the art of writing
advice from writers, and more on writing
Brie Wolfson and
the art of writing
When I sit down to write, the meadow is still sunk in darkness, and above it, satellites pass by, one after the other. My thoughts are flighty and shapeless; they morph as I approach them. But when I type, it is as if I pin my thoughts to the table. I can examine them. They feel porous to the touch and crumble. But among the fragments, I discover... See more
Henrik Karlsson • How to Think in Writing
247 You will know that you’re done with something when you can’t imagine making it better. For some writers that’s a state of exhilaration: They’ve done everything they can. This beautiful accomplishment! Nothing can improve it. Others of us arrive at the same place, despondent: This ramshackle thing. I’ve reached the end of my powers. Nothing can
... See moreElizabeth McCracken • A Long Game
... See moreINTERVIEWER:
Do you find emotional stability is necessary in order to write? Or can you get to work whatever your state of mind? Is your mood reflected in what you write? How do you describe that perfect state in which you can write from early morning into the afternoon?OATES:
One must be pitiless about this matter of “mood.” In a sense, the writing
If you want to know why writing is so hard for people, ask them: “When was the last time you focused on one thing for more than an hour, without any distractions?”
A lack of focus is as limiting as a lack of skill.
nametwitter.comGPT4's writing is better than 90% of people, but it's way worse than the top 1% of writers.
h/t Nat Eliason
When used properly, metaphors enhance speech. But correctly dosing the metaphorical spice in the dish of language is no easy task. They ‘must not be far-fetched, or they will be difficult to grasp, nor obvious, or they will have no effect’, as Aristotle already noted nearly 2,500 years ago.
Benjamin Santos Genta • How changing the metaphors we use can change the way we think | Aeon Essays
