“If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work. Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Risk being unliked. Tell the truth as you understand it. If you’re a writer you have a moral obligation to do this. And it is a revolutionary act—truth is always subversive.”
–Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
We are, all of us, walking our own writing path. I’m not a fan of one-size-fits-all writing advice, as though we all have the same personalities, struggles, obstacles, processes–or that we all should. We, as writers, are as unique as the stories we tell. My fantasy novel about dark faeries and goddess-worshiping witches will be quite different from your memoir about missionary work in South America. And even if we both write in the same genre, one author’s world of sparkling magic and lyrical prose will be a far cry from another author’s dark, gritty post-apocalypse with its stark style.
This is the beauty of art. That we can tell stories that touch so many people in so many different ways. That the possibilities are endless. That we can pour our souls into heartfelt prose and poetry and touch the lives of others.
And we each walk our own path. We each do it in a unique way. That’s the beauty of ROW80. That we don’t have a set formula for the challenge. We each set our own goals and can change them at will.
The important part is that we’re all supporting one another on our creative journeys. We are all telling our own stories in our own ways.
Please share your link for the midweek check-in in the comments below. And, of course, share the love by visiting other ROWers as well!
Not my best start to a week, but I’m still making some progress. https://fallonbrown.com/2018/10/10/writing-wednesday-slow-week-2/