Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Anton Chekhov

This week’s Wednesday Words of Wisdom come from Anton Chekhov, a Russian writer and playwright who is seen as one of the best short story writers in history. Chekhov contributed much to the modern short story and he certainly knew how to craft words in a compelling way.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Pablo Neruda

I know Pablo Neruda best from his poem, “Your Feet.” The Chilean poet’s work is beautiful and eloquent. I also came across this wonderfully-stated quote from him.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Harper Lee

This week’s Wednesday Words of Wisdom come from Harper Lee, the author best known for the books, To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman. While the book To Kill a Mockingbird has had a mixed reception, it’s still regarded as an American classic and addresses such themes as racism, class structures, injustice, gender roles and laws. I think this quote is fitting of a writer such as Harper Lee, whose novel clearly caused people to reflect on society and life in the American south.

Words of Wisdom: John Green

My whole theme this week has been about revision. Not surprising, considering that it’s the stage I’m at with my writing. I think what has surprised me most about revision so far is how much can get rewritten and changed from the first draft. After reading through a couple of chapters and making some revision notes, I decided to rewrite my entire story.

Yep, the entire thing.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Sylvia Plath

This week’s Wednesday Words of Wisdom come from Sylvia Plath about finding material  everywhere in life. The big question is often: what do I write about? I’ve heard different pieces of advice about this such as “write what you know” or “write about what you love” but while these are good rules of thumb, I believe that with a little research and creativity, we can write about anything.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Anne Lamott

Today’s Wednesday Words of Wisdom come from writer Anne Lamott. I read Anne Lamott’s book on writing called Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life in preparation for NaNoWriMo. Compared to other books on writing advice, it’s extremely funny and extremely honest, giving you a candid and real look at what the life of being a writer entails.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Kurt Vonnegut and E.L. Konigsburg

“Talent is extremely common. What is rare is the willingness to endure the life of the writer.” -Kurt Vonnegut 

With all of the great books out there, there’s no doubt that talent is pretty common but I guess what’s more rare is whether or not people are ready and willing to live the life of a writer. 

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Ray Bradbury

“Remember: Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury

This quote reminds me of the importance of character development in a story. If there’s anything I’ve learned about writing stories over the years, it’s that it’s helpful to know your characters intimately.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: Amy Tan

We all know how powerful language is but what happens when you compare two different languages, two different worlds? Writers like Amy Tan give us a unique and rare glimpse into the cultures that are part of the mosaic of North American society, opening our eyes to their world. 

Wednesday Words of Wisdom: J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis

I’ve discovered that my life is book-deficient. For years and years, since the days of university, I’ve been starving myself of one of the most fulfilling and relaxing hobbies to exist. How did this happen?