Because you have too few demands for your attention, I present to you six links on writing and creativity I tweeted this week. Enjoy!
- “Is Blogging a Time-Suck for Writers?” Jody Hedlund: I can answer that question in one word: yes. But as Jody points out, every investment has some return.
- “What Are You Blogging For?” Veronica Sicoe: Vero builds on Jody’s post, with a particular focus on finding your own desired ROI.
- “Making Orange Juice from Life’s Lemons,” Jessica Baverstock, Creativity’s Workshop: Speaking of blogging as a time commitment, this is Jessica’s first post since July, and her welcome return is, appropriately, tips on how to get back into a creative groove.
- “Confessions of a ‘How-To’ Junkie,” Keith Cronin, Writer Unboxed: Enjoy a list of some of Keith’s favorite writing craft books, and add your own favorites in the comments.
- “How To Write About Yourself,” Cheryl Craigie, Write to Done: Ah, a key project this journalist-turned-creative nonfiction writer has been working on the last two years. An insightful post, but my MFA instructors would not be pleased with her advice to hold back the tough stuff.
- “Want to be a Writer? Have a Literary Parent,” Roger Dobson, The Independent: Stop reading writing blogs, craft books, and taking classes. Just go get yourself a new set of parents! Maybe J.K. Rowling is looking to adopt.
On a final note, longtime readers of this blog might be interested to know I have gone almost an entire month without mentioning bacon. But recently I have made a new discovery that may rival my passion for that miracle pork product — doppelbock beer. My name suggests my Irish and Scottish heritage, but this malty delicacy brings out the German in me. Some Bavarian monks would go without food during Lent, but they’d drink this thick brew as a meal substitute. Combining high-alcohol beer with food deprivation seems unwise to me, but I think I’d prefer that diet over SlimFast.
The Artist's Road 
Hi Patrick–
Thanks for mentioning my Write to Done post “How to Write About Yourself.” I wanted to clarify that I don’t advise “leaving out the tough stuff.” I simply suggest that writers make conscious choices about what they decide to include.
Take care,
Cheryl
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Hi Cheryl,
Point taken! The challenge, with your post and my summary, is brevity. In my blogging class, I teach students that if they share some small flaw, they can engage readers with vulnerability while holding back what they don’t want the world to see. But as (way too) many of my posts here at The Artist’s Road discuss, I’m learning that writing about yourself in memoir or personal essay demands you not hold back. The most powerful writing emerges when the writer is brave enough to go completely raw. As a journalist loathe to write about myself, I wanted that not to be true, but then I exposed myself in an essay titled “September 12th,” and it won an award. Oops.
Anyhow, I did like your post, and was happy to share it!
Patrick
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