You must write every single day of your life.
You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books,
and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head,
vulgar one moment, brilliant the next.
You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks
like ladders to sniff books like perfume and
wear books like hats upon your crazy heads.
I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse
that will last a lifetime.
I wish craziness and foolishness
and madness upon you.
May you live with hysteria,
and out of it make fine stories -
science fiction or otherwise.
Which finally means,
may you be in love every day
for the next 20,000 days.
And out of that love, remake a world.
(Ray Bradbury)
Love. This.
Other than the dreadful books, that sounds great.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it?
DeleteThat first line really hit me. Probably because I haven't been writing every day, and for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteDon't let it get you down, Sarah. Focus instead on the joy and exuberance in this quote - this was a man who loved writing and stories, who wants all of us to feel something similar. :)
DeleteI'm losing that fight with my Creative Muse. I haven't written anything new since...February???
ReplyDeleteLike I mentioned to Sarah, maybe take some of the pressure off yourself, and recall the joy of writing and stories. You've felt it before, I know it! :)
DeleteI LOVE THAT!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have definitely read dreadful and glorious books. And I knew I wasn't the only one who smelled books. :D
Oh no, you're not alone in that. :)
DeleteThat was so perfect for today. He really makes reading and writing sound so joyful and fun and emotional. All the good stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt really is such a wonderful and exuberant quote, isn't it? An excellent reminder for us all. :)
DeleteLove it. A great man.
ReplyDeleteYou know it. :)
DeleteAh, I really love this too!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad. :)
DeleteHe has offered us the key to his success. It's up to us to find the lock. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
It really does feel like the key, doesn't it?
DeleteBradbury was a very wise man.
ReplyDeleteI really want to read more of his work.
DeleteI'm not sure if I agree with the writing everyday thing (I cherish my weekends off) but I love the overall sentiment.
ReplyDeleteVery poetic.
I don't think it matters so much how we keep that sentiment alive just as long as we do. :)
DeleteAgreed. :)
DeleteDon't you love Bradbury?
ReplyDeleteYep!
DeleteI remember when I first started writing romance, I'd go to the used bookstore and stock up on books. Then I'd bring them back once I finished reading them and exchange them for a new stack. Once I started writing children's book, I got a membership to the Nashville library--and I'd go online and find the books I wanted and have them moved to the library closest to me. Every couple of weeks I'd get a new stack. Now I have a Kindle and I just buy the books I want...I think once you're published you realize how important it is to buy the books! (Although it does get expensive--and if it's a super-famous author like Stephen King, I don't feel bad getting it for free at all.)
ReplyDeleteI borrow a chunk of books from the library, but I also buy books, too. I try to buy across the board, from local stores to chains to online. I'm incredibly grateful that I have a such a wonderful library system in my area AND that I'm able to buy as many books as I do. I also enjoy passing them on if they're not "keepers" for me because they might become "keepers" for someone else. :)
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