I'm still reading Ralph Fletcher for writing inspiration. This guy has written like a bazillion books and many of them are on writing. I hit page 47 in How Writers Work and brushed up against a gem:
"Ernest Hemingway...wrote about two hundred and fifty words - one page daily - but he created a body of work that endures long after his death."
Two hundred and fifty words a day. Seems reasonable. A whole story or even a book seems out of reach, but I could write 250 words a day.
What I want to know is did Hemingway write these 250 words on one particular project or was it just 250 words freestyle? Writing 250 words of just anything is super easy, 250 of a story that's already been started is not. I should make sure that all of my blog entries have at least 250 words and then maybe Hemingway will jump into my netbook and start clickity-clacking away and write one more award winning book from the afterlife. I'm going to take all the credit though Hemingway, but if I get interviewed I will say you inspired me. Is it a deal? Get at me homie.
Another suggestion Fletcher made was to give yourself a "writing reward" when you hit your goals. What a wonderful idea. So instead of beating myself up that my writing sucks and being worried about how all these folks write better than me, I need to give myself a small gift of sorts. My reward for today will be treating myself to Chipotle tacos or a chicken salad. Mmmmm. Maybe an Acai smoothie from Caribou Coffee.
F.Y.I. - I was able to write a few more sentences of my review of Jacqueline Woodson's The House You Pass on the Way. Who knows if I won't edit them out, but I did write them. Yay me! I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to make it perfect because if she ever read it and thought it was shoddy I'd be mortified. Plus, how can I be in the top ten of her biggest fans if I don't read and review her books? :-)
2 comments:
Haha I love the idea of Hemingway coming back to write another book from the afterlife. I can't believe he wrote 250 words a day! jeez.
And I totally agree with Fletcher's writing reward. But then again I think all aspiring writers deserve a reward, because they are writing and they have talent (I'm so envious!).
I really need to read Jaqueline Woodson's books. Everyone seems to love her :)
I am just as envious of published authors. I feel like they have magical powers that I don't possess...I'm like a Muggle.
I ended up getting a Chipotle Burrito Bowl and the Acai Smoothie. *piglet*
Yeah, you have to read some Jacqueline. Try Feathers.
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