We’ve all heard the saying “it takes a village to write a book.” Who is part of your “village”? You may not know them personally—maybe you’ve been inspired by favorite authors. Perhaps a teacher or a friend has encouraged you. Who shapes your writing? How have they shaped it?
To see this working, head to your live site.
Search
It sounds crazy, but I once was lucky enough to receive writing advice from James Patterson, and his words shape my writing because they push me to work past the tough times in hopes that one day it'll all be worth it. He told me that writing is not for the weak, so I make sure to stay strong as a writer and a person to hold my work at a higher standard.
In high school I had a creative writing teacher who truly inspired me and encouraged me in my writing. He was a big fan of "board work" which usually was a web of ideas written on the white board. There were many days I spent in his room filling the boards with ideas and poetry lines. He helped me realize how much I loved writing and gave me feedback on everything I wrote. I remember when my sister moved to college I wrote a short creative nonfiction piece about it and sent it to him. He told me it was the best thing he'd read all year. Things like that just made me want to write more.
One of my college professors for a journalism class really helped me deal with my fear of first drafts and how to think about structure. I took his class two years ago but I continually find myself thinking of some of the comments and tips he said in class. His advice has really stuck with me.
I feel like so many of us have a teacher/professor story! One of my college mentors gave the best advice -- she taught me how to be playful with language and to trust my own instincts. I still keep her notes by my desk when I'm working. Also, Maggie Nelson.
oh a village! Love that idea. Mine is a mix of me finding out I could swear in my stories and just working to get a voice that was me. I don't know if any author really influenced it or not that I can remember. Some of my favorite authors write the classics, but my writing is FAAAR from that.
About a year ago, I had a professor that would say 'embrace the discomfort'. He didn't mean this in any sort of creative writing capacity; he meant it more in the sense of being okay with not knowing all the answers, and be okay with being wrong. Yet, I still find myself going back to this phrase all the time— especially with writing. I don't know all the answers, often don't even know where my stories are headed. Which is not just uncomfortable, but also a little terrifying. Though, because of his words, I do my best to embrace this discomfort. I know that, in the end, it will help me grow.