Sunday, April 27, 2014

Some nuggest of wisdom from Joe R. Lansdale

A series of thoughts on writing by Joe R. Lansdale
For the entire article, click here: www.joerlansdale.com/writing.shtml
 Here are my humble notes:
- the next day I start all over by rereading what I wrote the day before.
- Three to five pages is what I work for, but I don't fight it if I get more. I rarely get less. I can't remember when I got less, but it happens
- read a little before I write. It can be fifteen minutes or an hour.
- Reading is the fuel, and you have to fill up the tank constantly.
- These suggestions work for me and have worked for many others and might work for you. And they might not. But to find your method you have to experiment.
- I also think that writing books haven't done much for me. Two have helped, and only for certain things. The first helped because it had the idea of writing only one page a day. That became three to five for me.
- Do I write for money? Yes and no. I write because I love to write, but I write with the plan to get paid. I pay bills by writing.
- You should write to be paid and start in the best market possible. Have faith in yourself. If it doesn't place where you like, go down the list.
- Seeing something in print you're proud of spurs more creativity and more checks. You need both in this life. Starving and being paid poorly does not make you an artist.
- For me writing is a passion, not an obsession. One is good and fun, the other feels a little like you're stalking yourself. I have to have things in my life other than writing to love the writing. I think if all I had was writing it would consume me. Not the life I want.