I believe that before one can write with genuine understanding of the nature of the common experience of writers or a community of writers, one must read—everything—novels, best sellers, documentaries, biographies, mysteries, true stories, short stories, poetry, classics, journals, plays, history, philosophy, psychology, newspapers, and magazines. I learned to be an avid reader as a child and have continued through adulthood. I have acquired the ability to travel the world over, through time and space, happiness and tears—through reading—that marvelous gift.
Oct 6, 2007
Writer’s Block, Anyone?
By · Leave a Comment
Writer’s Block?
Even if you are the most prolific writer in the world, you will one day likely experience the dreaded phenomenon known as “Writer’s Block!” It’s like a demon that appears suddenly from nowhere, grabs you by the brain and won’t let you go. Scary? Yes, but worry not. There is a cure! [Read more…]
Sep 22, 2007
Writing by Heart
By · Leave a Comment
The other day, a friend asked me what kind of writing I liked best. What kind of writing, she asked, brought me the most enjoyment and satisfaction? I didn’t have to think about that for long because, although I’ve done many different kinds of writing projects, I always come back to “writing by heart”. Both The Wishing Years and A Tree Grows in Trout Creek are excellent examples of what I call “writing by heart.” Each story starts with a memory, sometimes even a fragment of a memory, and grows as I take the imagined journey back in time to the place and people involved. It is the emotion of the memory that drives me onward in my writing.