Words of Wisdom taken from Mentors at the Humber School for Writers at this year’s summer workshop…enjoy!
“There are two ways shame can come into your work: for what you have written and for how you have written it. Only the second is valid. The other can be ignored, which is wonderful because you have some control over that second one.” – - Wayson Choy
“Write the book that you want to read. Your talent needs to find a drive of its own, so be true to yourself; write the way you want, about what you want.” - – Guy Vanderhaeghe
“Memory is important to your creativity.” “Find the thing that feeds your creative life.” – - Erika de Vasconcelos
“When you write about a world – either fantastical or realistic – never make the reader feel ‘that would never happen’. They have to believe the world you have created fully.” – - Nino Ricci
“A poet adapts masks to explore truths.”- – Olive Senior
“Don’t write a message, write a story.” - – Freida Wishinsky
“There is a great joy in creating a character that is you, but different. It allows you to knowingly invite that confusion. Take your world – distort it, parody it, characterize it.” – - David Bezmosgis
“Write the book that you want to read.” – That’s been my mantra for years. I also love the Nino Ricci quote. So true!
There were so many amazing things said that week – it was hard to choose!
Wonderful. Thanks for sharing, Noelle.
Had to share…
Nino Ricci’s quote struck a chord. Lucky you to have worked with him.
Nino was wonderful. Very eloquent and intelligent. Soft spoken with very powerful messages.
Nino Ricci’s quote is how I approach everything I write. Good to know I’m doing something write
.
If I have to rely on memory, on the other hand, I am hopelessly lost.
LOVE this ; “A poet adapts masks to explore truths.”- – Olive Senior. It’s not only poets that do this.
I agree – Olive Senior also writes wonderful prose…she was a lovely speaker.