Walking on Alligators
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
I’ve been sorting through my books, and remembering how many awesome books I have, and how useful they’ve been at different points in my development. And I’ve decided that there are a few worth revisiting.
For example, Walking on Alligators is A Book of Meditations for Writers, by Susan Shaughnessy. She says that “It takes a certain fearlessness to do this. Truth is not to be approached lightly. If what you’re writing makes you squirm and wish to wriggle away, you are probably on the right track. …It is not enough to describe cleverly or depict vividly. A story must also unfold– a story in which truths are caught in a way the reader never saw before.” (pg 158) And on page 44, she quotes Gustave Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.”
And Walking in the World: The Practical Art of Creativity, by Julia Cameron. She also wrote The Artist’s Way. On page 24 of Walking in the World she says, “Faith moves mountains, and when we see art as an act of faith, then we begin to see that when we commit to our art, mountains may indeed be moved as a path becomes clear.” …It might be time for me to work through this book again, with where I am NOW in mind.
There are many more amazing books on my shelf, but for now, I’m off to enjoy the out-of-doors, and possibly also a late lunch at my favorite Thai restaurant, with a good friend this afternoon. Rediscover your own resources. Find new ones. Remember, you don’t have to struggle forward alone. This is about receiving support, moving forward with Grace, and enjoying what is.
Be Well.
Category : Research/Info, Resources, authored by: S. Brooke Elliott
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Comments are closed.