tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161550761281433348.post5492178607520885017..comments2023-02-18T07:05:31.288-08:00Comments on Read a Goddamn Book: Don't Tell Me Present Me is a Shitty Writer.M'rishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05469734282996556319noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161550761281433348.post-2553168110814620832010-12-18T15:37:58.008-08:002010-12-18T15:37:58.008-08:00I'm not going to say anything nice, 'cause...I'm not going to say anything nice, 'cause I don't want to devalue your role as the world's best asshole, but thanks. That makes a lot of sense.M'rishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05469734282996556319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161550761281433348.post-85610531829411314772010-12-17T12:22:17.746-08:002010-12-17T12:22:17.746-08:00"I've heard, for years, since elementary ..."I've heard, for years, since elementary school, really, that I'm a great writer, that if I could only adhere to deadlines or some other goal that isn't mine, I'd be a great writer, I could really make something of myself doing it."<br /><br />I used to be smart. I'd go to class, I'd mostly pay attention, and my grades would be far above those around me. (I think it was probably the same for you.) I'd get praise for something that wasn't that hard, and since it wasn't hard I didn't think it deserved praise. So I tuned out the praise. That led to me not trying at all, but still doing well and getting good marks. That led to me being a truly lazy SOB and doing just enough to get by. I didn't try hard because I didn't think I had to. And now I have a cubicle job in a room with 40 people and no windows to the outside world. <br /><br />Just because it's easy for you does not mean it has no value. I probably figured that out too late. What those people saw in your work is how good you are and how great you'd be if you believed you could be great. What you saw was something that came naturally and therefore probably wasn't so special. In the words of the philosopher turned Senator, "That's just stinking thinking."<br /><br />Also:<br />"I do have a few ideas that I'd like to see become part of the public dialogue, but I don't know how to get them there."<br /><br />- Step 1: write it the fuck down.<br />- Step 2: who cares? you wrote it. the hard part is over.PJ Rhymeswithsausagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04945901097550085289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161550761281433348.post-15030082591964044722010-12-06T18:00:26.736-08:002010-12-06T18:00:26.736-08:00No writing isn't my thing any more than proof-...No writing isn't my thing any more than proof-reading is... sigh. "One approach..."Bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913776700705892350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161550761281433348.post-39697992329991778942010-12-06T17:58:51.691-08:002010-12-06T17:58:51.691-08:00Once approach I'm taking is that I know no mat...Once approach I'm taking is that I know no matter what I do, a lot of people are going to think it's garbage - so there's no point in worrying about what they think. I'm trying to concentrate more on what *I* want to get out of what I do (and I couldn't write my way out of a wet paper thesaurus so it isn't writing) and then just put it out there to see if anybody responds to it. Maybe yes, maybe no but if it speaks to me and satisfies something in me (which is hard as hell to tap into when everybody else's voice seems so much louder!) then for now, that will be good enough. Good luck with your writing and I think you'll find it's a pretty supportive community here @reverb10Bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913776700705892350noreply@blogger.com