Twitter.com/jamesscottbell
Last month I received a lovely handwritten letter from a high school student (reproduced here with the writer's permission):
Dear Mr. Bell,
Thank you for your incredibly helpful books on fiction writing. "The Art of War for Writers" and "Revision and Self-Editing" have inspired me every time I open their pages. I first heard of you at a conference you held in Hilmar. I had an idea for a story at that time, and your "Art of War" book helped me realize what my idea could become. During my busy years in High School this story has been on the verge of death several times. Your books full of helpful exercises and encouragement helped me keep my story alive, and I am incredibly grateful. Your writing style is very natural and always leaves me refreshed. Thank you again, a hundred times!
Sincerely,
How gratifying to get a letter (written on actual paper!) from a young lady who wants to write. She had come to a seminar I held in central California, and apparently my books have helped her.
That, to me, is what writing is all about. If I had to pick one thing to explain why I do this, it would be that I want to move people with words. If it's fiction, I want to create an intense emotional experience. If it's non-fiction, I hope to instruct and entertain at the same time.
All other things – money, awards, "fame," professional associations – are ancillary to this, because those things come only after you connect with enough readers, over time.
So:
1. Why do you write?
2. If you had to distill what writing is "all about" in a sentence, what would that be?
0 comments:
Post a Comment