Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Alumni Voices with Molly Beth Griffin (MFAC '09): What Real Writers Do


If you’re like most of us, you waste a whole lot of energy wondering if you’re a real writer or not. Usually you lean toward the negative. Unless you’re in the blissful state of drafting the first 50 pages of a brand new exciting novel, or you’re actually receiving an acceptance or a good review at this exact moment, you’re probably wallowing in self-doubt. So I don’t know why speakers at conferences—amazing writers I respect and admire—feel the need to tell lecture halls full of us that if we don’t write every single day, we’re not writers.

Real writers commit to their craft, they tell us. They put their butts in their chairs and their words on the page. Every day. If you can’t do that, you’re not a real writer. You should find another job. This writing thing is not for you.

I’m getting good at turning my ears off when the advice starts to go down that road. Because I’ve never written every day. I’m 34 years old. I have one published novel, two in the drawer, and one in progress. I’ve published two picture books and my agent has eighteen (yes, you read that right) picture book manuscripts out on submission. Two of those eighteen manuscripts have recently found homes. I have one chapbook of poems coming out next year and I’m submitting a second one. I’ve got an MFA and other people pay me to teach them writing and critique their stories. But by that write-every-day standard? I’m not a writer.

I know it’s hard to give writing advice, and people are always demanding it, so you just tend to tell people they should do what you do. Some people may well benefit from this so often repeated recipe for creative success. But what works for one person is not necessarily going to work for another, and in my opinion this one-size-fits-all approach is doing more harm than good. It’s making good writers suffer, and sometimes even quit. The fact is, we don’t need another reason to believe we’re not enough.

Instead, I think we need to tell writers who are struggling to get the work done that they need a balance of consistency and flexibility in their writing lives. Real writers, in my experience, commit to doing whatever they can realistically do as consistently as possible. If that’s 500 words a day for you, great. But maybe it’s a couple of evening writing sprints per week and then two hours of revision on Sundays. Maybe it’s a poem dictated into your phone every morning on your walk to the train. Maybe it’s a two-week writing retreat every summer and winter break. There is no recipe for success. You just have to try some things and figure out what’s realistic for you. What can you do consistently? Keep the bar low so that you can succeed.

Let’s stop shaming writers and instead encourage each other to do whatever works, and when that stops working—because your life circumstances change, or the project suddenly requires something else of you—throw that plan out the window and try something different. Be flexible.

When my babies were small, I set aside novels and wrote only picture books. I liked bite-sized stories because I could work on the ideas for them in my head while I was doing dishes, get out a draft during that precious hour or two of childcare, and revise during nap without being too angry about interruptions. Now that my youngest is in preschool, I’m able to dig into larger projects. But I still don’t write every day. I write when I have childcare, which is Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I set up #1kTuesday on Facebook as a support system to make sure I carve out time for my own writing at least one day a week. I meet with my writing group at least once a month, and I try to have something to share with them. And what do you know? The work gets done.

Because if you’re a real writer, you’ll find a way to get the work done. It won’t look like everyone else’s way, because you’re not everyone else. You will set the writing aside and go for a walk sometimes. You will come back to it. You will bribe yourself with chocolate. You will give yourself deadlines and surround yourself with people who support you in meeting them. 

You will write. On your own terms, and at your own pace.

Because you’re a real writer and that’s what real writers do.
________________________________________________

Molly Beth Griffin is the author of the YA novel SILHOUETTE OF A SPARROW (Milkweed Editions 2012) and the picture books LOON BABY (Houghton Mifflin 2011) and RHODA’S ROCK HUNT (Minnesota Historical Society Press 2014). Her first poetry chapbook, UNDER OUR FEET, is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press in 2018. She is a Hamline MFAC grad from 2009 and a teaching artist at The Loft Literary Center, where she critiques manuscripts and hosts a monthly Picture Book Salon. Her writing has been awarded two Minnesota Arts Board Artist Initiative grants and a McKnight Fellowship. She lives in Minneapolis with her partner and their two young children. Find her at www.mollybethgriffin.com or on Facebook, where she facilitates an online writing support group called #1kTuesday.

