This interview is interesting. But, I’m one of those Zen optimists who feels ANYTHING is possible. I, however, do agree that to be a writer one does have to read and write. Well, at the very least WRITE (who am I to say what one should or shouldn’t do to be a writer?). Rinse and repeat. As to taking courses, attending conferences, that’s for the INDIVIDUAL to decide. Weird is as weird does, and if a writer WANTS to feel different and difficult and misunderstood and have trouble finding someone and living a normal life BECAUSE of what they write, that’s THEIR business. It’s not a given. Not a “must be.” Your life is yours as you create it. Quit crying about “being so different,” being so disaffected, and DO something about it…whatever that means to you. You want a mate–find one. Want to be understood or misunderstood–your choice. Those…are MY beliefs.
What are yours?
If any rule could possibly guide the best writing I’ve seen from people I know well it would be: Write what you wish you could be yet don’t have in you (that’s your protagonist). Write what you would never want to be or never want to meet on a dark street (antagonist). Interestingly, Those things are exactly what we are.
I always enjoy listening to Stephen King talk about writing as he has so much experience. I have to agree with him here: the creative part of creative writing cannot be taught as it exists inside the writer and simply needs the writer to learn how to let it out productively (and I do not mean specifically for publication, I just mean productively). I would also agree that the most important part of creative writing courses, or critique groups, or any of the “teaching” that is done for creative writers, really is about support and encouragement. Encouragement and support may be in short supply in many courses and groups, however.
Thanks for stopping by, Ann!