writer being like a child with a string of beads, happily putting one after the other, lost in the play of creation. That's how writing feels at its best (and at its worst it's still not half-bad!) for me.
How have play and work been for you this week? I hope all of you in the U.S. have a great and relaxing holiday!