Many writers struggle with finding the muse, getting in the flow, or beginning a story that’s difficult to tell in the first place.
Ella Mei Yon has some wonderful insights over at the Glimmer Train bulletin. She writes:
The way in is something I’ve always struggled with. To write, I need to enter a whole other state of mind, where time slows down and my perception is sharp on details. Where I’m focused, but open. Where creativity blends with the critical. That state is quite different from the state of mind I need to live the rest of my life—to get things done, make money, socialize.
The solution—if there is one—for Ella Mei Yon? It begins with a list. Click here to read more.
Other offerings this month at Glimmer Train:
- Method Writing by Benjamin Percy
- On the Joys of Not Finishing What You Started by Michelle Richmond
- An Author’s Notes Toward Possible Future Works by Daniel Wallace
- Gut. Or Never Knowing the Next Word by Lance Weller
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
Love this. Thanks for sharing.
Good tip! Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful article. Nails one of the biggest difficulties of writing – finding the way in. When my daughter was in high school and struggling with a paper, I’d sit her down and get her talking about it. Inevitably, by verbalizing, she was able to clarify ideas that seemed too vague to put into words. Now that she’s older and a writer herself, she’s the first one I turn to when I need a listener. Having the listener jot down notes is a great device. Thanks for sharing.
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