Saturday, September 7, 2019

The Writing Life--and Life

 DEBORAH CROMBIE: Earlier this week I read an essay by John Zeratsky, former Google designer and author of Make Time and Sprint, on how to use your calendar to design your ideal day. Having never experienced an ideal day, but still optimistic enough to think it possible, I was interested. He talks about the writing life, and about how essential it is to make time in your day for creative work, and he quotes as his inspiration Annie Dillard. In her book The Writing Life, Dillard says, "A schedule... is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time.” Zeratsky goes on to explain in detail how he schedules his own time, which was both useful (I hope) and interesting.

But what really struck me in his essay was his reference to Annie Dillard's book and its effect on him. Now, I'm sure I read The Writing Life, along with with Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, all in those years when I was first putting my toe in the writing waters, thinking that I might, just maybe, be a writer someday. It was none of those books, however, that pushed me off the diving board into the deep end.

 In 1986, a writer named Natalie Goldberg published a book, her first, called Writing Down the Bones.


Her premise was that we all have it in us to write, to tell meaningful stories, if we can just unlock what is latent in our minds and memories. Her method for doing this she called Writing Practice. You sit down with the least expectations of yourself, put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write without stopping for a designated amount of time, say, fifteen minutes.You may have sessions where all you can find to say is, "I have nothing to say," but, eventually, if you keep at it, something will surface.Writing practice is the warm-up for anything else you might want to write--it allows you to find your voice, to unlock your neural pathways.

So, I took Natalie's advice to heart. I did writing practice, and I wrote, and eventually my scribbles turned into a book, and then into more books. 

All these years later, I still do sprints when I'm writing a novel. Often, it's the only way to get unstuck, to set a timer and just sit down and write something, anything, and see where it takes you. But I'd forgotten my original inspiration--and I discovered that somewhere over the years my original copy of Writing Down the Bones had disappeared as well. I ordered myself a new copy, the 30th Anniversary edition! And I'm determined to go back to the core, to set myself writing practice every day--even if I don't manage an entire Ideal Day! (I'll let you know how that thing works out!)

REDs, are there books that inspired you in the writing life? I don't mean how-tos, as in plot or structure, etc., but books about what it is to be a writer, to live a creative life. 

And Readers, what books have inspired you, perhaps not to write, but books that have given you a blueprint for a way to live your life?


49 comments:

  1. Sitting down and devoting time to putting yourself in the proper frame of mind to do whatever your work may be, writing or something else, certainly sounds like wonderfully wise advice. I think I shall have to read “Writing Down the Bones.”

    There are so many inspiring books . . . “The Little Prince” speaks to keeping an open mind, to be curious. “To Kill a Mockingbird” reminds us to do what is right, no matter what others think. I’d like to think they’ve both influenced the way I live my life . . . .

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  2. Debs, you certainly learned how to write! I just finished A BITTER FEAST and it's wonderful!

    As for writing, I'm self-taught and did the learn-by-magpie method, picking up whatever looked worth trying from many sources. I have never done those morning pages because I didn't want to waste words that didn't belong somewhere, to something. If that makes any sense LOL. I adored BIRD BY BIRD and also Stephen King's book on writing. I took a nonfiction class from William Zinsser who was a wonderful writer and fascinating man. I took a smattering of other classes and hired editors and learned from most of them. I would love to read the article Debs--will go look.

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    1. Thank you, Lucy!!! I am certainly self-taught, too! And I think you would love Natalie Goldberg.

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  3. Here's an interview with John Zeratsky for those of you interested in reading more: https://blog.rescuetime.com/make-time-interview/

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  4. Bird by Bird sits on my shelf, too. Another book that inspired and challenged me is Writing the Australian Crawl by the poet William Stafford. I would say that it was the generation of poets after WWII who left the greatest impression on me--how to live a life worth having--Robert Creeley, James Dickey, Isabella Gardner, Louise Gluck, Galway Kinnell, WS Merwin, Adrienne Rich, Theodore Roethke, James Wright, and most of all, William Stafford. Poets have a way of looking at the world and translating that experience in ways--that like music--touch the heart and elevate your spirit.

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    1. Flora, thank you for all the wonderful poet recommendations, especially William Stafford, who I have not read. I used to read a lot of poetry--as well as writing it--and it's one of the things that has fallen by the wayside in the "never enough hours in the day" crush.

