Writer's workshop with Daniel Wallace

Last night Daniel Wallace stopped by our little library on a European library tour.  He hosted a writer's workshop for an hour and then went into a book reading.  

Here's the main things that really stuck out to me that he covered:

• Write clear, concise sentences.  
• Write for you "toward" being published. 
• Watch out for censoring yourself in your writing.
• Keep at it.
• Things only need to make sense in the context of the story.
• Writing isn't therapy for the writer but for the reader.
• Have a good reader to give you feedback.

Good advice, no?  I've been making writing a lot harder than it needs to be.  Defeating myself before I even got to the page.  Daniel Wallace really helped me see that even though it's hard work, writing is fun.  Just ask a runner.  Is it hard?  Yes.  Is it fun? Oh yes.

People also asked his writing style.  Is he a plotter or outliner?  What's his process?

He said that writing for him is like driving a car at night with the headlights on.  You can see what's ahead of you, but can't really see where you're going.