“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” Stephen King
“The best way to become acquainted with a book is to write it.” Benjamin Disraeli
“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” Nathaniel Hawthorne
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” (William Wordsworth)
You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the
wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful.
What you’ll discover is yourself.
Alan Alda
“I shall live badly if I do not write, and I shall write badly if I do not live.” Francoise Sagan
Write about all that inspires you in your life. Then, you’ll never run out of ‘good stuff’ to write about!
“Suddenly, you are sitting in your chair, fascinated by your own mundane life.” (N. Goldberg)
“Writing is at its best – always, always, always – when it is a kind of inspired play for the writer.” (Stephen King)
The Six Golden Rules of Writing:
“Read, read, read and write, write, write.” -
(Novelist Ernest Gaines)
Stephen King’s remark above recalls the best workshop I’ve ever attended at Wesleyan (CT). Keynote speaker was Joyce Carol Oates. The theme of her talk basically was that all art begins in play. That was in 1988. I’ve tried ever since not to take myself too seriously. Nowadays I can tell on reading old stuff that Stephen King got it right, as did Joyce. If only it were easier to do! I have a notion you know the secret, just from what I read by a “roughwighter.”
I give up–I know what a wight is, but a wighter?
By: Joan on April 7, 2012
at 9:39 pm
Stephen King’s book on writing is inspirational and helpful in a non-bossy way. Interesting about J. C. Oates – her work is so intense!
Yes, we must play with our words! And watch our life and its inhabitants with a wry funny eye. Makes for fun reading!
By: roughwighting1 on April 8, 2012
at 7:22 pm
You already have me fascinated. I’ll be following you. Perhaps, I’ll learn to be a “roughwighter” too.
Cheers,
Dennis
By: dcardiff on April 30, 2013
at 10:45 pm
Oh, I think you’re a ‘roughwighter’ already. Nice to meet you, and thanks so much for following.
By: roughwighting on April 30, 2013
at 10:49 pm