One Sentence a Day

[alanajoli]

So, amieroserotruck passed on some excellent advice the other day: no matter what, write one sentence a day. She apparently picked this up from Stephen King, but I'm still crediting her brilliance in keeping up with it and passing it along. Because of this new rule, I'm happy to say that I have *actually started* that elusive YA novel that I've been talking about

Comments

[faerie_writer]

I'm more of the write-one-page-a-day writer myself. ;)

[alanajoli]

Considering my other assignments, I'm having trouble committing to a sentence--but as soon as I commit to it, usually a whole paragraph pours out. :)

[amieroserotruck]

Hee, saw your post on my blog. HAD to make me feel guilty, didn't you? ;)

[smerwin29]

My experience in the MFA in Creative Writing program at Vermont College was interesting in this regard. Most of the fiction writers who taught there had other jobs, mostly teachers at colleges.

In the 2.5 years I was in the program, one of my instructors had his book chosen as an Oprah Book Club selection. Obviously at that point he didn't need to teach anymore. He stopped teaching for a while, but then he actually went back to teaching because he loved it. Another instructor's book become a worldwide bestseller, and after taking time off from teaching, she finally went back to it. I imagine it was for the same reason--a love of teaching.

Even the instructors I knew who didn't teach (outside of the Vermont MFA program) and who considered themselves fiction writers first and foremost earned at least part of their living doing other things: writing reviews, public speaking, etc.

I could go on for a long time on this subject, but I would end up boring even myself!

[bccreations]

When did you live in Vermont?

[smerwin29]

Never lived there. The program was a low-residency one. At the beginning and end of each semester you would spend two weeks in an intense (and I mean INTENSE) time of writing, attending/giving lectures, meeting with your supervising writers, discussing works with other students, etc. Then you would go home and write like mad, sharing your work and discussing writing with your supervising writer for the semester.

So I guess I did live in Vermont for about 4 weeks a year for a couple of years. :-) In Montpelier.

[bccreations]

There's a low residency program at Southern New Hampshire University, but unfortunately I cannot afford the tuition. Even with tuition reimbursement, it only covers half the cost (not counting fees and taxes).

[alanajoli]

Thanks! I'm glad you've been reading. I kept seeing you on FFF and thinking we were already friends, then realized I'd better check. ;)

I do a lot of non-fiction writing and reviews, but it tends to be work that's interesting--not creative, per say, but analysis and synthesis. Writing obituaries has been fascinating for me, and I think it actually puts a lot of fodder in there for the fiction later. But I'll have to look at those days and see if I feel like writing fiction when I've been working on those assignments.

[jeff_duntemann]

There is a terrible danger in writing for your day job if you want to write fiction "in your spare time." Good quality fiction and nonfiction draw from the same well, and when the well's dry, it's dry

[alanajoli]

Thanks, Jeff, that's really encouraging. It makes me feel better about my own decision, at least! :)

[bccreations]

I can't remember if it was Diana Gaboldon or George Martin that suggested a writer shouldn't quit his day job until his advances = his royalties and that dollar amount is an amount they can reasonably live on. Seems like wise advice.

[alanajoli]

Oooh, I hadn't heard that one. I like the advances = royalties part of the equation. Pretty sage wisdom. :)