This SECRET makes writers successful
from The Wordslinger Podcast Hosted by J. Kevin Tumlinson
A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT What do successful writers have in common? They surround themselves with writing. In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I talk about one of the most useful habits I’ve developed over the years: reading books by writers about the writing life, learning from other authors, attending conferences, listening to interviews and podcasts, and immersing yourself in the experiences of people who understand what it means to do this work. I’ve recently been reading Larry McMurtry’s Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen, and I’m moving on to Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing. Books like these aren’t necessarily about teaching you how to construct a plot or write better dialogue. They give you something different: perspective. And perspective matters. Every writer struggles. Every writer wonders whether they’re doing it wrong. Every writer hits periods when motivation disappears and the work gets harder. Hearing how other writers think, work, struggle, and keep going can remind you that there are a million different ways to build a writing career—and help you discover your own. We’ll also talk about why you should read outside your genre, why writers’ conferences can be transformative, why you shouldn’t compare your career to someone else’s, and why you should take every writer’s success story with at least a small grain of salt. Because writers are storytellers. And storytellers sometimes polish the story. If you’re building a life around writing, publishing, creativity, and storytelling, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is the place for practical, experience-driven guidance to help you become a better writer, navigate publishing, build your career, and keep going when the work gets difficult. Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at http://knoveltonbooks.com TIMECODES: 00:00 Why I’m reading books by writers about writing 00:52 Larry McMurtry and Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen 01:33 Writers should read far and wide 02:14 What different genres can teach you 03:38 Why successful writers are worth studying 04:23 Don’t compare yourself to other writers 04:53 Why writers need other writers 06:00 How writers’ conferences can reignite your creativity 07:02 You’re probably not doing writing wrong 08:11 Surround yourself with writers and writing 08:51 Writers are liars 09:51 Learn from the lesson, not just the success story 11:16 Build an environment that keeps you inspired FIND KEVIN: Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com SERVICES FOR AUTHORS: Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5 Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com
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What this episode covers
In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, Kevin explores why successful writers surround themselves with writing—not just craft books, but memoirs, essays, interviews, podcasts, conferences, and the perspectives of other writers. Reading widely and learning how other writers think can help shape your own approach to the work. He also looks at why writers should avoid comparison, embrace the fact that there’s no single “right” way to build a writing career, and stay connected to other writers for inspiration when the work gets difficult.
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