Cussedness

Jack London's famous quote about inspiration was “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”

A lot of people think that you must be 'inspired' to write anything. However, that isn't the case. All writing is 1 part inspiration and 9 parts perspiration.

A lot of writers set a mood when they write these days, music, candles, a certain place to do their work. Then there are "cafe" writers, who are more like the 19th century ones: Dumas, Shelly, Byron, Hugo, and Sand.

The cafe writers tended to people watch and find their source of inspiration by sitting in public places, drinking and eating, or in parks.

Then there were the late 19th century romantic writers, (not romance, but romantic, the meaning is far different) who went for long walks in nature and tried to plumb its depths for their inspiration.

The difference between many people who wait to be inspired and all of these different types was that they went looking for the source of inspiration. They lived London's advice.

The majority of us today live in cities and towns, we can't go looking for inspiration in the woods. Some of us can be cafe writers. But most of us must create the moods that will let inspiration seep in and make its voice heard.

Inspiration frequently comes when we are either opening ourselves up to it in little rites of music and candles; or arrives unlooked for as it did for William Thurber.

Thurber was a mid 20th century humorist. Some of his best ideas showed up at breakfast. One morning he stopped eating and just sat their with fork in hand and became lost in his thoughts.

His small son kept trying to get his attention, but Thurber didn't hear him. Finally his wife intervened and told the boy, "Be quiet. Daddy's writing."

Inspiration comes from all directions if we either open up to it or go in search of it.

Some brief creds, a partial list

articles published in:
Movieline
Cinefantastique
Washington Post Book World
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Drive Guide
Black Belt
Martial Arts Weapons
Monsterland
Thrust: Science Fiction in Review
Science Fiction Review

Former MPAA Accredited Journalist.
Currently Active member, SFWA, HWA

Cussedness Godwar Central Station LEVEL 20 ARCH-CURMUDGEON ALL HATE MAIL WILL BE POSTED I am an out of the closet, bi-sexual gender queer and have long believed that the personal is political. Perhaps that is simply a bit of 1960s idealism that most people have outgrown; but it remains near and dear to me. I am the best-selling dark fantasy ebook author of the Dark Brothers of the Light series. I made my first short story sale at 23. it appeared in Amazons! which took the World Fantasy Award for best anthology in 1980 February 2004: In The Darkness Hunting: Tales of Chimquar the Lionhawk (wildside press) Dark Brothers of the Light Series. Renaissance Ebooks.
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Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (7) Share on Facebook		2004-10-15 10:10 AM Editorial: Inspiration Jack London's famous quote about inspiration was “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” A lot of people think that you must be 'inspired' to write anything. However, that isn't the case. All writing is 1 part inspiration and 9 parts perspiration. A lot of writers set a mood when they write these days, music, candles, a certain place to do their work. Then there are "cafe" writers, who are more like the 19th century ones: Dumas, Shelly, Byron, Hugo, and Sand. The cafe writers tended to people watch and find their source of inspiration by sitting in public places, drinking and eating, or in parks. Then there were the late 19th century romantic writers, (not romance, but romantic, the meaning is far different) who went for long walks in nature and tried to plumb its depths for their inspiration. The difference between many people who wait to be inspired and all of these different types was that they went looking for the source of inspiration. They lived London's advice. The majority of us today live in cities and towns, we can't go looking for inspiration in the woods. Some of us can be cafe writers. But most of us must create the moods that will let inspiration seep in and make its voice heard. Inspiration frequently comes when we are either opening ourselves up to it in little rites of music and candles; or arrives unlooked for as it did for William Thurber. Thurber was a mid 20th century humorist. Some of his best ideas showed up at breakfast. One morning he stopped eating and just sat their with fork in hand and became lost in his thoughts. His small son kept trying to get his attention, but Thurber didn't hear him. Finally his wife intervened and told the boy, "Be quiet. Daddy's writing." Inspiration comes from all directions if we either open up to it or go in search of it. Some brief creds, a partial list articles published in: Movieline Cinefantastique Washington Post Book World Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Drive Guide Black Belt Martial Arts Weapons Monsterland Thrust: Science Fiction in Review Science Fiction Review Former MPAA Accredited Journalist. Currently Active member, SFWA, HWA Read/Post Comments (7) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top