Your Muse Can’t Write Worth Sh*t
by
A sequel to *How to Write a Book: Park It, Get to Work*. Written with humour and encouragement, this book is a must for those who are as yet insecure with their authorship.
It’s difficult enough to write a book without [someone] looking over your shoulder pointing out every little error in every little sentence as you go along. The moms usually add things like: “Oh b’t you can’t say THAT about HIM,” or in my own case “Why don’t you write something nice, dear?”
It’s enough to make you go play Solitaire instead.
Don’t ever, ever write for anybody else but yourself. This means you need to pretend that nobody will ever see it.
… You haven’t even written it and you’re already worried about what folks might say about it?
Actually, this is a good attitude to have (in a way). It means you believe that this book of yours will eventually be published. Good. Want it? Dream it. But until then, do not let anybody who knows you (friends, family, coworkers) see it. Don’t let them see it until the book comes out. They can be the first to purchase copies. Yes?
READ MOREThe thing is, if you write well, if you capture humanity in its truest form ---- which is what a good writer does ---- every reader will recognize himself in at least one of your characters. And human nature will have him identifying with the worst of them. Uncle Charlie will be certain (as will Mom) that you wrote about him; your sister will call you a bitch for letting the world know about that night after the prom; or your wife will stop speaking to you.
COLLAPSE