Raymond Carver's Writing Tips | WRITING ADVICE FROM FAMOUS AUTHORS

[@BigPhilly15]

You’re spot on about writing and life experience. Now that I’ve began writing short stories again in my 40s, I use real life experiences as sort of writing prompts. It makes the work deeper, more believable, and even easier to write.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

It's definitely something to draw from isn't it. Stories feel more robust to me when they're pulled from something real.

[@writeitdown2013]

I love Carver. His story Neighbors was the first I read and it blew me away. There's also a great movie from the 90s called Short Cuts, based on 9 Carver stories. I think tip number two is important. You have to know when to stop editing and move on. Otherwise you could tinker with the bits and pieces of a story forever, improving it in ways the reader probably wouldn't notice anyway.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Me too, his were some of the first short stories I read and I really love the pace of them. Ah, I didn’t know that existed but I’ll look it up! Thank you ☺️

[@dacrewordsmith]

Terrific video KW! I was taking notes, and really enjoyed some of your expressions of appreciation from Raymond Carver's tips; how you interpreted them and why you do/did so. You comment about 'the shape of the ending' was really strong also. I for one love to have the conclusion spelt out for me - and I appreciate the nuance that comes from your style of writing with the open-door closing-beat style you employ. What has been really nice about this series of writing tips is, as you continue on with this exploration we get to know more about you, KW. The man behind the pen!... (keyboard...?) Thanks once again.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thanks mate! I try to keep an open mind about the parts of writing that aren't my preference so that I don't alienate other writers, or lead them to believe that my way is best, when it's all just preference 😊 I like making these vidoes for the same reason you mentioned above, they're more searchable for viewers but I do at least get to share a bit of my own approach with them. Whereas videos I make about strictly my own approach, don't seem to drum up as much interest which is understandable! (I'm not Raymond Carver, or Neil Gaiman!)

[@dacrewordsmith]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting Yeah, but don't ever forget.... Raymond and Neil aren't Kieren, either! ^_^

[@JoeyPaulOnline]

These are all really good, and I very much agree that part of us writers ends up in the story no matter how we try for it not to!

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

It’s impossible to avoid it isn’t it. I often spot stuff in editing and think ‘yup that’s me’ and it’s often not for good reasons either 😂

[@cliffordurmaza4398]

I am a big Carver fan. Thanks for gathering his advice, I haven't seen many "advice" videos on youtube for Carver, so this is much appreciated. It's what I needed for my morning writing boost. Thanks again!

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thank you for watching! I haven’t seen too much either so hoped this would be useful. Sometimes I find just hearing about the process of authors I admire can put me in the mood for writing, so I’m glad this video can do that! ☺️

[@Voice.of.the.Fire.Ministries]

Once again, another brilliant video. I’m really liking these videos. You should give us a little writing challenge at the end of each video, I think that would be fun!

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thanks mate, I worry that they aren’t the most exciting videos in the world but as long as they’re enjoyable/useful I’ll keep on with them ☺️

[@6equj5_]

Great video and such a great channel. This was the first vid I watched on here last year (fan of Ray C) and have been coming back here ever since. Subdued and inviting presentation style and content I've not seen elsewhere. This author writing advice series is great -- keep it up.

[@BrittanyPutzer]

Great video ❤ I agree that a book should make you feel something and descriptions should have a purpose. You shouldn't describe everything.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thank you 🙂 Yeah definitely, there should be a reason I think, even if it's a small one, that's fine!

[@MeredithPhillipsWrites]

* raises hand tentatively * Umm...I almost always skim-read long descriptive passages of a setting 😂 Unless the writer is _extremely_ talented and I can't get enough of their prose, I am not reading whatever they've written about the interior of a house or how mountains look. I think you need a bit of description, but not paragraphs upon paragraphs of it. So I very much agree with you on that one! When it comes to the message or theme of your story--the point of it--I do think that's important and necessary, BUT I don't think you need to know what it is going into the first draft. In almost everything I've written, the message I want to get across jumps out at me after I've finished drafting, never before. Not saying it's like that for everyone, but for newer writers, I would say not to be intimidated by the almighty theme! You might find it later on 😊

