Understanding the Motivational Chapters of Famous Authors

What does it take to go beyond the ordinary and enter that special realm that elevates a written work? These famous writers have some insights.

Numerous publications discuss the craft of writing, describing literary strategies, character development, narrative devices, story pacing, and other elements. However, fewer books explore the core of writing. What does it take to go above and beyond the norm and enter that unique space where a written work is elevated to a memorable experience, one that endures through repeated readings and leaves a mark that lasts a lifetime?

I've gathered advice and motivational sayings from a few of my favorite writers who are (or have been) masters of the craft of writing and at the pinnacle of their profession. It's interesting to notice that they face many of the same obstacles and reservations that we do when starting a project, whether it's a short story, novel, or essay.

Margaret Atwood — Writing motivated by a fear of death

Readers are invited into the labyrinth by Margaret Atwood's collection of articles On Writers and Writing, which was assembled from a number of lectures she delivered over the course of several years. Perhaps I've reached the age where people who have gone through the wash-and-spin cycle a few times are suddenly struck by the idea that their personal experiences in the suds might be helpful to others, according to Atwood.

According to an intriguing theory put forth by Atwood, all narrative writing is driven by a dread of (and fascination with) mortality as well as a desire to travel to the afterlife and bring something back with them. In the book's chapter "Negotiating with the Dead," Atwood writes:

All writers must travel from the present to a previous time; all must travel from one place to another; all must descend to the locations where the stories are stored; and all must take care to avoid being imprisoned and immobilized by the past. And everyone must engage in theft, or alternatively, reclamation, depending on your perspective. The treasure may be protected by the dead, but it is of no use until it can be returned to the land of the living and permitted to reenter time, which entails entering the realm of the audience, the readers, and the realm of change.

John Steinbeck — Wrestling with self-doubt

"Is this work any good?" appears to be ongoing. John Steinbeck began writing The Grapes of Wrath at the age of 66, at a time in his career when he was experiencing great success and had a long list of best-sellers to his credit. His confidence was unaffected by any of his prior achievements. Steinbeck said, about halfway through his book and facing a barrage of perplexing issues:

My entire life is entangled. Most people would prefer that it be tied. And perhaps I do. My numerous vulnerabilities are starting to emerge. I have to get this out of my system immediately. I don't write. I've been deceiving both myself and others. If only I were. This success will definitely wreck me. It most likely won't last, but that's okay.

Naturally, Steinbeck completed the work, and it went on to win numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.

Given the political environment of the period, the novel received some scathing criticism when it was first published. Working Days: The Journal of The Grapes of Wrath, a diary kept by Steinbeck during the writing process, contains considerable background information and editorial input. The time that Steinbeck spent in Los Gatos, California, is represented as a story in and of itself, and the challenges faced in bringing the novel to life are reminiscent of an epic voyage.

Kurt Vonnegut — Living through apocalyptic events

His experiences as a prisoner of war who saw the firebombing of Dresden personally (as one of the few survivors, hiding out in an underground slaughterhouse) inspired Kurt Vonnegut to write Slaughterhouse-Five. Pity the Reader: On Writing with Style, written by Suzanne McConnell, a former pupil of Vonnegut's at the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop, includes his reflections on the process of writing that book. The author became a lifelong friend to her, and she collected a lot of his writing tips in this one book.

Vonnegut was kind to other authors and was obviously appreciative of the work produced in writing communities (like the Iowa Writer's Workshop). Vonnegut had described heaven and hell in the classroom, and McConnell recited his explanation: "In hell, everyone is confined to a dinner table filled with food, each striving but unable to eat. It's exactly the same in paradise. Everyone is feeding one another, with the exception of heaven.

This piece in The Marginalian, which summarizes Vonnegut's essay "How to Write with Style," offers a succinct yet relatable view on the key ideas of effective writing. His first of eight guidelines for successful writing is a timeless one: choose a topic you are passionate about.

Find a topic that matters to you and one you believe others should care about as well.

 The most alluring and attractive aspect of your style will be this sincere concern,

 not your language tricks.

Anne Lamott — Becoming conscious as a writer

Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life frequently (and rightfully) appears on lists of the top writing books. It is both educational in part, offering a wealth of writing skill tips, and spiritual, though not in a religious sense. It is more about the excitement and adrenaline of drawing from that inner well of thoughts and experiences and somehow bringing them to life via language.

In the book's last chapter, "The Last Class," Lamott states:

It takes awareness to develop as a writer. You may turn on the lights for your reader when you're conscious, writing from a place of understanding, simplicity, and genuine concern for the truth. The awful sensation of loneliness that we have all had too much of will lessen when he or she recognizes his or her life and reality in what you say and in the pictures you have made.

Octavia Butler — The virtue of persistence

Octavia Butler, a visionary in many respects, achieved success in the traditionally male-dominated field of science fiction. Her accomplishments include obtaining a MacArthur Fellowship for her work incorporating concepts from spiritualism and African and African-American folklore. Her two-book Parable of the Sower trilogy received the Nebula Award, and Hulu turned her time-travel novel Kindred, which describes life on a 19th-century plantation, into an original TV series. Butler has written numerous additional books that tackle important societal concerns like racism, xenophobia, and environmental crises.

Vanessa Willoughby compiled Butler's best writing advice in a LitHub post. Butler, like Vonnegut, thought writing classes had a lot to offer, saying:

It's a terrific way to rent an audience, ensure that you're communicating what you believe you're communicating, which is not usually the case, and make sure you're forgetting a few things, so I advise budding authors to take lessons. Leave talent out of it. They should check out the bestselling lists to see who else lacks talent but hasn't let that stop them, so don't be concerned. Ignore inspiration since it will more often serve as a justification for not writing, as in "I can't write today because I'm not inspired." Persistence is the most important quality for any aspiring writer to possess. Simply persevere, continue honing your craft, and keep attempting.

Jeff VanderMeer — Finding your core of creativity

By developing unique methods to speculative fiction, Jeff VanderMeer has gained acclaim and international fame. In Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction, he presents a route for authors looking for ways to access their own natural creativity.

In Wonderbook, VanderMeer offers the following guidance:

Even if the spark can turn into a continuous chain reaction, for some writers, these subsequent "eureka" moments may never match the impact of those original moments when the tale initially opened up to them. In fact, writers frequently find it simpler to discuss technique, sweat, and the long struggle than inspiration. And perhaps there is some validity to that strategy. You spend a lot of your time slogging through the forced march required to finish a piece of fiction. Just like you can't be madly, sincerely, and insanely in love every day, you also can't be inspired every day. But the essence of your creativity is defined by how such moments play out as you move through the world and the world moves through you.

Ray Bradbury — What does writing teach us?

Ray Bradbury provides an answer to the question "What does writing teach us?" in Zen and the Art of Writing.

First and foremost, it serves as a reminder that life is a gift and a privilege, not a right, and that we should cherish it. After been given life, we must earn it. Because life has rewarded us with animation, it demands compensation.