Saturday, October 29, 2005

The Painful Truth

Giving writing a chance meant risking not being good enough.
Juliet Sutcliffe faces the most painful possibility of all on her UEA Creative Writing M.A.

But among the things she learned:
I don't panic when a first draft is drivel (and it is always drivel), and most of all I understand that writing is mostly a question of hard work.

11 comments:

m@®©o said...

Finally a blog worth reading and following!
Thanks, I hope you don't mind me adding your address in my favourite blogs...
mc

bibliobibuli said...

Wah, blushing from ear to ear. Do link me, please, I love visitors. Took a look at your blogs and some great photos of NZ. Hope to visit again before too long.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ms Sharon,

I came across your blog on minishort's links. I'm a former student of yours, MPIK - UCC UK batch 2000. Just wanted to say Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and Happy Belated Birthday :)

Anonymous said...

well, then, i suppose there's hope for us, then...

Edmund Yeo said...

Whoa. What's with the sudden influx of new readers?

bibliobibuli said...

Arnie!!! - yes of course I remember you - taught you matric lit - right? ok now you have to tell me all your news. still teaching?

and Selamat Hari Raya to you too of course ... to be passed on to all other ex-students you're in contact with ...

simon - that's exactly what I thought when I put the quotes up

swifty - don't know but it's great

Anonymous said...

No, I quit a few years ago. Not my cup of tea, sorry! I bumped into you at Jusco Tmn. Maluri before I started working with BC, and you treated me for coffee, remember? I've been working at BC (Education UK) since 2001, but currently on a long medical leave (recuperating in my hometown up north) since early July due to a fractured ankle. I can walk now, so no worries.

Will pass on your Raya wish to friends.

Anonymous said...

ooh do i know this: after going mad writing and writing the so called novel when i did my ma, now i realise it's better as a long short story, and it's back to the drawing board.

ma courses in creative writing - while i enjoyed mine tremendously - is what sutcliffe described. if you're looking for guidance, hand holding etc etc youwon't find it there. what courses do is give you a sense that there are people reading your work critically, are helpful in wanting your work to improve and the sessions give you that space and timeline to go back and work at your piece before next week comes again and you have to rpesent your work.

but i'll do anything to go back to england :) i miss the parks and countryside.

bibliobibuli said...

arnie - oooohhh ... yes I do remember now ... that coffee in maluri ... am as blur as sotong sometimes

dz - sometimes a piece of writing gets all the stronger for being distilled down ...

Anonymous said...

Almost always actually.. tight prose is like.. other things that are better tight than flabby :)

bibliobibuli said...

anonymous - I won't ask further ...