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A Fierce Ink Sliner At Home With His Hot Concoctions
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John Caruso
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May 12, 2003 12:59 PDT
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A FIERCE INK SLINGER AT HOME WITH HIS HOT CONCOCTIONS
Last week, I attended a talk/reading by one of my literary heroes, Tom
Robbins. He discussed a wide variety of writing related issues, from the
pros and cons of knowing biographical information about an author (he
feels it intrudes upon the reader’s interpretation of a book) to his
writing process (select the perfect word before moving on to the next)
to his disdain of using outlines to plot his book (if you know the end
before you start, the novel is dead before it begins). By no means am I
suggesting that any Daily Grind subscribers chuck what works for them
and adopt Mr. Robbins’ writing ways. What I am suggesting is that we
need to FIND OUT what works for us and stick with it, even if it is not
“The Norm.” Do you produce good work but don’t follow “The Way To Do
It”? Great. Keep doing it. Mr. Robbins’ methods work for him. Your
methods need to work for you.
He stated that his writing process generated fear, and fear fueled his
writing. Would he be able to work out of the plot corner he painted
himself into? Would his two or three disparate story lines eventually
converge into a cohesive novel? Would his characters speak through him
and tell their story? These basic questions keep his creative cocktail
shaking.
This week, think about process. Does the way you write work for you? Are
you trying to force your style into a pre-fab writing mold? If you’re
stagnating, shake up your process. If you rely on thorough plot
construction before you even begin a story, try taking an unmapped
journey to see where the plot takes you. If your writing zings off on
tangents, rambling like a 16 year old hopped up on too much Dr. Pepper,
tighten your reigns with an outline.
Remember that there is no perfect method, no silver bullet process. Each
writer needs to discover his or her own mode, means, and manner.
John Caruso
jo-@coffeehouseforwriters.com
Copyright 2003, John Caruso
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