"Writing - whether fiction, nonfiction, short pieces, novels, or memoirs - is a creative act, an act of resistance, a way to educate readers and inspire action, and to form a better understanding of one's self and past experiences. That does not mean writing is without its challenges and near defeats, and many writers who appeared at this year's sold-out Portland Book Festival shared how they faced them."
""You have to be ready to be lucky. You need to put yourself in a position where luck can find you," Orlean said. Reflecting on balancing "working hard and being purposeful," Orlean continued, "I knew what I wanted, and I was very deliberate about thinking, 'What's the next step to get me to what I want?'" Challenges were faced and overcome, as Orlean wrote in Joyride."
Writing functions as creative expression, resistance, education, and personal exploration. Success in a long literary career combined luck, purposefulness, hard work, and perseverance. Readiness for opportunity involves positioning oneself so luck can be encountered and pursuing deliberate, stepwise goals. Professional setbacks included canceled contracts, vanished interview subjects, and stories that fell apart. Patience and editorial guidance—"Give it one more beat. Just wait, just see."—create space to reshape material. Moments that seem to fall apart can signal growth and transformation, revealing the true shape and direction of a story when plans unexpectedly change.
Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
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