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  5. Writing Down the Bones inspired me, too! Also Bird by Bird and Stephen King's book on writing. Like Roberta, I don't do the practice thing because I want to be working on my book. But I definitely have opened my book file and typed, "I don't know what happens now." But if I keep typing, what happens reveals itself.

    I've said this here before, but I start every morning by checking into Ramona DeFelice Long's sprint thread by seven. I love that there's a whole group of us (she calls us her Writing Champions) scattered around the world, all writing without interruption every day for an hour. Some earlier, some later, some with me at seven. It keeps me going, and the regulars of us have formed a bond. (One day I was traveling and didn't check in. By about nine Kim Gray was writing, "Anybody hear from Edith? Is she okay?")

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    1. Edith and Liz, it was Ramona that got me doing sprints, although I'm not officially a member of the group. I set myself a time block and put it in the planner, in bold--sprint, start now!!

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    2. Also, I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to waste book writing time on practice, but what I find when I actually do it is that it's a great way of oiling the pump, getting the words flowing, and then I can't wait to get to the book writing. I actually use an online journal for this.

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  6. Count me in the BIRD BY BIRD inspiration camp. Something about being told, "Yes, just write it down. It doesn't have to be perfect the first time and just take it piece by piece" was very freeing to me as a writer. My sloppy first drafts are just that - incredibly sloppy, full of nodding heads and shrugging shoulders - but from that I can make a story.

    And I'm in Ramona DeFelice Long's Sprint Club, too. Sometimes it's early morning, sometimes it's lunch. Life got in the way big time this week, and I've felt off kilter. Today I'm back at it and it felt so good.

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  7. I think it is fascinating that anyone can write a work of fiction. What imagination! What a vocabulary! What ability to stick to a project and finish it! I admire every writer, good, bad, and indifferent, because they all can do what I can't even imagine doing.

    I'm not sure I can say any book changed my life. Maybe THE SEVEN PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN? Not changed but made me think about things. What has most influenced and often changed my life is all of you and all the rest who write books for me. Books that entertain, educate, answer questions, distract -- it makes life worth living. Or at least more pleasant!

    Thank you

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  8. Bird by Bird. I heard Anne Lamott speak last fall about her latest, Almost Everything. A memorable evening!

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    1. That must have been a treat! Have you read her latest, then? What did you think?

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  9. I use this technique in my college writing class but we call it "free writing." Students are skeptical but some find it really works for them.

    Something similar works for me, when I'm writing anything (even, perhaps especially, when grading student papers) unrelated ideas start popping into my head. To keep myself focused on finishing my day job, I jot the ideas on a list to go back to later. For me the hardest part is making myself write every day. I spend all day every day dealing with student writing so the last thing I want to do is spend more time writing. Ug!

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  10. I'll add another Julia Cameron book to the mix. THE RIGHT TO WRITE as well as all those already mentioned.

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    1. I haven't read that one, Annette, thank you. I should probably reread The Artist's Way, too.

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  11. I'll download Writing down the Bones as I tend to do this writing practice since retired hoping that, someday, one of my exercises will bring me to a fuller story.
    No book in particular inspires me but this blog, this community does.

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  12. Here's the Zeratsky piece--I should have put the link in the blog. https://forge.medium.com/how-to-use-your-calendar-to-make-every-day-your-ideal-day-d51e2dcdfa57

    Lucy, I'll look up the interview, too, and his books. Scheduling my time is a HUGE problem for me, my biggest challenge as a writer, so I need all the help I can get!

    For those of you who loved Bird by Bird, I highly recommend Writing Down the Bones. It's about much more than writing practice or "free writing", and it make me remember the joy I felt when I first started putting words down on paper. I don't mean that I don't enjoy writing now--at least on some days!--but in the beginning, there were no expectations, no deadlines, just the act, and it was so bloody exhilarating.

    I also thought about including Stephen King's On Writing, which I also love, although I tend to disagree with some of his technical advice.

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  13. Debs, just reading your blog today is inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

    I know this will sound weird, but a story that inspired me was one of Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories. He wrote them for his children and the language is inspired.

    My story was THREE BOYS WITH JUGS OF MOLASSES AND SECRET AMBITIONS. I remember reading this line: "An ambition is a little creeper that creeps and creeps in your heart night and day, singing a little song, 'Come and find me, come and find me.'" And I thought, That's me.

