Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Tip Jar for Writers

No no. Thank you!
Via 21TonGiant on Flickr


I came across this post via Random House's Twitter yesterday: 105 Writing Tips from Professional Writers. It's brimming with advice for the beginning writer, the writer facing "writer's block," fiction writing and poetry, and even lifelong learning.

A new favorite tip of mine is one from Margaret Atwood: "A ratio of failures is built into the process of writing. The wastebasket has evolved for a reason."

Do you have a new favorite from this list? What about a tip to add to it?

17 comments:

  1. Interesting list. Thanks, Andrea.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Those were fun to read. I liked Virginia Woolf's #52 - Arrange whatever pieces come your way.

    For me, writing is all about the arranging. The thoughts and words are there, it's getting them in the right order that matters.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This list can provide months of posts...think I'll print it out. I went back to my 30's: loved tips #30, 34, 37.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy you found the link useful! Look forward to some new posts!

      Delete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Andrea, they are real pearls some of these quotes; and useful.
    I removed the previous comment because od the Google association/ did not like it.
    Looking forward to Lenox.
    Regards,
    Vladimir

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Vladimir! Thanks for visiting my blog. I can't wait for Lenox! Looking forward to meeting you soon. :)

      Delete
  6. Love the list! My favorite is --

    Jessamyn West: “Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely necessary.”

    =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, guts are important when pouring our hearts out on the page. Thanks, Abigail!

      Delete
  7. I am going to have to click over and scoop up some of those pearls ;). My favorite writing tip comes from Julia Cameron. She encourages writers to keep "Artist's dates". This is a way of feeding the muse, stoking creativity, and just inspiring. It involves going out alone and finding beauty. It really helps me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a wonderful idea, Laura! I need to start having some of those! Thanks for sharing. :)

      Delete
  8. Andrea - just wanted to let you know your back story post is up at the R&T blog . . .

    (Apologies for delivering notice this way, but I didn't have your email!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw the post via email this morning! Thank you so much! You all are incredible.

      Delete
  9. Thanks for sharing this, Andrea. I like the quote you chose and it has me thinking about wastebaskets in a whole new light.

    Also like this one by Salman Rushdie: “A poet`s work is to name the unnamable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep.”

    ReplyDelete