Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.
My husband and I are very different readers. He stays up late and reads mystery novels. I, on the other hand, go to bed early with middle grade realistic fiction. He reads news on his tablet while I read blogs. He reads The New Yorker, and I read Oprah magazine.
But yesterday, he handed me The American Scholar. (He’s the Phi Beta Kappa.) The Editor’s Note was about the writings of Brian Doyle. One essay mentioned was “Joyas Voladoras.” I was able to say, “I’ve read that!” It’s the first essay that Katherine Bomer analyzes in her book, “The Journey is Everything.”
Then Jeff said, “Have your read ‘Leap’? You have to read it.” He handed me his tablet. I finished with tears in my eyes.
Then I read “How Did You Become a Writer.” This is just what I needed to read. For all of you in this Slice of Life Challenge, we are on day 20. The writing is getting harder. We are feeling like everything we put on the page is garbage. So this is for you and for me, Top Ten Things a Writer Must Do as taken from Brian Doyle’s essay.
- Be honest with yourself.
- Expect no money for your writing.
- Listen.
- Energize your verb choice.
- When in doubt, cut it out.
- Make writing a regular part of your day.
- Delete mere catharsis.
- Find the right title.
- Be a witness to the world.
- Submit.
Reflections on the Teche 
Wonderful advice and quite a good “charge” in the muddy middle of the month. Keep going! You’re doing great!
Thanks, Coach! Your encouragement helps.
I love these tips and I’m going to read these brilliant essays. Thank you for sharing! I must ask a question, am I the only one who feels like writing gets easier as we go along in the month? Hmmm, I believe I have a blog post topic for tomorrow. Thank you, friend!
I think the more we write, the more we want to write. I find it easier this year because I practice every day. And like you, I’m inspired by my students.
Thanks for the list and the links and an intro to Brian and a reminder to get Katherine’s book. Happy next 20 days of writing! And thanks to your husband, too for sharing with you to then share with us. I love how reading is such a community act, too.
I love your links and sharing help for us writers. So many choices of what to read – I love it!
I know that list. Do I do it? I’m starting to. I just have to read the list about a thousand more times to start to stay true! Thanks today and always, Margaret!
Great timing on this, Margaret. Now I’m going to see if I can check out the essay
I like this one: be diligent about sending pieces out for publication. And it’s not done until it’s on the editor’s desk. I wonder if they really think the best writing is about other people. Mary Oliver writes about her own life, and I’d put her writing ahead of most.
In my opinion if you are using your deeply personal to be universal, then it’s good writing. I am trying to get better about sending things out.
I think the deeply personal can trigger the universal, if it’s honest enough. If it’s not just sentimental. If it transports or connects readers to a lost part of themselves. But I am a philosopher. 🙂
Thank you for these links. Leap. So beautiful.
Doyle is an incredible writer. Thank you for sharing his essays. SO many pieces of invaluable advice in “How Did You Become a Writer”. The simplest (hardest) advice? WRITE. I, like Brenda, mulled over that line about great writers writing about other people, not themselves. I, too, was thinking about memoirists and essayists who seem to be writing about themselves, but maybe you’re right, Margaret – somehow they make their personal writing about us all. They’re actually witnesses for everyone, so they can make connections with their readers.
I love the tips from Doyle. #5 hits home: When in doubt, cut it out. I have found myself doing this quite a bit lately. Thanks for all of the links, Margaret.
I’m printing Doyle’s article out to keep in my writer’s notebook – wise advice!
I saw parallels in the different reading interests of your husband and yourself. You have alerted me to how my wife and I read quite differently as well. We have areas of cross over too, but our reading preferences and styles have much that is unique to each of us. I enjoyed the list gathered from Brian Doyle. There is so much there worthy of adoption. I actually spent three months agonizing over the title of my latest poetry book, so I totally agree that it is critical to find a title you are happy to run with. Thank you for sharing these matters Margaret. Most thought provoking. Good writing does that.
I have gone back to read “How Did You Become a Writer?” several times since you posted this. Each time something new stuck with me. I think I need to do like Tara and print it out! Thank you for sharing it. I am sure many slicers can take lessons from this essay.
Yep, I like this list! You’ll laugh when you read my post tomorrow because it’s about the 3rd quarter duldrums. Maybe this will liven me up for the rest of the week with some fresh verbs and a good title! Thanks, Margaret!
I love your intro, Margaret, and just bookmarked this, printed the list! It is a nice thing to have at this time in the month! Thinking of you as you near the weekend!
That Brian Doyle is a master. His words stick. Thank you for this.
I am glad Linda directed me here. I apprecite you writing this post.
Thank you for the list – and for stating that we all start to drag right about now. Just last night, I contemplated not writing – -but dug in and did it because I made a commitment to myself. I will reflect on this list as I continue to grow as a writer.
One of the powerful drivers for the SOLC is that commitment you make to yourself.
Love the advice for writers! Glad I followed Linda’s suggestion to read your slice. Thank you!
Margaret,
A good writing is forever. The wisdom from your last year’s slice is true today and will sound strong 100 years from now – although the way we write may have changed by then.
Happy writing.
Purviben
@TrivediZiemba