    One of the boys is Eeta Peeca Pie who was filled with freckles and secret ambitions. "Eeta Peeca Pie grew up with wishes and wishes working inside him. And for every wish inside him he had a freckle outside on his face. Whenever he smiled the smile ran way back into the far side of his face and got lost in the wishing freckles."

    My 'secret ambition' was that I wanted to write. I printed out lines from that story and pasted it on my wall for inspiration.

    https://fairytalez.com/three-boys-jugs-molasses-secret-ambitions/

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  14. Debs, you make excellent writing look so easy; I'm always so deeply impressed at the results. As Ann says, the imagination and vocabulary, and the ability to make characters so alive I want to spend actual real life time with them. It's surprising to know that it does not come so readily as we think it must.

    The book that changed my life, and really in an 180-degree way, was Your Erroneous Zones by Wayne Dyer. The main premise probably could have been stated in a paragraph or two, but the idea of being responsible for your own life, and no one else being to blame, ever, was revolutionary to me in my mid-20's. I'd had a crap childhood, physical and economic limitations, and then a disastrous first marriage, and thought I was doomed to a rotten rest of my life. But Dr. Dyer's simple text helped me see none of that was true: I was in charge of my OWN destiny. And from then on I was.

    Wayne Dyer was the first author I ever had any contact with, too. He had another book out, and I read an interview in a woman's magazine. I wrote to him, care of the magazine, congratulating him on his new book and wishing him well, and then going on to share how Erroneous Zones had affected my life. A few weeks later (this was about 1977), I got a huge package in the mail, with another of his books (science fiction, and sadly, total crap), a long, encouraging letter, and a packet of articles. I was floored.

    So when I myself became an author (nonfiction), I also answered every letter I got, except for one, which was written entirely in a language I did not recognize.

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    1. That's a wonderful story Karen--I bet it meant so much to him to hear from you. I also try to answer everything from readers--they take the time to read and then write a note, acknowledging them is the least I can do in return.

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    2. What a great story, Karen! I'm sure it meant a lot to him to know how much he'd helped you.

      It just occurred to me that I should write a note to Natalie Goldberg...

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    3. And I just sent her a link in a FB message!

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  15. I remember all of those books - Bird by Bird, The Artist’s Way, The Writing Life, and Writing Down The Bones. I own all of them - somewhere - and I think your very timely blog post is telling me I need to go back and look them over. For the first time in ten years, the writing has been a challenge because there is just too much happening all around me (teenagers!) and I need to rethink how I manage my days. Thanks for this, Debs! And now to sprint....

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  16. All over my head today! I don't write, so can't comment on inspiration and helpful aids. I've read since about age 5 and I can't name a single book that has had a huge influence on my life. But every book I've read has left me with something at the time: laughter, joy, satisfaction, desire to travel to that place, something. And that little something helps me get through the days.

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    1. and that's exactly the satisfaction of being a writer, Pat--feeling as though we've made a little difference for someone somewhere...

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    2. Yes, exactly, Pat. There would be no reason for us without you!

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  17. Of course I am a Bird by Bird fan, and Stephen King and Margot Livesey’s fabulous The Hidden Machinery— check it out if you have not read that yet. but There’s also an amazing amazing book called Reacher Said Nothing, by Andy Martin. I am not telling tales out of school, because I have told both of them this, but I bought it thinking: this is going to be terrible. I was so wrong! It is a step-by-step accounting of how Lee Child writes. And I have to tell you, it is inspirational, and educational, and fabulous in every way. Run run run and go get it. In fact, when I get home tonight, I am going to look at it again.

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    1. Hank, I've said before I was going to order the Andy Martin book and then never got around to it--so I'm doing it right now! I'm starting a new book, which is always terrifying, and need every bit of boost I can get!

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    2. Please do--it is absolutely surprising, and I adore it!

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  18. Danse Macabre by Stephen King and The Elements of Style by Strunk & White - crazy combo, but both inspired me LOL

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    1. That's an interesting combination, Pauline! Why Danse Macabre?

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    2. It's pretty much an autobiography, he writes about his early years and how he came up with some of his ideas.

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  19. I'm always interested in writing books that authors have found that inspire or meaningfully instruct them. As a teacher who used to instruct young students how to better put their thoughts and stories on paper, I still enjoy flipping through some of the writing materials I have. I probably stressed organization with the students more than anything else because they had the most trouble harnessing their thoughts into a cohesive piece of writing. I developed an outline for persuasive pieces for that purpose. Fiction was, of course, the hardest type of writing the students attempted and the hardest to teach. I believe that anyone can be taught to write better, but I'm not sure that anyone can write fiction. So much is beyond the technical know-how. I wish I'd read some of these amazing books on writing when I was working with the students. Bird by Bird and On Writing would have been helpful. And, I plan on getting Hallie's Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel off my shelf and reading it to encourage myself in maybe trying a little short fiction writing (no intention for writing a novel).