44 comments:

  1. Thank you for these posts and link, I will definitely look at your site. if interested, visit my website- https://papercoach.net/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you! Actual information! I know where you can find the best paper writing service welcome to WritingPaperSucks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The nursing thesis or nursing dissertation is the most timeconsuming and voluminous among the research works of various nursing programs. Therefore, we offer you professional assistance with health care essay Let us facilitate your life and save your time and good mood for you, for when you order your nursing research papers, you will receive the top quality work. A well-organized teamwork assures of the best result possible.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am not a guy who likes to share with others...sorry for being such an asshole, but I am not a very social person who makes 20 posts a day on Instagram. However, when I find something useful and I know that it works, I share this information with others. On the Internet, I found a thesis statement generator tool which can creates thesis statements for you. A very useful thing which saves a lot of time. Besides, it is free!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Need some instant feedback on your essay? Check the free paper grader by PaperGraders.net. This is the AI-powered tool which grades your paper in no time and returns you some useful feedback as to how improve your paper.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for sharing this informative post.MyAssignmenthelp.com is giving dissertation conclusion help to students.we are already trusted by thousands of students who struggle to write their academic papers and also by those students who simply want psychology dissertation example to save their time and make life easy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. With assignments piling up during the academic right throughout the year it makes sense to start looking for the answer to that question Who can do my homework for me? as soon as possible. As the saying goes, the best time was yesterday, the second best time is now! So once you’ve decided to take the plunge and go looking for some professional academic help with your homework there are quite a few things you should know before you choose the service you need.

    If you are fed up with so many assignments or you have tried to determine what to write, but you cannot find anything, then you do not need to worry. A student needs to have free time to have fun and relax. The homework online services for sale is an ideal solution for any student who is overwhelmed or cannot find time for his or her assignments. Expert writers http://do-my-homework-for.me/ write assignments excellently in order to help students to succeed in their careers. The service is offered at an affordable price and it is available whenever you need it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing such informative info hope you keep sharing, i personally recommend visiting entertainment company

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have read your article which is quite good to go through with this .Also i would like you to do visit my website. (Fundropentertainment) an entertainment company.
    entertainment company

    ReplyDelete
  11. MyAssignmentHelp has been operating in the market for last 10 years now and we are proud to say that we have helped over thousands of students with their essays, case studies, research papers, business plans, marketing plans and so on. If you are stuck with your research projects, essays, case studies, business reports or need Urgent Assignment Help, then myassignmenthelp is the place to be

    Assignment help | Online assignment help | Essay help online

    ReplyDelete
  12. thanks for sharing such informative information hope you keep sharing and for looking to the best visit entertainment company

    ReplyDelete
  13. thank for sharing such informative infohope you keep sharing and for lookin for the best please visit office dress for women

    ReplyDelete

  14. Thank you for sharing such nice content. even I would like you to do visit our website related to the.gst practitioner course










    ReplyDelete
  15. This post is not just informative but impressive also. The post is so persuasive that it created an urge to choose mobile app development company. You can email us at sales@appsquadz.com or Phone Number: +91- 9717270746.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Meaning that by swapping the door he remains with 33% of choosing the goat and 67% of choosing the car. hire an essay writer

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you for your outstanding article. Our goal is to offer top-class specialized services to you that create a fruitful, long-lasting relationship between us. Our excellent real estate portfolio management is the reason why our clients become like family. We provide the Great Deals and Discounts on Ace Divino Noida Extension 3 BHK Flats, 4 BHK Flats, Apartments, Penthouse, Corporate Properties, Commercial Properties in Noida, Greater Noida West, Delhi NCR. Learn more about Investmango: visit our website and call now: +918076042671

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for sharing such an informative post, being a renowned web app development. we are willing to support local small businesses with web app development services to engage audiences.

    ReplyDelete
  19. assignment help in Malaysia can assist students in writing top-notch quality content within the shortest period of time to get impressive marks. Our assignment help experts know how to curate content with relevant information and the right tone. Since we understand the fact that writing a good quality assignment is incredibly important for students in Malaysia, we assign the most experienced and skilled professionals in the business to write and read the assignments that we provide to students. Besides that, it is our motive to deliver the assistance at a reasonable cost!

    ReplyDelete
  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for the auspicious write-up and for sharing the Info. It was worth reading it; keep writing such more Posts. I also Recommend Visiting Dewan Law College (DLC) for Best LLB College in UP .

    ReplyDelete
  22. Gotoassignmenthelp is team of leading professional writers for Case Study Help Writing Services to students all around the world. Contact us today for Best Research Paper Help at very affordable price. Under GotoAssignmentHelp we provide many types of help to the students. We are the most reliable assignment helpers. We have gained our specialization after spending most of our times in making ourselves perfect. We providing 100% plagiarism free Assignment Help. At the point when you pick our Programming Help assistance, our faculty will consider the quality and your evaluation criteria.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love your post, I am also a professional British assignment writer and knows the value of writing and creative thinking. Writing has always been my special talent and in my heart this passion has high values.

