John Steinbeck once said “. . . the writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate man's proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit—for gallantry in defeat, for courage, compassion and love. In the endless war against weakness and despair, these are the bright rally flags of hope and of emulation."
Two Unhelpful Lessons About Creative Writing
Whenever I sit down to write something new, there’s always a voice in my head warning me that I need to be mature and sensible, otherwise no-one’s going to think that I’m an adult or, even worse, a real writer.
The Beginning
At times I find it difficult to write about these things because it seems so close yet at the same time far away and surreal. I plod on in search of character and plot that blend seamlessly to tell stories of plain truth that come with the destructive and dangerous behavior of my characters.
Finding Writing
I read more than I write. I gobble up new releases, I go back and tackle the classic books I ‘missed.’ These days I read like a writer—why did she choose that point of view? How did he create that voice?
Home Sweet Home
The cult of not complaining is a way of deflecting consciousness from the inequity of the system we live beneath, while masking this self-deceit as stoic heroism performed in the face of adversity.
Repurposing a Challenge
I believe deeply in paying attention, in trying to be truly aware of the small and large things that happen to us and around us.