tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post6604525823938763706..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Writing FertilizerDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2427497125133214572012-05-09T09:50:13.633-06:002012-05-09T09:50:13.633-06:00Well said!Well said!Lesleahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12911678595526238285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-62770853246924689732012-05-08T15:31:39.015-06:002012-05-08T15:31:39.015-06:00Me too! I read and was influenced greatly by both ...Me too! I read and was influenced greatly by both those books. I don't do "morning pages" anymore, although I think I probably should.Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50826024071588524442012-05-08T15:22:53.053-06:002012-05-08T15:22:53.053-06:00Thanks for the comments, everyone. Terry, I like y...Thanks for the comments, everyone. Terry, I like your metaphors about your current state of percolation, and I much approve of fermented grapes. Maryann, I too love Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" and those "shitty first drafts" no longer scare me so much. <br /><br />Karen H and Karen E, I re-read Goldberg every other year or so; like she says, it's good to go back to the beginning, to access your beginner's mind. (And yes, fountain pens still leak from time to time. Luckily I don't mind ink-stained fingers -- perhaps it makes me feel like Shakespeare.)<br /><br />Kathryn, you are right that part of a developmental editor's job is crap shoveler. And I love your phrase "medium shade of brown".Kim Pearsonhttp://www.primary-sources.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-6643432642666213882012-05-08T15:03:48.571-06:002012-05-08T15:03:48.571-06:00That great writing and crap so often co-exist is a...That great writing and crap so often co-exist is a great reason to use a developmental editor, right, Kim? When you've lost so much perspective that all your work looks a medium shade of brown, an editor can help you shovel the crap out and leave the great writing to shine on its own!Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53767446155139102232012-05-08T10:35:16.350-06:002012-05-08T10:35:16.350-06:00Great blog. It's very hard for me to let go of...Great blog. It's very hard for me to let go of the editor and just write. But things go much better when I do. Of course there's a lot of rewriting afterwards.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2997997730024381492012-05-08T10:10:57.069-06:002012-05-08T10:10:57.069-06:00I absolutely adore Goldberg's book. I'll h...I absolutely adore Goldberg's book. I'll have to dig it out again. And I think I should buy a fountain pen...I haven't used one of those in 30 years (do they still leak?). I find I'm much more productive in the a.m. if I just write and write before getting anywhere near the internet or social networking.Karen S. Elliotthttp://www.karenselliott.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-59028122293696095052012-05-08T09:49:10.383-06:002012-05-08T09:49:10.383-06:00"Great writing and crap go together." - ..."Great writing and crap go together." - Love that for its truth and honesty. But now, thanks to you, I'll think of it as fertilizer. You make me want to dig out my old copy of Goldberg's book!Karen Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425141684712829990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9622525398628361952012-05-08T07:52:28.067-06:002012-05-08T07:52:28.067-06:00Hi Christopher, er, Hemingway. LOL
Kim, I loved t...Hi Christopher, er, Hemingway. LOL<br /><br />Kim, I loved the post. What you said reminded me of the advice and inspiration in Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, one of my favorite books. She also encourages writers to just write what she refers to as "shitty first drafts" and get the whole story down before going back to edit.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50022215781830480812012-05-08T07:17:00.415-06:002012-05-08T07:17:00.415-06:00Very well said. I love Goldman's books ... and...Very well said. I love Goldman's books ... and I love your metaphor for needing to dump the crap!<br /><br />I too did that for years, and have a modest 'pile' of notebooks to look back on now that I have more time.<br /><br />I am presently in a state of percolating ... waiting for the brew to drip through the grains ... or perhaps ... fermenting the grapes I've crushed in the past...<br /><br />Whatever - I enjoyed your column!<br /><br />http://terrysthoughtsandthreads.blogspot.comQuilters' Quartershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09164862226942626710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-31599913636125996922012-05-08T07:05:56.727-06:002012-05-08T07:05:56.727-06:00Crap and great writing go together? Well, smack my...Crap and great writing go together? Well, smack my keester and call me Hemingway.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-24683669253336319822012-05-08T06:26:09.467-06:002012-05-08T06:26:09.467-06:00So true.So true.Traci Kenworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07336373871521363649noreply@blogger.com