One of my goals for 2025 is to read at least six books that focus on the craft of writing. Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg was my first book of 2025, and now, three months later, I can add 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round by Jami Attenberg.
This book was fun and full of sage advice from professionals in the field. Broken up into the four seasons, each season focuses on what you can do to continue to push yourself forward in your craft.
“Winter is an internal and developmental phase.
Spring is about prepping for our project, assessing what we need in order to move forward and be as productive as possible.
Summer is when we’ve carved out time in our schedules, we’ve plotted out the future, and we’re ready to commit to generating new work.
Fall is when we acknowledge the need to give ourselves grace.”
(25-26)
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While I wouldn’t say anything in this book was life-changing, I can say that a lot of it was like a friendly, and sometimes firm, reminder of the work that is writing. Sometimes it flows and is beautiful and wonderful and uplifting. Sometimes it is not and is more akin to having dental work done. Just like the earth experiences seasons, so does the craft. I think the idea of giving myself permission to not be prolific in my word counts all year round is pretty much exactly what I needed to hear. Here are some of the quotes that stuck out to me. Maybe they can encourage you as well.
“To sit down and write is an act of grasping at a stable, realized moment in the whir of existence... Yes, we write toward the future, but also we claim right now with our words” (57).
“No one will ask you to write, full stop. It’s up to you... Writing isn’t something anyone wants from you but a thing you demand of yourself” (59).
“A writer loves the dark, loves it, but is always fumbling around in the light” (61).
“It’s not a binary: writing doesn’t have to be perfect on the first try or it’s garbage. Art making is a durational practice. We work the material, and the material works us” (122).
“The muse visits during the act of creation, not before” (166).
“To make art is to traffic in beliefs” (189).
“Do not lose faith or heart. Write these stories.
There is still time to get everything done” (217).
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