Thoughts on writing, exercises, personal experiences.
When I picked up writing again several years ago, I found that the wheels were greased by all the writing I had been doing in my online Journal, and that I was not really starting out as a beginner, since I had studied this in college and earned my degree in it. But beginner’s mind and some wise instruction would not go amiss. I read many brilliant books about how to write, and have some dear favorites, but for the most hands-on exercises I reached again and again for Ursula K. Le Guin’s book. It pleases me that I had already named this section “Craft” before realizing the wonderful title of her book about writing made use of it too. And her subtitle, Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew, spoke to my lonely endeavors. I had not been in a writing class for years, but now I was with one of the funniest and sharpest writers that ever lived. I miss her terribly, but am grateful she left us so many words.
Forthwith, then, a few examples of how I approach the craft of writing, in all of its messy glory and guts. It is not for the faint of heart, but no one ever said it would be easy.