Wednesday's Words of Wisdom for Writers (and Everyone Else too),

From The Pocket Muse by Monica Wood



"My friend Alyson Hagy, whose writing makes me swoon, gave me the best writing advice I ever got:

you have to be willing to write badly"

(The Pocket Muse is a great source for ideas and inspiration).

This advice is hard. Life is short, and the willingness to write badly--meaning that it will all take ever so long until, fingers crossed, it comes out good--is tough. I've just finished a first draft and I know I wrote badly. I can't bear to look at it, which is a good thing, 'cos it's going in a drawer for at least a month.

On the other hand, I'm brimming with a new idea. It's grand, it's sparkling... am I really willing to write it badly?

On an upbeat note, the Oregon SCBWI conference is this Saturday. One whole day of writing and writers. I'm very willing about that!