    One of the books I've read that has influenced my life is one I always push as a novel I wish all my friends would read. The Girls by Lori Lansens helped give voice to my unspoken thoughts that there is extraordinary in the ordinary, and there is ordinary in the extraordinary. It also drove home the point that everyone has a story to tell, and that being outside of the physical "norm" didn't diminish the emotions and thoughts that made for an extraordinary life.

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    1. Kathy, I will look up The Girls. Any suggestion from you is always a good one!

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    2. Aw, thanks, Debs. I know it's so hard to fit in more books, especially with so many amazing new books constantly coming out, and I don't see how you authors have much time at all for reading. I do hope you get the chance to read The Girls by Lori Lansens though.

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  20. There are some wonderful suggestions here! I like to read a new book on writing, or reread on old one, when I'm starting a book, and my current read is THE ANATOMY OF A STORY by John Truby. He's a screenwriter/story consultant/writing teacher in Hollywood, and the book has a decided screenplay slant, which is what I was looking for. I'm fascinated by how good movies story structure works, and how they pack so much story into a limited space. I'm hoping to learn a few new tricks and to have my writing techniques freshened up a bit.

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    1. Julia, do you know Wendall Thomas? She's been a guest here on Jungle Reds with her Cyd Redondo book series, which is fantastic and full of the humor that is Wendall. Wendall is also an Adjunct Professor at UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. She teaches a course in Australia each year, too. Wendall is one of the most interesting people I know, and also one of the most positive. Her constant smile is infectious. I would love to be able to sit in on her lectures. You may already be great friends, but if not, she will be in Dallas at Bouchercon, and I urge you to pick her brain on screenplays.

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  21. Great suggestion, Julia. We all are trying to keep learning.

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  22. Deborah, wonderful post! I remember several authors whom I have met often recommend this book Writing Down the Bones. I think that I still have a copy somewhere. I used to write a lot when I was a kid! Now I am not sure about writing. I am great with ideas for stories/novels, though I need the discipline to sit down and write! LOL.

    As readers, there were several books that gave me a blueprint in life. When I was starting college, I found a book about college life written by an actress who was a child actress and model. She wrote about asking for help if you are struggling in class. She recommended visiting professors if you had questions. She also mentioned the concept of "stopping to smell the roses". I still have the book. I think it may be out of print now. It was written by Brooke Shields.

    And another book, Romantic Guide to Living, by Jane Seymour the actress, was mainly a coffee table book, though I loved her words.

    And there are many quotes from different novels that I think about like the quotes from Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear or novels by Alexander McCall Smith.

    There are many wonderful books.

    Diana

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  23. Deborah, I normally lurk here, but nobody mentioned If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, so I had to jump in. It’s the one I go back to for moral support.

    I had the great privilege to take a summer workshop taught by William Stafford many years ago. His way of being and the things he taught me have been a huge part of my life. He is famous for saying that if you have writer’s block, lower your standards. I haven’t been able to do that, but I sneak around it by allowing myself to lower them right now while I’m writing this poem. I can always edit it or assign it to the maybe someday file.

    The book that had the most influence on me is Little Women. I knew I was Jo and one day I would be a writer.

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation, Maria! You know, I think I read something by Brenda Ueland--I'll have to look it up.

      And thanks for commenting. It's so nice to hear from our regular readers!

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    2. You’re welcome. I especially appreciate hearing about the ordinary, everyday lives of the writers here. I feel less at sea when I see others deal with similar feelings and challenges. Thank you all.

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  24. Maria, I had the pleasure and privilege of attending two readings by William Stafford.

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    1. Bill had such a deep stillness that came through in his poetry. He was always genuine and kind and had a playful streak. When he looked at people there was so much intelligence and curiosity and I felt like he could see right into my heart. His poems are just like he was. FChurch, I’m so happy for you that you were able to experience what it was like to be in his presence. Unforgettable!

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  25. "Writing Down the Bones," for sure. And when it comes to writing mysteries, "Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel," but a certain Miss Hallie Ephron!

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