Comments | sartorias: Learning to Rewrite

sartorias

Learning to Rewrite

Mar 13, 2011 06:46

and plagiarism.

Forty years, the needle of guilt--and the smothering pillow of that internal sense of mediocrity--I figure, why not tell this story.

writers and writing, rewriting, writers and real life

Comments 54

burger_eater March 13 2011, 19:01:42 UTC

Learning to revise was the big change for me, too, and it took me a long time to realize it. It'll be the subject of an upcoming post once I have clarified my new thinking on it.

padawansguide March 13 2011, 19:03:16 UTC

What a fascinating blog! I really enjoyed reading it - it was really insightful, and I passed it on to a friend of mine who is currently rewriting her novel.

sartorias March 13 2011, 19:25:40 UTC

Thanks! :-)

jade_sabre_301 March 13 2011, 19:33:21 UTC

I am always grateful to you for talking about this struggle of yours--it's not a struggle I've had to get through quite as much as you have, but it also makes me very aware of my images while I'm writing, so maybe I'm just lucking out and dodging that bullet thanks to your advice. So, again: thank you.

Also, I want to be Jane Yolen when I grow up. I should probably start figuring out how she does what she does.

sartorias March 13 2011, 19:34:21 UTC

Oh yes--setting your sites on Jane Yolen is a great idea!

green_knight March 13 2011, 19:38:53 UTC

The professor must have done something right if you can appreciate him despite everything; but I wish he had been a better teacher.

It's a difficult line to tread, encouraging students without stroking their egos, and I think you have found the balance better than he ever did.

dehdwood March 13 2011, 20:24:00 UTC

I don't know what to say so I'll try starting with this: reading that was an education. I don't know if it fired up my (wannabe)writer-self's determination any, but I found myself nodding over many of the points.

Sometimes you hear the right thing at the wrong time, because you are not ready for it.

This. Just this line. It has been my one frustration in the recent years, thinking "I don't understand this, when will I ever understand it?" I suppose it's impatience, haha.

Anyway, thank you so much for sharing yet another of your life stories. Not sure why, but reading 'em fills me with hope. Hope you don't mind if I relink?

sartorias March 13 2011, 23:34:14 UTC

Sure--go ahead! I put these up in hopes they might be of help to someone!