Henry Miller on writing

[stgulik]

I saw these tonight and thought of all of you!

To keep himself focused on his writing, the novelist Henry Miller devised eleven commandments for success.

COMMANDMENTS

1. Work on one thing at a time until finished.
2. Start no more new books, add no more new material to ‘Black Spring.’
3. Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.
4. Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
5. When you can’t create you can work.
6. Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
7. Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
8. Don’t be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.
9. Discard the Program when you feel like it—but go back to it next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
10. Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
11. Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.

Even though my writing assignments are nonfic, I feel inspired to adapt these commandments for government work. My favorite commandment is "When you can't create you can work." There are so many days when the inspiration it takes to get narrative to flow in one of my papers is hard to come by. I tend to hate myself on days I can't even get one paragraph on paper. But on those days, at least I can work - I can fix a chart, I can research a chronology, I can polish up my endless endnotes. Just because I'm not a genius most days doesn't mean I'm not still good.

Based on your own writing experience, what would you add to or subtract from these rules?

Comments

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this, Jules! I find many of these to be very inspirational and extremely good advice.

I guess I loved number 8, but when I am writing, I feel like a draught horse, because I am Muse-ridden until I am done, especially when he is driving and it all feels like dictation.

And never put down what YOU do. Aside from the work you do in your professional life, which you should be proud of, the work you do for me and your other beta projects is too invaluable to ignore. I literally feel naked without your shining wings covering me, tidying me up in my grubby state. Until you have cleaned up all the mess, and I can present myself with pride, I am ashamed to be seen.

I guess if I were to add anything, it would be, find an editor/beta you trust, and guard them with your life. You may be on the firing line, but they are the one providing you with the amunition and the courage to poke your head over the trenches.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

Thank you, sweetie! I needed to hear that.

[noxiaa.livejournal.com]

Actually, I disagree with practically every single one of his rules.

You see, it's my own rigidity that stifled my writing ability for decades. Seriously.

Working on one thing at a time means I feel pressured and reigned in. I've found if I have one major project I'm working on, if I have a spurt of inspiration for another idea on the burner, it's best to write and get it out of the system. Then I go back to the main project refreshed and with renewed vigor. It's similar to how I do needlework. If I tell myself I can ONLY work on one project, I stop working completely. If I have two different ones going, I can work on each as I'm inspired to do so. I don't feel constrained or coerced if I have choices.

I think the fundamental difference between myself and Mr. Miller is that for me, there is no joy in work. Work is labor. Work is mindless. Work is something like cleaning out the garage or scrubbing floors. Work is a practical necessity that while it may feel good getting it done, it's a necessary evil. What I love is productivity. Getting things done as one is able. Especially for people like me for whom "Programs" don't work due to mitigating circumstances. I can set up a "program" all I want, but if I'm having an episode, all I can do is live through it and remind myself tomorrow is another day. I've learned that for survival in my life, I need adaptability. Fortunately, being forced into playing my days by ear has helped me let go myself. To start listening to my Muse, even when I balk, instead of trying to order her around because she's not doing what I want.

Also, 7 and 11 contradict themselves. He says to see people and go places in 7, but then it comes across as "don't do ANYTHING unrelated to work until you get your work done!" in 11.

"Narrowing down" and "Excluding", once again, do not work for me. Those are what I have done my entire life, and all it got me was closing my open mind and not being able to see shades of grey in anything.

I've had to learn to forgive myself if I can't write something every single day. My focus has had to be on writing as I am able. Another difference is that for me, researching and writing down notes isn't work, it's part of the creative process, so for me it's part and parcel with creating.

I know those who write professionally need those rigid constraints to make deadlines and keep a roof over their heads. However, I also acknowledge that is one of the reasons I could never be a big-name professional author. Deadlines = pressure = no joy = creativity stops dead. And books that are all "work" often are obvious to a reader. They just.. aren't as good as when the creativity and love were fresh, instead of the author just writing to get their paycheck.

If those guidelines work for you, that's absolutely wonderful! :) Everyone has their own particular way that works.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

I like the way Henry Miller's commandments did two things: they exhorted him to focus on his priority projects, and they acknowledged that the human brain does need to unplug every day and take time for other pursuits. Taken together, the rules helped him remember how to prioritize his work days. And I can really respect that.

On my wall is an anonymous quote: "Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the Internet." (Ironically, I found this on the Internet, but that's beside the point.) As a writer, my own shortcoming is that I tend to drop out if a project gets particularly tough. I'd rather play Angry Birds than dig in and work through a writing conundrum. By the time I get back to it, I've forgotten most of my ideas, so the challenging piece sometimes doesn't even get written. That's why I liked these commandments. They spoke to me. They told me I'm not alone. They told me to keep trying.

But as you say, every writer is different, and thank goodness for that. If the only kind of writer were MY kind, there would be nothing challenging to read out there in the world, and only writers would have the highest scores on Angry Birds. :-)

[droxy.livejournal.com]

Clearly henry Miller didn't work for Corporate America. While these are good goals, many are downright laughable given the realities of the modern world and theory X management styles.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

I know, right? Our managers' business school tricks so often knock our careful schedules out of whack.