I was watching Robert Downey, Jr. on the Actor's Studio this morning and he left the students with a quote he attributed to Joseph Campell. "If you're trodding on the beaten path, it's not your path."
Curious, I looked up the quote to make sure my "memory" got it right. What Downey did was paraphase Campbell's quote which is. "If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path."
Great words to write by! Follow your instincts, write what you need to write, and don't worry because it's not the same as that rich and famous writer over there. Your voice is unique and your writing path belongs to you. Be brave!
For more great Campbell quotes to start your day go here http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/20105.Joseph_Campbell
6 comments:
A good quote indeed.
Unfortunately you have to persuade the publishing industry of this. Because they like the old paths. They don't know how to market anything that doesn't follow the old route.
I know, Patti, and that's the sad part, especially with novel writing. But I think with short stories you have more leeway to experiment, to find a different way of telling old stories.
There are short story markets that can't see beyond what's been done before, but there are newer markets that actively seek new work that breaks the boundaries.
I know that freelancers don't have the freedom to break the mold, but in work they do for themselves they do have the option to experiment and try new things.
The market place is a strange being. They look for fresh and new but still publish the old and familiar. And writers are caught in the middle.
That was tremendous. Alway been kind of an "offbeat" or different drummer type, as I'm sure a lot of writers are. Still, there are those that conform and compromise and others who don't give a shit, me being one of them ;)
Thanks for the encouragement, Sandra. Be brave! I like that.
Me, too, Sean. I tried writing what everyone else was, but it didn't work for me. I had much more success writing the stories I wanted to write. And while I don't always find a market for them, I'm still happy with the results.
It takes a lot of courage to keep putting those words down on the page, Barbara, and then sending them out.
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