Monday, March 05, 2007

Why She Writes

I don't think you should ever try to make things up. We all lead such strange lives that there is no need to. Use your own experiences and then twist it a bit.

BerylBainbridge talks about why she writes in the Guardian.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's one fine piece of advice. Thing is, most of us don't twist it quite enough... :P

Anonymous said...

what is "twisting it quite enough" anyway? some people don't like to read over exaggerated writings. there'll be a piece of something for everyone no?

that also reminds me of this quote from Finding Forrester (i'd only just seen the film recently!)
"You write your first draft with your heart. But you re-write with your head. The first key to writing is to write, not think."
i think that's such a nice inspiration. & Sharon, you said something similar to me too! ^_^

bibliobibuli said...

"You write your first draft with your heart. But you re-write with your head. The first key to writing is to write, not think."

absolutely perfect. and that's the secret and the only secret there really is.

all the rest is about refinement and improving the head's ability to edit sensitively.

Anonymous said...

Midnite Lily,
What I meant is sometimes what we call fiction is merely thinly-disguised autobiography. I'm trying real hard to write about something else other than my own experiences, but your Finding Forrester quote has made me realise that may be counter-intuitive.

Write first, everything else later. :)

Anonymous said...

Kenny, I understand now. I relate when it comes to wanting to anally structure a story/article. The quote reminds me of assignments I'd spent less time meticulously planning that won better grades than ones otherwise.

Could writing be the soul realising itself? & reading be others connecting? Is that how we judge good writing?

Anonymous said...

The quote reminds me of assignments I'd spent less time meticulously planning that won better grades than ones otherwise.

Exactly! These days, it's quite difficult for me to "plan" a story. It's easier to write what comes to me, and then go back and revise/develop it further afterwards.

Could writing be the soul realising itself? & reading be others connecting? Is that how we judge good writing?

For me, good writing is something that speaks to me, or as you said, I feel connected to. Which could be anything, regardless of genre. The best writing does this and entertains as well.

Anonymous said...

"Could writing be the soul realising itself? & reading be others connecting?"

Wow Midnight Lily, you've hit it upon the head. I know I'm going to mull on that for a while.
There's so much gunk in us, we need to write all that out of us first, before the soul writing emerges. Me, I've barely started.

bibliobibuli said...

too much wisdom for a blog ...

Anonymous said...

haha... Shouldn't this bring more value to ur blog then? Or are u hinting something? =P

bibliobibuli said...

we should start a writing religion, lily

Anonymous said...

Writing Religion: The First Covenant: The Author is God

Anonymous said...

We all lead such strange lives that there is no need to. Use your own experiences and then twist it a bit.


- huhhhhh. so agree.

bibliobibuli said...

ms d - only you somehow manage to have a life weirder than most ... that naked man plucking his eyebrows thing ... could never have happened to me

animah - good start!

Anonymous said...

hehehe.. Animah, I think you mean Commandment.

2nd Commandment: Thy shall not abuse books.