Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Number57
Write. Write, write, write. Start a blog, do something. I wouldn't worry about the creative writing sites too much at this time. I've seen some good criticism and some bad criticism on these sites. There are some, though, that show up to trash stuff, and you sound like you're having confidence problems right now. Write stuff you like for yourself and people who share your tastes.

Quit rewriting the same chapters over and over. Push forward, if the next chapter isn't what you want, write a bridge chapter to get past the part that's giving you a problem.

This will also sound kind of strange, but don't fall too much in love with one piece of work, or keep reworking the same things over and over. I don't know if you're into sports, but I've thought about this story a lot. Roger Staubach won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys, and played in two others. On a Thanksgiving day game, he was knocked out, and his backup, Clint Longley came in. Longley threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win a game against the Redskins. He never had another significant NFL moment. Staubach commented in his autobiography that after that game, Longley would sit around looking at the game film over and over. Staubach said he quit working, and was happy just to relive that one moment of glory, over and over.

Keep pushing yourself, and your work will continually improve, but only if you keep working. When you are successful, move on. When you fail, move on. But keep writing.

36 posted on 08/17/2006 8:52:49 PM PDT by Richard Kimball (The most important thing is sincerity. Once you can fake that, everything else is easy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Richard Kimball

Man, that's powerful advice.

I've wanted to finish this story TOO much. Just let it rest and maybe work on something fresh...

I can't write a blog, though. I've tried, and it just isn't the same.

In fact, I miss my typewriter


77 posted on 08/17/2006 9:07:11 PM PDT by Number57 ("Don't quote Dickens in my apartment!" Joe Young)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies ]

To: Richard Kimball

Writing on toilet paper works for me. If I don't like what I wrote, I can just flush it. Better than a trash can brimming full of my words that will never be read.


136 posted on 08/17/2006 9:32:59 PM PDT by Chena ("I'm not young enough to know everything." (Oscar Wilde))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson