Sunday, September 18, 2011

Quotation of the Week: On Writing


Yep, it's been a week since I blogged. My apologies.

It was a busy week with the start of our home school group's co-op Class Days, especially as I'm teaching a new class, Medieval History, to grades 4-6 in addition to my standard Intermediate Writing, a college-prep expository writing course for grades 10-12. So I had a good amount of prep to do.

But the biggest problem has been lack of sleep due to a bad flare-up of my chronic illness(es). The pain has been especially difficult, focusing in my hands due to so much typing.

Which 'splains the lack of blogging.

I managed to post a new chapter, a rather short one, to my new story, which I think I will pursue during NaNoWriMo in November. I have about five chapters or so left to complete my first story; I hope to perhaps work on it tonight as I have part of Chapter 47 written.

As writing has been a focal point of my week, I thought that a quotation or two on writing would be extremely appropriate. And perhaps inspirational, too.

I selected two rather pithy quotations from two stellar contemporary women writers, both still living and still producing excellent work. I jotted these quotes from Twitter last October. I've read far more by Tyler than I have by Atwood, but I admire both fiercely.

"If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word."
--Margaret Atwood (b. 1939)

"If I waited until I felt like writing, I'd never write at all."
--Anne Tyler (b. 1941)

So as I tackle the blank page and the blinking cursor yet again this week, I must keep both of these truths in mind. Writing is not about perfection (as much as we wish it could be!), nor is it about inspiration. As I tell my students, writing is hard work. I never knew that the brain could perspire until I started writing regularly.

Okay, okay, so the brain doesn't actually perspire (although it may feel as if it melts from time to time), but studies do show that writing actually burns calories from the stress it affords the brain.

I believe it.

Writing and burning calories with you,

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