And I have this little litany of things they can do. And the first one, of course, is to write - every day, no excuses. It's so easy to make excuses. Even professional writers have days when they'd rather clean the toilet than do the writing.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of discipline and consistency in writing despite the temptation to procrastinate.
Octavia Butler illustrates the struggle that writers face with procrastination and the various distractions that can prevent productive work. By advocating for writing every day without excuses, she highlights the discipline needed to overcome these challenges and commit to the craft of writing. This approach of consistency can foster growth and creativity in any endeavor.
In practice
In a writing workshop, a facilitator might share this quote to encourage participants to prioritize their writing goals.
What I'm working on now - I'm back to fantasy, although considering that it's me, I'm turning it into a kind of science fantasy. It's a vampire story - but my vampires are biological vampires. They didn't become vampires because someone bit them; they were born that way.
Slavery was a long slow process of dulling.
Here I was into astronomy, and here into anthropology, and there I go into geology. It was much more fun to be able to research and write about whatever I wanted to.
There is no end To what a living world Will demand of you.
You don't start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it's good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That's why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.
Better to stay alive," I said. "At least while there's a chance to get free." I thought of the sleeping pills in my bag and wondered just how great a hypocrite I was. It was so easy to advise other people to live with their pain.
To reach the height of our ambition is like trying to reach the rainbow; as we advance it recedes.
Every man's task [his 'great dream' and impassioned life-goal] is his life preserver.
It's better to create something that others criticise than to create nothing and criticise others. Go create, have fun!!
If you want to boo, I want you to boo me as loud as you can, because I think that's a sign of respect: You don't boo the bad players; you boo the really good ones.
The goal in life is the same as in basketball: make the effort to do the best you are capable of doing--in marriage, at your job, in the community, for your country. Make the effort to contribute in whatever way you can. You may do it materially or with time, ideas, or work. Making the effort to contribute is what counts. The effort is what counts in everything.
Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.
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