“Sometimes the way comes later, when I'm not working or thinking about it at all. When stories don't work, you try to convince yourself that all of that time and energy wasn't wasted, that it will make you a better writer, if nothing else.” IfsThinkingWayTryingSometimesStoriesEnergyConvinceTime And Energy Author:Mary J. Miller
“I think there simply comes a point at which you're beating your head against the wall with revision, when you're making something different but not better. For me, revision usually has more to do with making the language prettier, finding clearer images, using more active verbs.” ThinkingDifferentLanguageWallFindingsActiveVerbsRevision Author:Mary J. Miller
“I can't remember who said it - I think it was Allan Gurganus when he was visiting the Michener Center - but he told us to "spend [our] gold," meaning, put everything you have into a story. Other "gold" will be waiting for you for your next project.” ThinkingSaidI CanStoriesRememberNextWaitingProjectsGoldVisitingWaiting For You Author:Mary J. Miller
“It's something that's difficult to explain but I think all writers work this way to some extent, whether we're aware of it or not. For me, writing has little to do with thinking. I don't want to control the narrative. I listen to the rhythm of the words and dialogue and try to give the characters the space in which to say and do what they want without intervening too much.” ThinkingWayWantGivingWritingTryingLittlesCharacterDifficultSpaceToo MuchDialogueRhythmNarrativeIntervening Author:Mary J. Miller
“It's definitely about the rhythm of the words and how they sound together, writing one sentence and then another and another and cutting something immediately if it doesn't feel true. I come from a family of musicians and - while I have no musical abilities of my own - I think I inherited a good ear.” IfsThinkingFeelsWritingTogetherSoundMy OwnAbilityCuttingMusicianEarsMusicalSentencesRhythmOne SentenceMusical Ability Author:Mary J. Miller
“I try to think as little as possible, at least while working. I look at some of my early stories and can see the machination behind them, like a gear slowly moving. For example, sticking a dead father into the story to explain a character's sadness and bad decisions, or trying to impress myself with my own cleverness.” ThinkingTryingLooksLittlesCharacterStoriesMovingFatherMy OwnDecisionBehindsSadnessExampleImpressGearsClevernessBad DecisionDead Father Author:Mary J. Miller
“To be quite honest, along with thinking and such when it comes to writing, I'm not into words like "theory." I'm a PhD dropout. No matter how many twenty-five-page papers I wrote, I never felt like I was saying much. I didn't feel like the writer of the book, whose work I was analyzing, would have been impressed. It didn't matter how much time or effort I put in.” ThinkingFeelsWritingHas BeensBookMatterFeltEffortFiveHonestTheoryPaperPagesTwentiesImpressedPapersTwenty FiveAnalyzingPhdsDropouts Author:Mary J. Miller
“I think training your instinct comes from writing and reading. There's no big secret. And reading slush helps, as well; I'd recommend everyone edit a literary magazine at some point. It's time-consuming, but there's a lot to learn from other writers who are also learning. The patterns (twelve stories about whales in this batch?) are also interesting.” ThinkingWritingWellsHelpingStoriesBigsReadingInterestingSecretTrainingInstinctPatternsMagazinesTwelveConsumingEditsWhalesTime ConsumingWriting And ReadingSlush Author:Mary J. Miller