Uncertainty in writing is possibly the sagest teacher. I’m not talking about the blind “I have no idea what I’m doing and I love it” enthusiasm of the beginner, but when the core concept, practice, and process of who you are as a writer goes “poof!”. That when you come to the page, you are …
Our words have power. How we shape them, in ignorance, or even with our best intentions, can be harmful. Like many writers, my first attempts were artless and raw. Simple and clichéd listing descriptions, they failed to capture my subject with accuracy or depth. They lacked an ability and intent to honour.
Revision is more than just polishing your writing to meet pre-defined standards—it is a crucible. This liminal refuge between mind and page is primed for transformation; the superfluous, what is unsound structurally or stylistically is seared away, so that a writer is cocooned in recomposing.
Perhaps you’ve also heard the argument that creative writing should allow space for all kinds of expression? This is true and it does. However, that argument is often used as an excuse when it comes to clichés.
If you’ve been a member of a writing group or taken a writing course, one of the most nerve-wracking components is providing feedback for your fellow writers.
A lot of things derail writers. Day to day life is probably first among them. Everyday tasks have a way of shaving off an hour here, a morning there, and vacation afternoons until *poof* back to work the novelist must go! And for female writers, the mental load can be an overwhelming reality.
Kayla Geitzler offers excellent writing advice in her column for The Miramichi Reader.
A regular feature of The Miramichi Reader, Kayla Geitzler shares her writing tips in her “Kayla Writes” column.
Auteurship is all about striking out on your own, finding your collaborative cronies, and breaking the rules to write a space for yourself. What I call “writing you”. Except “writing you” in this context also means the bold pursuit of your art.
So, when you decide to form your own writing group, be brave! Reach out to a few people who love to write, who have integrity (integrity builds trust) and who, over a space of years, you will suddenly discover are some of your closest, most cherished friends.
“What is WRITER’S BLOCK?” I think writer’s block is a lot of things. I believe it’s creative exhaustion, when you’ve pushed yourself to write for too long and need a break, it’s also stress, and day-to-day life crowding writing time. And self-doubt.
I believe poetry is the people’s art form. I believe it belongs to all of us, that whether we are readers, writers, or listeners, poetry’s vast world has a little nook for each of us.
It’s inevitable, right? Creatives, especially writers, are often labeled with that word. I’ve been called that word. You know, the one that’s usually reserved for maiden aunts. Eccentric. And boy, was my maiden aunt eccentric! So, it must be in my blood. However, it’s not like I just rolled out of bed one morning and …
Just like every other writer, I had to perfect the rules of fine writing—and in the beginning I didn’t like it much. I struggled with two important techniques: moving out of the abstract (“unpacking”) and understanding that the reader was not in my head.
I was five years old when I decided I wanted to be a writer. To be fair, most people don’t find their calling that early in life. But the passion and fascination I’ve had for books, the literary world, and the arts, never left me. Now, as Moncton’s inaugural Anglophone Poet Laureate, a professional editor & writing consultant, as well as the host of the Attic Owl Reading Series, the writing world is my entire life. But what I want to say to you is, that this is my journey and you don’t need to be any of these things to be a writer. To be a real writer, you only need three things.
© 2024 | THE Miramichi Reader
Nicholas Selig, Editor-in-Chief
