The Incredible Value of A Writer’s First Thoughts
3 reasons they’re your true voice
I’ve started reading Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. I’ve got to tell you, this book is fantastic so far.
It’s really a big collection of essays on how to set your true writing voice free.
In my own experience, I’ve found that my true voice, my best one, the one that’s the real me is living in those first thoughts that hit the page.
But that’s dangerous, isn’t it?
You’ve probably heard lots of writers say that your work sucks until you write it over and over again.
I’m not going to say you shouldn’t edit. I am going to say that when you listen to that advice you’ll probably edit the life out of your words.
I used to do some epic drawings. I’m talking 20–30 hours to do one. That’s a huge time investment.
Editing for a visual artist is erasing, blending, and repainting. You can do that as much as you like. But here’s one thing you must know.
After you’ve rubbed the paper in one spot 15 times, it starts to deteriorate. In other words, each additional erasure takes a bit of paper…
