About book Still Writing: The Perils And Pleasures Of A Creative Life (2013)
This is not a how-to write book, but the memoir of a love affair with words with useful bits for fellow and aspiring writers thrown in. Served up in appetizer-sized bites, this collection of short essays speak to the conundrums and pleasures of the writing life, aloneness and community, common rules of writing and taking the daring leap, where to write, how to read what you write, when to listen to your censor and when to ride the wave. I think I picked up this book today because I know I'm on the verge of something. My husband (a teacher) and son (a fifth grader) will both be back to school tomorrow and it occurs to me tomorrow will be, really, the first day of my post-MFA life. (I graduated last month.) I will once again have the house to myself but no packet deadlines and no upcoming residency. I do have a nearly completed novel revision well underway and more projects on my plate. But still I can feel this edginess: will I succumb to the "real life" pressures I held at bay during my MFA studies? These are the same pressures that pretty much doused my creative writing before I decided to seek the MFA and get refocused.I have many support mechanisms in place: my own deadlines, writing partners, applications out to artists' colonies. But I think what I needed the most I found toward the end of Dani Shapiro's excellent book of observations on the writing life. The section is called "Steward." I will keep pieces from it on my desk always:"I need to live by certain rules in order to protect my writing life.""But I took care of my family and my book got written. That was all I could manage." --Very much where I am right now: hanging on by threads, weaving this novel to completion.And this wonderful set of marching orders she quotes from the poet Jane Kenyon:Be a good steward to your gifts.Protect your time.Feed your inner life.Avoid too much noise.Read good books, have good sentences in your ears.Be by yourself as often as you can.Walk.Take the phone off the hook.Work regular hours.This is what I needed to hear. To Ms. Shapiro I say: Will do! Thank you.
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Such a gifted, eloquent writer. Part writing motivation, part memoir. Loved it!
—azizengr
Wonderful - I underlined so many phrases that inspired me!
—owens
Like talking to an honest and close friend.
—1elvis2012
