Strong teachers
There is much we have to learn from and about writing.
You don’t need to buy every text book on the subject. You would do well with just a dictionary and “The Elements of style” By William Strunk Jr and EB White.
Most of your text books are much more enjoyable.
John Steinbeck’s works, anything by Banana Yosihmoto; Chuck Palahniuk to Jane Austin, the libraries of the world are your teachers.
The smell of roast cooking on a cold night, the sound of leaves blown by the wind, and the elderly couple whose affection touches your heart; these are all mighty teachers.
All the things you read, all the things you sense, take them and turn them over and about in your minds eye.
Learn what things are from your point of view.
Read a lot, and write a lot; there is much writing will teach you about the world.
8 comments:
I wholeheartedly agree...how are you, Tom?
Great sentiment - you're spot on, as a writer, you can get by with a good dictionary and Strunk & White as long as you read intelligently in whatever genre it is you want to write, taking notice of form and style as well as plot and character.
Eminently sensible advice, I think. I have made a few visits to your bog, now and find it an enjoyable read
Anyone who loves writing will love this post. Well done.
Dear BT, there is a fire for writing in your posts and it motivates me, each tim I read one of your posts.
@ Hope, Thanks, Hope. Teachers are hard to find, and the further you progress the more you have to look to your own experiences, especially with writing.
Me, I’m doing OK, all things considered, and I can see myself feeling much better in two weeks = ) I’m really lucky, in that mornings like this, I wake up feeling as though I’ve slept in the middle of a freeway and log on, and see some really lovely comments from people whom I admire, respect, and identify with. At present blogging provides me with a great focus, some much needed strength, support and happiness = ) Writing allows me to get a grip on my thoughts and emotions, and while it doesn’t change the world around me immediately, it changes the way I re-enter the world around me, and it’s introduced me to some wonderful supportive people- Like yourself = )
Hope has a blog called, “Hope Radio” (you can find a link to the left) Hope is a writer of great humility, and has a way of framing things in such a way as they are almost signed by her choice of words. In addition, Hope has always been a great supporter of “The Anatomy…” and that alone makes her good people in my book = )
@ Catherine, of Sharp Words. Thanks, Catherine. I used to spend every night under the sheets reading books when I was a kid. I pretty much destroyed my eyesight, but I learned to read in a way that schools can’t teach. It takes time to learn to read intelligently, but I don’t think we’ve got any business writing unless we do read. It’s from this reading that I learned to read with an eye for structure, and form, and how character develops, and the flow of story.
I’d be interested to know how other people came to this type of reading, I know it’s taught in many universities, but I wonder is it successfully taught, or does everyone experience that lightbulb moment in their own time at their own discovery?
Catherine has a great writing blog called, “Sharp words” you can find a link for it to the left = )
@ Dave King. Thanks, Dave, I’m glad you’re enjoying reading “The Anatomy,” I’m really lucky, in that when I write, edit and polish each post it’s a way of learning what I know. Not formalizing it, but allowing myself to understand how my own patterns work and how the world works. I guess “The Anatomy…” is my attempt to understand what I’m doing.
The other face of the coin is I enjoy producing “The Anatomy…”, and I believe the principals that make one a good writer make one a good athlete, or a great dad, or anything else you’d like to be. Call it my crazy way = )
Dave has a blog called, “Pics and Poems,” it’s well written, covers many aspects of the arts and is well worth the look. You can find a link in the bar to your left.
@ Fiendish. Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed- hope you enjoy the remainder to come = )
Fiendish has a blog called, “Baa Baa Blogging” (http://baabaablogging.blogspot.com/ ) and writes great dialog (check out “Fictional MSN conversation #1).
@ Ray. Thanks, Ray, if I can motivate just one person, I’ve succeeded. People don’t need to agree with what I’ve written, it can make them angry, and I’m happy for that, so long as they are motivated. And that’s not just to write, either. Writing is a key to a door- or was for me. This key can come from anywhere, and teaches you just how much enjoyment you can get from life.
Ray has a great Blog called “The Esoterical Journey,” which he updates daily and provides a great touchstone for our humanity, hopes, fears, and common heart.
******
Thank goodness for “The Anatomy…” It’s been a really hard week, hard on a level that I never imagined things could be. Every good thing I did was shot down as insignificant, every achievement an empty hollow thing. Except for this, “The Anatomy…”
Thanks for all the beautiful comments today = ) You’ve really helped me out.
Tom
I just want you to know that what you have going on here is a wealthy resource generously shared to the universe. Bless you!
And I have put up a link from our site to yours.
Thank you very much!
Geejay
Hey, Thanks, Music Anthology. I give it what I have, and really do believe there are people out there that really want to write and are often stymied by the thought that they, and they specifically, can’t write.
It’s not all give an no take though, every time I sit down with one of these posts I’m learning more about writing myself, understanding what I’m doing, which leads to better writing for myself- what a run on benefit = )
Music Anthology itself is a wonderful resource to put out there for people, and I’m sure you experience the same growth and development through it’s writing as I do with “The Anatomy…” thanks for putting up the link for me, I’ve returned the favor = )
“Music Anthology” is a blog run by Jeffrey B. Langlois, Ma. Cecilia B. Arriola (you can find it here http://www.musicanthology.org/ or in the links bar to the left) and provides a great deal of knowledge about music, its forms, styles and a great ,many other subjects- have a look, see what you think, if you like music, it’ll be a resource you remember = )
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