Confessions of a Creative Writer

Quote Post

The writer must be in it; he can’t be to one side of it, ever. He has to be endangered by it. His own attitudes have to be tested in it. The best work that anybody ever writes is the work that is on the verge of embarrassing him, always.

—

Arthur Miller (via ilovereadingandwriting)

Today wasn’t a great writing day. It never is when you start with a rejection letter. But then again, I tinkered with one of the rejected poems a little. Still needs work. I know I sent it out too early. I’ll work on a few more over the next few days after work but Thurs/Fri need to be spent on self-reflexive stuff. Hopefully get a couple more things away.

Posted October 10, 2011 at 9:44pm in writing quotes arthur miller writers

Link Post

Hercules Moments

Hercules Moments is a music blog run by Eoin Smith. He has himself a music column in our local evening paper. I’m writing reviews for this site now. The link is to my first, a review of the new single by Ensemble.

Posted January 30, 2011 at 10:58am in writing review music Ensemble

Text Post

Listening to music while writing

What do you listen to when you write creatively? I can’t listen to anything with lyrics, I think most people would agree with me there. I can write in the quiet, sometimes it is necessary especially with poetry as the rhythms in the music can upset the rhythms of the poem when you read it aloud to make sure it is working they way you want it. Sometimes when you are searching for a rhythm you can find it in what you are listening to. Here is a list of music I listen to when writing:

Peter Broderick - Music For Falling From Trees (album)

Arvo Part - Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten

Philip Glass - Glassworks (album)

Olafur Arnalds - Euology For Evolution & …and they have escaped the weight of darkness (albums)

Max Richter - Infra & Blue Notebooks (albums)

Posted January 26, 2011 at 11:35am in music writing poetry

Quote Post

To write is to risk rejection and misunderstanding. To create a work of art, Sartre writes, is to give the world a gift nobody has asked for. But if we do not dare to be generous, if we don’t dare to share with others what we see, the world will be the poorer for it. And sometimes someone actually does get it. When a reader feels that a book really speaks to her, she feels less lonely in the world. Literature holds out the hope of overcoming scepticism and isolation.

— Toril Moi

Posted January 22, 2010 at 11:53am in reading writing Toril Moi