songs of experience

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• General

— Joan @ 9:37 am

8 Comments »

1. Uh, nope.

   I’ve thought about it a few times, but less and less lately.

   I think EBR sums it up for me:
   “There was the over-weening ambition to be the world’s greatest author, when—at thirty-nine—I had nothing of importance to say to the world.” — *He Who Loses His Life*, Big Book, Third Edition

   jim p.

   Comment by thronedoggie — 8/22/2007 @ 1:14 pm

2. I came across your site while doing a google search on Jack Bacheler. I ran into him and a group of his students while hiking with my family in the mountains last week, and I wanted to get my facts straight about his accomplishments. I really enjoyed your “Distant Heroes” interviews and I want to know if you have taken that project any further? Also, Jack commented that it was a small world. It’s ironic he said that because I used to do morning runs and also travel to races with one of your former UNC team mates, Marla Daniel, during ‘82-’84. You often competed in some of the same races we ran.

   Comment by Rob Burke — 8/23/2007 @ 4:27 pm

3. No, the novel is not in my future plans. I’ll stick to the blog writing I do and the poetry I craft. Short and sweet. Sherku in particular is my twist on the ancient haiku form.

   Comment by Steve Sherlock — 8/23/2007 @ 6:13 pm

4. Once you start typing, it’s really pretty easy.

   Comment by John Parker — 8/24/2007 @ 9:35 am

5. … and what about writer’s block?

   Dave sent me this from scottberkun.com

   “Writer’s block is a sham. Anyone who wrote yesterday can write today, it’s just a question of if they can do it to their own satisfaction. It’s not the fear of writing that blocks people, it’s its fear of not writing well; something quite different. Certainly every writer has moments of paralysis, but the way out is to properly frame what’s going on, and writer’s block, as commonly misunderstood, is a red herring.

   Consider this: Have you ever been blocked while playing Frisbee? Eating doughnuts? Dancing naked in your living room? Those are joyful things and there’s nothing at stake: if you fail, who cares? Nobody. If there are no rules, and no judgment, psychological blocks are impossible. And remember writers like making names and overthinking things: there is no term for architect-block, painter-block, juggler-block or composer-block. Every creative pursuit faces similar pressures, but they don’t obsess about it the way writers seem to do.”

   Baseball players DO have hitting slumps though.
   Hmmm … writer’s slump just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

   Comment by Joan — 8/25/2007 @ 7:14 am

6. Writing a novel? Are you kidding, I am still trying to finish that article for Runner’s World I started on a year and a half ago!

   Comment by George - FFSG — 9/12/2007 @ 8:59 am

7. Yes, I am working on one right now. I am learning to write and chipping away at it. Halfway. Just have to make it to the end. Then the fun begins. Editing!

   Joan, I like your page and the article on Tony Waldrop.

   I ran for Brevard College in 79-81 and remeber Coach Witek telling us about Reginald McAfee.

   Comment by Roger Saltsman — 11/19/2007 @ 11:32 am

8. No.

   If I were to try, I’d tell a story.

   I’d put the story first, rather than the words. I’d try to tell a story that I’d like to read, and make it a story that others would like to read.

   Comment by Ewen — 3/15/2008 @ 10:24 pm

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