30th June 2016 | for Creatives | writing, KEEP CREATING, Laurie Halse Anderson, the creative life, Julie Krug |
"When it comes to Internet platforms and writing websites, Anderson is blunt with her views, advising writers to replace online surfing with a writing practice."
"Art takes time. Stories have their own heartbeat, and they will unfold at their own pace. All you have to do is to continue to show up and do the work. Every day."
"Stop mythologizing the life of a writer. Don't wait for the muse to whisper in your ear. Don't cultivate an affected personality. Put your butt in a chair and write. A writer is no different than a plumber, a landscaper or a dental hygienist. We are doing what we are called to do and what we are suited for. You don't need to escape to a cabin and write in a parchment diary with a special pen. Sit at a Starbucks or at home or in the middle of traffic and just write."
"You've got to go, 'No, I can't come into work on the weekends—[that's] when I work on my novel.' ... People deserve those dreams, and they have to fight for them. You don't want to be at the end of your life and go, 'I met all the obligations people had for me.'"
"I started writing, and I kept on writing. Although that may sound obvious, it's true. People are always telling me that they would like to become a writer, but they don't actually write anything. You have to write and continue to write."
"The problem is that we view writing as a luxury, something special to allow ourselves as soon as we've taken care of the countless nagging duties that seem to come first. Once you put writing first, the rest of your life will fall into place."
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