TECH: 101 Tips (19)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 29 May 2009

Writers' Digest, October 2004, pages 26 to 33, has a collection of short "nuggets of wisdom" related to getting published. Maria Schneider is the author of the compilation. Take a deep breath, and here we go:

"Writing is storytelling. No matter how you slice it, you're saying, 'Once upon a time...' That's what writing is all about." Mary Higgins Clark

I remember when... It's interesting that we're always telling stories, not laying out grand theories, not making logical arguments, none of that stuff. Just telling our friends about the time when...

So listen to yourself when you're talking with people. Find out what stories you tell every day. Then write that down. Polish it, make the point a bit more fun, make sure that you haven't gargled your tongue while trying to whip around that corner (or whatever confusion you prefer in your writing...), and then let us see what you've done. Listen to the reactions, figure out what else needs to go into it, and ... do it again.

Once upon a time...

WRITE!

we are all just prisoners here, of our own device