The best advice I’ve received about writing is simple and to the point: writers write. Writing makes you a writer. Drinking at the bar, or talking about what you are going to write with friends, or hanging around the house in your robe, does not make you a writer. Writers write. But of course writers also read, and writers watch, and writers listen.
There are a few things that I listen to that you might enjoy.
Audible.com. For inspiration and entertainment I listen to audio books that I’ve purchase through my monthly subscription at Audible.com. This is a wonderful service and I cannot say enough about their customer service and return policy. For about fourteen bucks a month I get one credit, which I can spend on any priced book. So, there might be a book that is normally sixty dollars that I get for fourteen. I can also purchase additional books at a discount. But here is the best bit — if you don’t like the book they will take it back without question. I normally listen to about 4 books a month and return at least one of them. Yes it is an investment, but I’ve found it an extremely valuable one.
Selected Shorts Podcast. This free service is put out by Symphony Space. Their weekly podcast is about an hour long and has world-class actors read some of the finest short stories. Through this service I’ve discovered new writers that I’ve fallen in love with, but I’ve also learned a lot about writing from these excellent stories / readings.
Poetry off the Shelf Podcast. This is another free resource that I just love. Curtis Fox of the Poetry Foundation hosts a weekly show that explores poets and their poetry. It is one of the best shows out there on poetry and Mr. Fox is entertaining, smart and inspiring. Even if you don’t normally write or read poetry, I would recommend listening — you’ll gain a new appreciation for poetry and your writing will probably be improved (gets me to think more about rhythm, rhyme, and pacing, for example).
Writer’s Almanac Podcast by Garrison Keillor. Free. Daily. Great. Learn about famous writers and listen to one great poem.
Writers write. Writers write. Writers write, but they also listen. Listen.
