“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” — Robert Frost
Are you a genre writer? Or a poet? Or a novelist? Or do you just like to read in these areas? No matter what you love, it’s always good to try something new, something different. We all have something to learn from each other. Check out what literary events are happening in your area. Go to them, support them, enjoy them. At the very least, you might make some new friends. Go see authors you haven’t read before, join a book club and read something different.
I’ll give you some examples from my own experience. Earlier this summer, a friend had an extra ticket to a romance writer’s event in Collingwood an hour away. We carpooled and met with others for dinner first before listening to four romance writers read and talk about their writing. Now, I don’t write romance novels, but I can’t imagine myself writing a novel without romance in it. There’s always something to learn and I had a great time and made new friends. Read more
When you’re perfect in every way
Do you journal? I do. I first learned to write by reading Natalie Golberg’s, Writing Down the Bones and utilizing her method of free writing. Not long after was Julia Cameron’s, The Artist’s Way, and her practice of writing three pages every day. These were my beginning teachers and these are the lessons that still keep me connected to writing even in the most hectic times and some of my hardest times.
