Comments on: Ray Bradbury and me, many years ago

By: coleman stoves

coleman stoves — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:28:44 +0000

A Good Read…

Very helpful info thanks…

By: Coin Magic Tricks

Coin Magic Tricks — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:54:55 +0000

Great article, I just stumbled across it going through Reddit. Im a bit late though, I mean months late since you made it lol.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:45:38 +0000

Hi Ryan, & thanks for comment. Agree with your words, but to expand on my point: when you’re starting out, I wanted magic words, “the whole story”, and when Ray walked away after his one-two punch, I felt very empty-handed. Coke-bottle-less. It’s only after putting in the years I can look back and say that his words does about sum it up. See my comment to Jane above on this. Good writing yourself in London-land.

By: Ryan Millar

Ryan Millar — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:27:42 +0000

Thanks Vincent. This is great, and while I think Ray wasn’t telling the whole story he was putting it out there very succinctly. There are no secret tricks or shortcuts. “It” is that need.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:50:46 +0000

Thanks, Jane, for the comment, and I agree.

It comes down to need versus want. Both include hard work, but the quality of desire varies. Want is a choice; need is fundamental….

This was partly pressed upon me by the writing workshop I used to be in, and participating in a play writing workshop last Spring, and having one person who was there saying to me last week that she had this idea for a story but hadn’t had time to write it. Since May. This is an example of a want, not a need.

I also think it is tied up with technique and voice. Lots of yearning writers are interested in learning how to write, where they should be interested in finding their voice. Any decent writing comes from that. And it’s the only think original about everyone. But it does takes years, indeed. And it is worth it. What else was I going to do with my life?

By: Jane Steen

Jane Steen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:32:41 +0000

Yes, he was right, though like with all talents, you can develop a small gift into a big one with lots of hard work. I think it was E.F. Benson who said “A writer isn’t someone who CAN write, it’s someone who DOES write.” You became a writer by writing, didn’t you?