The summer before I went off to college way back when, my father suggested two options. Go to a university (I had chosen Boston University)-- $100,000. Or, find a cabin in the woods and read the hundred greatest books ever written--$1,267. Beyond the cost difference, my father was skeptical about school learning, claiming he'd learned almost everything in life by living it and reading books. He had a point, because I spent a lot of my college years buried in books that I could have buried myself in on my own with a little bit of discipline. On the other hand, I was studying theater and half that education required being on stage and interacting with other actors. Monologues performed alone in my log cabin wouldn't have gotten me far. Not long into my acting career, I decided I wanted to be a writer (I know, two lucrative careers!). I thought to go back to school but then figured,
I don't need to go to school to write; I just need to write. And, I did well: I published a play, got a job at the NY Post and the SF Weekly, wrote an advice column for a big Canadian magazine; hell, I even have a Wikipedia entry that calls me an "American Journalist". Even with all that, I felt I could be a much better writer, and I wasn't able to do that myself. Heeding my father's advice, I bought up every book I could find about the craft of writing. The problem was, even with the best intentions, I never read past the first chapter, and my talent as a writer leveled out. One thing that life has taught me is that I need deadlines to do things (like become a better writer), and what better place to have deadlines then grad school. So I'm going to grad school (University of San Francisco), I'm hoping for the price, my writing, and this blog, becomes even more brilliant.
Good luck! Books are great, but sometimes you need some human interaction to keep you moving in the right direction. Congrats on this big step!
ReplyDeleteAny one writing book or two that stands from the rest you read? I've been inspired by Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones and Stephen King's On Writing. Both espouse getting out of the way of the process and letting stories unfold as they may. King compares the job of writer to that of paleontologist excavating what lies buried beneath the surface.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteSteven King's is actually my favorite. I love his no frills approach. I also like that he said he learned the most about writing being a journalist. I feel the same. Journalism taught me about learning to get to the point and write with economy and not be too precious. It also told me how to get writing done on strict deadlines. My other favorite book is The Modern Library Writer's Workshop by Stephen Koch.
You are brilliant! And, you have legions of fans and friends in the bleachers cheering you on and applauding your next success. Bravo! Read on - write on- enjoy the process. We are living vicariously through your experiences.
ReplyDeleteA fan, Page Larkin