I’d Rather Be Writing – Tom Johnson

I listened to a good discussion about writing from a group of Mormon writers on episode 7 of Everything Creative, an LDS sponsored podcast. Some parts of this podcast are a little lame — I hadn’t heard of any of the writers, and parts of it are churchy. But the advice is on target. Here are few notes:

• The things that get in the way of writing are also what provide substance in your writing. A writer explains how one of her friends moved to Ireland to seclude herself away to write, but while her friend’s writing had good literary execution, it lacked substance and story.
• The best advice for writing is condensed in just four word: “Tell a good story”
• The process is the purpose. In other words, rather than looking toward the end, enjoy the act of writing, because the purpose of writing is the self-discovery that takes place during the writing process, not at the end.
• Stories are what give us meaning in our lives. That’s why we return to them again and again.

Tags: Creativity, story, writing