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

I wonder if it’s just the evolution of the novel or of written fiction, but I don’t hear too many people say they love a lot of description these days. Could be my own echo-chamber/confirmation bias through! That’s a really good point about not having to know what your point is, thank you. I think I’ll try to make that point in future videos because I think you’re right and it could be intimidating for new writers. Sometimes I say ‘the point’ or ‘the reason you’re writing’ but I don’t really mention that that could just be because you really like your idea, and that’s totally enough ☺️

[@BigPhilly15]

Literary crime fiction is my jam. I’ll check out your work.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thank you!

[@alaricsoto1]

I think, with tinkering, there's a certain balance to be found, which comes from experience. On the one hand, you need to love what you're producing, and rushing it compromises on quality. On the other, as you said, at some point you have to say "enough" and move on. Learning how to do that comes from struggling with yourself honestly. I'm on that track, and I'm sure you're handling it better today than when posting this video :)

[@BigPhilly15]

Also, Carver is one of the greatest. I highly recommend people buy his Library of America edition: it has all his short fiction.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

He's fantastic. I've got most of his short fiction, but the idea of having it all in one place is appealing!

[@drstafford4194]

I’ve had the privilege of working with a lady in my writer’s group, a mentor actually, that studied under one of Raymond’s closest friends, along with some other heavy hitters on staff at the University. She turned me on to him and I’m fascinated by his work. Thanks for doing this video and discussing him and his thoughts. The term she uses to discuss these items and why and when to use them is to be sure you don’t include something just as “fiction furniture.”

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

I really love his work too, I’ve done a few of these videos and sometimes I don’t agree with the advice but Carver’s all made a lot of sense to me. I love that term ‘fiction furniture’ that’s a great way of putting it. I shall adopt that phrase! Thank you so much for watching ☺️

[@drstafford4194]

Lisa, studied under Lewis (Buddy) Nordan and Chuck Kinder. Chuck being the professor that Michael Chabon wrote about (not too loosely based as the story goes) in his book Wonderboys. Micheal Douglas played the main character in the movie. I’m not sure which, Buddy, or Chuck, but one ending up marrying Carver’s widow. Legend has it, an arrangement made before Carvers death. The term “fiction furniture” came directly from Carver, by way of Buddy & Chuck, to Lisa, to me.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

@@drstafford4194 Thanks so much for sharing that with me ☺️

[@raginald7mars408]

… as a German Biologist - I am fascinated by the Person Chandler His Life is amazing

[@maxryder995]

Thanks!

[@davidsigler9690]

I discovered Carver later in my writing life, have you read "Raymond Carver: A Wtiter's Life." By. Carol Sklenicka, great biography.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

I haven't! I've got a few biographies on my shelf but this one isn't among them (yet!).

[@davidsigler9690]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting It's an excellent biography.

[@maxryder995]

George Anderson after Raymond Carver!

[@takmaps]

My stories seem stuck in the 20th century because I really like the weird fiction style of that time

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

You know what, me too! All my stories seem to feature people who still phone each other on landlines and people watching TV or listening to the radio and not the internet 😂 I don’t know what it is exactly, but it just always seems to happen! I totally get where you’re coming from there.

[@takmaps]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting the Internet takes away the dreadful suspense of waiting for just a bad phonecall 😅

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

@@takmaps it does for sure. Also you can never be really lost now either, not really.

[@koltonheath6073]

How do you go about get in get out don't linger and go on

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

It’s very difficult I think. I have a habit of ‘making sure’ with my writing, whether that’s that I’m making my point or I’m being clear enough to etc, so ‘get in, get out, don’t linger’ doesn’t come easy to me. It feels like I’m not giving stuff enough time or detail, though mostly I am. What I’d say is? Don’t be afraid of overwriting, or staying too long in something. ‘Get in, get out, don’t linger’ can absolutely be achieved with editing, when you have hindsight and it’s easier. You don’t have to nail it on the first draft at all.

[@koltonheath6073]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting thanks Kieren for clearing that up for me you are very very helpful

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

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