First of all, don't trust writers who write about writing. Including me. Because, at heart, we're all a bunch of soulless creeps (like this guy, channeling Uncle Rico in his photo; I wonder if he feels like he's floating?) who think we've gotta look legit, like we've got all the answers.
We don't. We're full of hot air.
Because how you write isn't how I write. Oh, maybe we use similar methods and ideas, like the so-called "Snowflake Method" Uncle Rico talks about. But you write differently than I do -- you use language a bit better (or, if I'm lucky, worse). Maybe you plan things out before you go. Good for you. I'm an Ur-writer, as discussed earlier (and yes, writers will drone on and on and on and on and on about the art or craft of writing because, well, how else will anyone else in the world know that they're a writer?
The worse kind of writer to run into is the writer who isn't writing -- maybe because he's editing (which is a different beast entirely from just sitting down and writing). Or maybe he or she is in between novels or projects or whatever they're working on. The better writers are the ones who have all sorts of pots on the fire in different stages of simmering. I'm in that camp. I'm proud to have finished a novel, don't get me wrong. And editing the thing, well, it's not going to be as fun as writing it, but you know, if I want to get it published, that's the way I've gotta go.
But in the meantime, I'll be irritating as hell. Not complaining. Just jittery, anxious and -- on this blog -- repetitious because the Muse isn't as satisfied editing as it is writing.
My cure for this: Writing a short piece, something light or breezy. Let's see if that helps tonight. But remember what I told you about taking writing advice from a writer: We're all jerks. Don't listen to us.
I'm going to shut up now. At least for today.
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