Ask Winston

My job is taxing. . .but I live to serve!

I was sniffing around the office and noticed that the Two-Legged Writer has opened a new file, which means a new book. I should have guessed what she was up to -- she's been late with my supper several days in a row! And there's a lot of mumbling and hair pulling going on, too. I do my best to help -- chewing on the end of her pen when she's writing, or keeping her lap warm while she's typing. But even a Wonder Dog can only do so much.

She keeps a small leather bound notebook on her desk and, while I was waiting ever so patiently for her to take me on my afternoon constitutional, I sniffed around in it. Turns out, she keeps inspirational quotes in there, from other writers. She seems to be referring to it a lot these days. So I thought, instead of answering a question today, I'd share some of those wise words in case any of you other two-legged writers need a little bark of encouragement.

• "Writing is show business." Louise Boggess
• "Metaphors are exactly held errors." John Ciardi
• "The past is not a package we can lay on the shelf." Emily Dickinson
• "Doubt is the author's dragon." Paul Fleischman
• "The moment of inspiration is not a gift. It must be worked for. If the artist only works when he feelts like it, he's not apt to build up much of a body of work." Madeleine L'Engle
• "I try to leave out the parts that people skip." Elmore Leonard
• "For as I look back on what I have written, I can see that the very person who have taken away my time and space are those who have given me something to say." Katherine Paterson
• "Truth that is boring is not truth." Isaac Bashevis Singer

The Two Legged Writer says this one is her favorite:
"Only God gets it right the first time." Stephen King

Now, get back to work or no Milk Bones for you!