On Writing

I've been teaching a writing class to a group of 6th graders for the past 5 weeks.  More than anything, it makes me want to be a writer again.

I think I've been a teacher/critic for too long.  Every time I get an idea, I get excited about it, I start working on it, and a couple of days later I abandon the idea because I suddenly think it's stupid.  *sigh*

The best thing to do is just to write.  Throw the critic out the door.  Push her face into the snow.  Write a little every day until I trust myself again.  Push through the idea even when I think it's stupid.  Stop expecting perfection to pour out of my finger tips with ease.

A friend of mine once told me that successful writers are good at revision.  Maybe so.  But you've got to get something written before you can revise it.

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