March 17, 2004
I spent the evening updating my badly neglected book list. It is amazing to me how many books on writing I’ve read; I could do Amazon’s entire book review in this genre!
Several months after floundering around on my own, I discovered books on how to write, how to think, how to create. Like any creative person first beginning, I wanted to know the exact path to take. I wanted the secure, linear route. I wanted to follow steps one, two and three.
So I purchased every book that promised to teach me.
Oh, some taught me things I didn’t know and have been very handy but most books on that list have been sold to second hand book shops or given away to friends. Only a few of the classics remain because I realised I needed to know the rules, but I didn’t need to know how to implement them in my life; that’s my choice, my personal book.
I keep the book recommendations and reading list up because I know when your first starting out you crave information. You’ll read anything and sometimes, you’ll do more reading and thinking of writing/being creative than the actual task itself. This is normal.
Just remember, they’re just books – you’re the real magic.