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The Courage to Write
The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear | Ralph Keyes
3 posts | 10 read | 13 to read
Katherine Anne Porter called courage "the first essential" for a writer. "I have to talk myself into bravery with every sentence," agreed Cynthia Ozick, "sometimes every syllable." E. B. White said he admired anyone who "has the guts to write anything at all."An author who has taught writing for more than thirty years, Ralph Keyes assures readers that anxiety is felt by writers at every level and can be harnessed to produce honest and disciplined work., Keyes offers specifics on how to make the best use of writers' workshops and conferences and how to handle criticism of works in progress; he also exposes the most common "false fear busters" (needing new equipment, a better setting, a new agent). Throughout, he includes the comments of many accomplished writers--Pat Conroy, Amy Tan, Rita Dove, Isabel Allende, and others--on how they transcended their own anxieties to produce great works.
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m.galehuxley
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Most of my journals from the past 7 years or so are filled with me wondering and complaining about when I will finally begin to write as seriously as I‘d like to. In fact, I‘ve gotten so annoyed with myself that in my journals from the last 3 years, I‘ve said if I don‘t begin to write by (insert ever-changing date here), I will give up the dream. So, I‘m sitting here reading and trying to work up the courage.

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ValerieAndBooks
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For some reason non-fiction is my preferred poolside reading. This anecdote-heavy book about how different writers- including himself- deal with various fears, has been thought-provoking. One common fear is what will my friends and family think?! I know that's one of mine. Not a how-to, tho. 👍🏻

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ValerieAndBooks
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So far *The Courage to Write* by Ralph Keyes is thought-provoking and highly quote-worthy. These type of books in the quote here are exactly the ones I tend to bail on regardless of the writer's "reputation ". Interestingly Keyes cites Gertrude Stein as being one such author. Your thoughts?

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