Dianne White

The other day, Kirby Larson shared a quote by Graham Greene which struck a chord with me:  “One does have to accept that one walks in a particular way.”

Wise words.  After all, we *do* each have our own particular way of “walking,” our own particular schedules, obligations, lives.  And if we want to spend part of our given time writing, we do well to understand what works for *us.* Acceptance of our process, coupled with a belief in the value of our efforts, and a trust that all the hard work *will* – eventually – pay off is what it’s all about.

That, and the support of fellow writers who understand the ups and downs of a writing life. How and in what form we find that support differs for each of us.

One way I’ve been “caring” for my writing self has been by attending the Flintridge Book Store‘s monthly Writer2Writer meetings. Conceived and hosted by bookseller and writer, Catherine Linka, Writer2Writer is a chance for local authors to gather in a small intimate environment and hear the “particular way” one author approaches her work.

This afternoon, I had the pleasure of hearing local author, Sherri L. Smith, talk about her latest book Flygirl.  Articulate, smart, and down-to-earth, Sherri shared a bit of how she grows a story from small seed idea, to rough outline(s), multiple drafts, and finally, a finished novel.

Those of us who write know this is no small deal.  And yet, Sherri managed to make it sound – not easy, exactly – but doable, in a sort of ordinary, everyday way.

As one writing teacher I know advises: “Write more. Worry less.   There’s nothing so terrible it can’t be improved, fixed, replaced with that which is compelling and interesting. That’s the terrific thing about writing fiction. You can’t fail, you can only quit.”