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@Cian
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The tricky thing about creativity is that nobody can agree on its definition. But whether you think of it in terms of specifics or generalities, there are all sorts of misconceptions about it...
@Elizabeth
Writers don't just write books, we collect them too. Fiction or non fiction, whatever inspires us to keep writing and creating literary worlds within the pages. A modern writers reference shelf has expanded beyond a row of identical encyclopedia to include our favourite authors.
@timdmorr8
As a writer, it's the scariest sight. The blank page with a blinking cursor. Your mind is blank. Distractions from the blinding screen build by the moment. It's a paralyzing state to be in, but it doesn't have to be.
@BabiesBriefsAndBooks
Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an agent who then pitches an editor (which is how it works with novels)--you write a proposal first if you’re a nonfiction author. The proposal convinces agents and publishers why your book should exist.
Want to be a novelist? You need an agent. First impressions count. The query letter is the first impression--possibly the only impression--you'll make on an agent. It is the elevator pitch to the agent, persuading them to read your work.
@danieldylanwray
Writing is a challenging craft, involving a lot of mental gymnastics to work out the best, or most successful, creative approaches. How to use your time is key to this and many great writers have their own distinct, rigid, and sometimes baffling, routines they swear by.
@anthonypappalardo
In the early 2000s, at the suggestion of a colleague, I submitted a manuscript I’d been working on for two years to a professor of literature for feedback. Though I was already a published author, I still felt inferior to those who had committed themselves to the craft.
In 1939, a man called James Webb Young published a simple brainstorming technique that is still widely used today. Although Webb was an advertising executive by trade, this process works for anyone – and in any line of work.
Feature writing is designed to sustain engagement from start to finish. Where newswriting and research papers follow a strict template, the goal here is to both inform and entertain.
Robert Caro is arguably the world’s most celebrated political biographer. Why? His dedication to the craft is unparalleled.
Let’s say you dream of making a film or writing the next great novel, but you just never get very far with it. This experience is called resistance.
There are two types of interviewee that a writer needs to prepare for: the professional and the layperson. Each one requires a different approach.
Make lots of mistakes. Sign up to activities you know you’re going to suck at. Embrace these messes until you’re unafraid to be embarrassed. This is a proven antidote to the number one killer of creativity: fear. It’s also a key takeaway from a gem of a b
What made Ernest Hemingway one of the most celebrated writers in history? His use of language was clear, concise, and yet profoundly evocative. Much of that ability stems from a technique known as the 'iceberg theory’ of writing.
The language of experts and educators couldn’t be more different from the kind of writing that connects with the wider world.
What would you do, even if you knew you might fail? That is the secret to creative fulfillment, according to bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert.
Nobody seeks out advertising. People see it as deceptive and manipulative – a way to make us buy stuff we don’t actually need. That mental barrier is exactly what any aspiring writer needs to keep in mind.
Stories are like cakes. They can come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and flavors – but they’re usually made from the same basic ingredients: characters, plot, structure, and conflict.
It’s going to happen: no matter how much experience you have as a writer, your work will be edited – and you may not like how it feels. Here are some important things to keep in mind…
When you sit down to write, let go of any expectations. Tell yourself: “I am free to write the worst junk in the world.” This helps to lower inhibition and avoid disappointment.
Julia Cameron used to depend on alcohol and drugs to drive her art. When her first film God’s Will didn’t get the critical reception she hoped for, her creativity dried up. She knew something had to change. This is how The Artist’s Way was born…
Silicon Valley investor Paul Graham gives the same advice to startup founders as he does to essay writers: create something that you would want yourself. If it feels important or interesting to you, chances are it will be to others.
One of the most inspiring figures I’ve ever interviewed is Jason Reynolds: a prolific writer whose award-winning work has made him America’s ambassador for young people’s literature.
Colum McCann once scrapped 18 months of work, calling it the most liberating moment of his career. That’s exactly the kind of candid (and reassuring) insight you find in his book of writing advice, Letters to a Young Writer. I’ve ready it many times and these are my highlights.
If I had to choose one living author to take writing advice from, it would be George Saunders: Booker Prize-winner, New York Times bestseller, English professor at Syracuse University. Thankfully, he put out a book in 2021 that distils all that experience
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