So, I feel like these chapters are stating the writing lessons that every single writer has ever passed down to another writer, but that doesn't make me ornery. Really, it only reinstates how true they are. Writers write! Indeed. And successful writers write everyday. Yep. Still have to jump on that bandwagon, though I try to as often as I can. Maybe I need to do as Boice says, and write a little each day, and avoid impulsiveness.
One thing I find to be true is the writing space, but that seems to be subjective to how my day is going. Sometimes I do my best writing in bed, sometimes in the office, and other times I must be in a coffee shop or a Panera or something. Actually, Panera seems to work wonders most of the time, but then I have to buy something. And why aren't they open at 2am when I want to write? And having the writing schedule works, too. In my MFA I had a group of writers who I regularly met with and, after we were done complaining about whatever it is that deserved to be complained about, sat around and wrote for hours, shooting ideas off of one another or shoving paragraphs in front of one another. It was a magical time.
Starting without inspiration is the part that trips me up the most, it seems. I don't feel comfortable writing with inspiration (though I will limit that comment to creative work. Though when I talk about writing, that's what I mean). What does one even write without inspiration? Maybe inspiration needs to be defined. It's one of those abstract words that means something weird to every person. Also, side note, I dislike Louis L'Amour, not because of his writing, but because I used to work in a bookstore and shelving his books was always such a pain in the ass because one always ran out of room. Gah.
Embracing Boice...it is quite a challenge, as you say. But what I am coming to find from a lot of our posts is that we have already embraced Boice. It just seems a little funny when we see on the page in a way that might not be the precise example or comparison that we would make. I know I found it a little strange when he spoke in Chapter 3 of viewing showers as part of a reward system--imagine trying to explain your lack of shower as the direct result of failing to get your work done. OK, so I know that is not really Boice or my point...rather what seems to be continually interesting about Boice is how much we know we should be using his tips and still don't.
ReplyDeleteI can also see what you mean, Alison, in terms of "inspiration" definition. Inspiration, in and of itself, is a loaded term and can vary drastically from writer to writer, discipline to discipline, and experience to experience. Nevertheless, I still feel like I know exactly what Boice means. I would think that he merely means starting before all the pieces are in place...in fact, before, many of the pieces are in place. Just start and the inspiration will come. Rather than waiting for inspiration and letting it dictate your process, Boice wants us to bring inspiration on by writing, sketching, making notes, and whatever else we do in our respective pre-planning stages.