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.

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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

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