    ReplyDelete
  24. We are the best when it comes to GIS assingment services in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  25. "Best Recipe website for make delicious food of your choice in easy steps at your home. Kindly go to our website and read and watch the method with video
    dal dhokli
    paneer briyani recipe
    Dahi ke sholay
    akki roti
    palak paneer pulao
    desserts recipe
    best recipe
    easy recipe"












    ReplyDelete
  26. A very high level article content with a knowledgeable information .Thankyou so much you for giving me such a nice information and Good luck for new posts. Haemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market

    ReplyDelete
  27. Grayson Living offers many different types of oversized mirror living room . These large wall mirrors come in a variety of styles, including contemporary and traditional, so you can find the perfect one to fit your home's design.

    ReplyDelete
  28. The Grayson Home is the perfect design destination for the modern homeowner. Furniture Stores In Los Angeles, look for Modern grayson design at our showroom boasts the most cutting-edge brands brought together in one expansive location mid century furniture los angeles. From contemporary and minimalist to cozy traditional, we have something for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  29. <a href="https://www.speck-abc.com/airtech-europe>AirTech Europe</a> has developed a number of products that are useful for air-oriented industries. Their range includes pneumatic conveying, transport and handling, packaging, electrical engineering, food and drinks industry as well as side channel blower.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Modern Nightstands are important for your bedroom, not only for their function but also for their design. If you're looking to add a nightstand that's both functional and stylish then look no further than Grayson Living. We have a wide variety of styles including mirrored nightstands and in-stock bedside tables available at affordable prices with free shipping nationwide!

    ReplyDelete
  31. The Italian Dining Table And Chairs is a unique piece that will create an elegant, sophisticated atmosphere in any room. The italian dining furniture can be used for formal dinners or casual family meals, making it perfect for both large gatherings and intimate conversations. With various shapes and sizes available, there's a set of this beautiful italian furniture to fit every home's needs.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Very informative post! Thanks for sharing! To receive excellent assignments with plagiarism-free work, take our Management Assignment Help Service in the USA to get rid of all the worries. Our experts are highly skilled and have extensive knowledge of writing quality assignments. By hiring our helpers online in the USA, you can overcome every mistake on the subject with the help of professionals.

    ReplyDelete

  33. This is the sort of clever work and exposure! Keep up the awesome writing. It’s a wonderful review and helps many who would need this. Thank you for sharing this needful article. aceondo certificate diploma admission requirements

    ReplyDelete
  34. The notion that "real writers" must write every day can be discouraging and unrealistic for many. Your perspective on finding a balance of consistency and flexibility in one's writing journey is refreshing. Just as writers shouldn't be boxed into a single mold, project managers need adaptable tools. Best PPM Software Celoxis, for example, offers versatile project portfolio management solutions, understanding that each project is unique. Your journey as a writer reflects the diverse paths people take to achieve their goals. Encouraging writers to find what works best for them and adjust when necessary is invaluable advice. After all, flexibility often leads to success, both in writing and project management.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I came across your insightful blog post and couldn't help but appreciate the valuable information you've shared on the topic. Your expertise truly shines through, and it's evident that you've put a lot of effort into creating such a comprehensive piece.If I may add, for those seeking additional support in tackling finance assignments, exploring professional assistance could be beneficial. Services like "finance assignment help" provide tailored guidance, ensuring a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

    ReplyDelete
  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Printable coloring pages have been fantastic for keeping my kids entertained. They love the creative outlet, and I appreciate the convenience. Thanks for sharing such a helpful resource!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thanks for sharing an informative blog, why always do professional work do something different like story teller as a student you should do some interesting work, and don't spend so much time on your assignments because UNI Assignment Help provides help with university assignments, PhD experts are on hand at UNI Assignment Help. Put your trust in our trustworthy and competent support for academic success. With the support of our PhD scholars, you can finish every assignment on time and receive an A+.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thank you for sharing Molly Beth Griffin's insights on what real writers do. As someone aspiring to become a writer, I found her perspective inspiring and encouraging. It's helpful to hear about the dedication and passion it takes to succeed in writing. Looking forward to reading more from your Alumni Voices series! You may also like: Rizz Quotes

    ReplyDelete
  40. I’ve read about this topic before, but I always struggled to fully grasp it until now. The way the writer structured everything made it so much easier to understand. I love how they managed to keep things simple without cutting out important details. It’s such a relief to finally feel like I get it. Well done to the writer! Visit our link for ISO Certification in Saudi Arabia

    ReplyDelete