Seeing Things fuel allowance As They Are: Zadie Smith on Writing, fuel allowance Reading, and Escaping the Self | Laura Maylene Walter
I still have quite a lot of catching up to do on this blog specifically, I have multiple AWP recap posts in the hopper but for now, I d like to share some wisdom from Zadie Smith, who read in Toledo last night. My MFA cohort and I piled into a few cars and headed to the Stranahan Theater to hear Smith read her essay Why Write, which considers challenges today s writers face. Here s a slice of what she had to offer, both in her essay and in her Q&A:
On finding the time to write: I had to cut down on the online life. I can t have it [the Internet] completely embedded in my life . . . It s amazing how much time you waste online. Now that I only have 4-5 hours [to write], I can t Google for two hours. I have to get to it faster.
On what it means to be a writer: Writing lets you have the one thing that society offers in theory and obliterates in practice: self-determination. When I write . . . my self disperses. I can be everyone in fiction. Writing is a de-selfing activity.”
For a more in-depth look at Smith s reading, see Zadie Smith Puts Value Back in Written Word . And let it be known that while I was compiling this blog post, I set my stove top on fire (we’re talking a full-flame, smoke-alarm fire) because I was so engrossed in Smith’s words and didn’t realize I’d turned on the wrong burner. Everything’s okay now, but consider yourselves warned: words (and obliviousness) can start fires.
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Recent Posts AWP 2014: Full Disclosure from The Sun AWP 2014: Stoking the Fire When Success Eludes AWP 2014: Say Goodbye to Boring Readings AWP 2014: Structuring the Novel Gingerbread Garden Seeing Things As They Are: Zadie Smith on Writing, Reading, and Escaping the Self MAR’s My Little Pony Writing fuel allowance Contest The Teapot Project Submit to Me: Inside Mid-American Review When the Failure Begins: Talking to Myself While Writing
Tag Cloud 5 random things acceptance American Literary Review AWP AWP 2012 book reviews books Bread Loaf 2012 cat lady cats Cirrus Cleveland Cleveland writers contests failure Fiction Writers Review first drafts Huda Al-Marashi literary magazines living arrangements Mac's Backs NaNoWriMo novel revisions Opal Poets & Writers publishing reading real-life living arrangements rejection revision rust belt chic Saucy Sophie Kerr Prize Stories on Stage The Writing Life this is what the publishing process looks like tricia springstubb Washington College writing advice writing buddies writing frustrations writing goals writing groups writing retreat writing fuel allowance workshops
I still have quite a lot of catching up to do on this blog specifically, I have multiple AWP recap posts in the hopper but for now, I d like to share some wisdom from Zadie Smith, who read in Toledo last night. My MFA cohort and I piled into a few cars and headed to the Stranahan Theater to hear Smith read her essay Why Write, which considers challenges today s writers face. Here s a slice of what she had to offer, both in her essay and in her Q&A:
On finding the time to write: I had to cut down on the online life. I can t have it [the Internet] completely embedded in my life . . . It s amazing how much time you waste online. Now that I only have 4-5 hours [to write], I can t Google for two hours. I have to get to it faster.
On what it means to be a writer: Writing lets you have the one thing that society offers in theory and obliterates in practice: self-determination. When I write . . . my self disperses. I can be everyone in fiction. Writing is a de-selfing activity.”
For a more in-depth look at Smith s reading, see Zadie Smith Puts Value Back in Written Word . And let it be known that while I was compiling this blog post, I set my stove top on fire (we’re talking a full-flame, smoke-alarm fire) because I was so engrossed in Smith’s words and didn’t realize I’d turned on the wrong burner. Everything’s okay now, but consider yourselves warned: words (and obliviousness) can start fires.
Subscribe
Posts RSS Comments RSS Categories 5 Random Things Author fuel allowance Q&A Awards AWP 2012 AWP 2014 Books Bread Loaf Cats Deep Thought Thursday Developing Olivia Events Giving Up Literary Magazines Living Arrangements MFA Mid-American Review Opal Press/Interviews Publishing Random Real-Life Living Arrangements fuel allowance Rejection Revision Second Novel Shared fuel allowance Stories Short Stories fuel allowance The Writing Life Travel Uncategorized Writing Advice Writing Buddies Writing Groups Best of Dakota June Happy Mass Public Humiliation Day Lit Mag Submission Tips Living Arrangements: The Movie My Character's Mother is Not My Mother New Author Photo (Just Kidding!) Notes from Writing Group Members The Ghost of My Second Novel The Worst Rejection fuel allowance Typestolgia Why the MFA Discussion fuel allowance Makes Me Vaguely Nervous Winning the Sophie Kerr Prize Writing Group Junkie Yet Another Reason to Love Olive Oil You May Already Be a Winner Blogroll 80,000 words Amy Wrote It Anecdotes Babbles from Scott Eagan Betsy Lerner Between Fact and Fiction Bo's Cafe Life BookEnds LLC Carter Library Creepy Query Girl Distraction No. 99 Don't Pet Me, I'm Writing Dystel & Goderich Failing Better Daily Fiction fuel allowance Writers Review GalleyCat Grab a Pen HTMLGIANT I am writing you today… Janet Reid Literary Rejections on Display Lizi's Lifelines Lyrical Meanderings Nathan Bransford Ordinary Things Pub Rants Rachelle Gardner Sherry Stanfa-Stanley Susane Petrone Teacups & Tabbies That's Why The Berry Pickers The Erin O'Brien Owner's Manual for Human Beings The Intern The Rejectionist The Rumpus Tricia Springstubb Twisting the Kaleidoscope Wanderlust Write It Down-ith Archives fuel allowance March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February fuel allowance 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 Subscribe by email
Recent Posts AWP 2014: Full Disclosure from The Sun AWP 2014: Stoking the Fire When Success Eludes AWP 2014: Say Goodbye to Boring Readings AWP 2014: Structuring the Novel Gingerbread Garden Seeing Things As They Are: Zadie Smith on Writing, Reading, and Escaping the Self MAR’s My Little Pony Writing fuel allowance Contest The Teapot Project Submit to Me: Inside Mid-American Review When the Failure Begins: Talking to Myself While Writing
Tag Cloud 5 random things acceptance American Literary Review AWP AWP 2012 book reviews books Bread Loaf 2012 cat lady cats Cirrus Cleveland Cleveland writers contests failure Fiction Writers Review first drafts Huda Al-Marashi literary magazines living arrangements Mac's Backs NaNoWriMo novel revisions Opal Poets & Writers publishing reading real-life living arrangements rejection revision rust belt chic Saucy Sophie Kerr Prize Stories on Stage The Writing Life this is what the publishing process looks like tricia springstubb Washington College writing advice writing buddies writing frustrations writing goals writing groups writing retreat writing fuel allowance workshops
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