Francis Ford Coppola Does It

Hey, writer-friends! *waves enthusiastically* It's my day to steer this bloggy ship, and I confess... I've been in The Cave.

I'm in the thick of revisions and edits, and my inspiration is all directed toward Anna + Julian in Book #3 of the Dragonfly series, Watercolor (link).

But I want to give you something you can use! So I went back and scoured my ole writer's blog for something readers seemed to like. That's Write, I'm recycling (wink). See what you think~

OK, I did it again. I got another Fresh Air podcast inspiration.

But this time I was listening to Francis Ford Coppola talking about his film career and being a writer. I mean, sure. It's screenwriting. But he had the greatest advice.

FFC says...

I was kind of already doing it (bet some of you were, too), so in truth, it was the greatest affirmation.

He said, "When you're writing, just keep writing."

OK, that's not exactly what he said.

The gist of what he said was that young writers don't trust themselves. They go back and read those first five pages right after they've written them, and lots of times, they tear them up.

Along with some potentially good ideas or inspiration.

(Historical Note: FFC's old, children. Back in the day, writers used to write stuff on paper. Which they cold tear. His point is sort of the equivalent of deleting it all today.)

Back to Frank! He said to write, write, write. (Just keep swimming.) Then put it away for a day or so (Stephen King says a month, doesn't he?), and then go back and read it.

Give yourself a chance to forget it, and then read it with fresh eyes. It's something I (used to) tell my editing clients all the time. Take a break. Let it rest a few days to a week. You'll be amazed how different it'll look.

Gene Hackman listens to FFC...

He also admitted that he copied all his favorite screenwriters and directors.

He confessed that his movie The Conversation was based on some movie he loved and wanted to copy.

And then he said the most important point: But that's impossible!

Which I interpreted this way: It's okay to emulate, to strive to write something like that book you love so much.

(The one that made you almost give up on writing because you'd never in a million years be able to ever write anything that good. Ever.)

I'm not talking about plagerism, as I've said before. I'm talking about being inspired. Being challenged. Being ticked off (or depressed) by other writers.

And then getting in there and trying to beat them, depending on your personality.

I'm a bit competitive, so after I get over the wallowing and the "Oh, I'll never write as good as Jessica Bell!" I get up, dust myself off, and then get ready to kick her tushie. (*wink*)

Yes?

OK, so here's the link to that podcast (link). And now hit it! I want to see some drills. Jumping jacks. Drop and give me 20K (words, that is)!

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! I'm planning to get some of my own revisions done this week. More soon~ <3

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Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a former freelance editor, a former journalist, a caffeine addict, a chocoholic, a beach bum, a lover of any great love story, and occasionally she sleeps.

-THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKING (link) is her debut young adult romance.
-THE TRUTH ABOUT LETTING GO (link) is her newest book available now!
-ROUGE (link) is her mature-YA/new adult romantic suspense novel.
-DRAGONFLY (link), and UNDERTOW (link) Books 1-2 in her new adult, contemporary romance series are out now!

Leigh loves hearing from readers; stop by and say hello:
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