tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post2038189660199597738..comments2023-04-20T06:55:07.427-06:00Comments on Johanna's Spillworthy Thoughts: The World Needs WritersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-51561567592993435582013-07-17T11:23:36.000-06:002013-07-17T11:23:36.000-06:00Loved the world needs writers. We write because we...Loved the world needs writers. We write because we have a story to share, a story that lies deep inside ourselves and in writing that story we become more. Hopefully others will read it but in the end the story itself is what mattersGeof Spaldinghttp://www.33rdsage.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-39138651757376372382013-07-17T06:37:12.000-06:002013-07-17T06:37:12.000-06:00Yes. And it should be referenced before we sign a...Yes. And it should be referenced before we sign any contracts.Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-35518215039391345352013-07-19T06:31:07.000-06:002013-07-19T06:31:07.000-06:00Your piece inspired me to keep writing at a time w...Your piece inspired me to keep writing at a time when I needed it most. Thank you.Peggy Townsendnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-74758482936896869142013-07-17T00:57:29.000-06:002013-07-17T00:57:29.000-06:00Thank you, Jess. I needed someone to remind me to...Thank you, Jess. I needed someone to remind me too. <br><br>{The world needs writers. Pass it on.}Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-48261440644618694982013-07-17T00:59:22.000-06:002013-07-17T00:59:22.000-06:00Thanks, Ron. It's always good to remind mysel...Thanks, Ron. It's always good to remind myself that I may have broken my book, but I didn't break the writer. And hey, maybe someday I'll put that story back together. For now, I have other books to write.Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-9156313294242513492013-07-17T01:36:27.000-06:002013-07-17T01:36:27.000-06:00Oh there seems to be something in the air. I wrote...Oh there seems to be something in the air. I wrote a post this week that covered the same area, and have read quite a few more.<br>Vive la Revolution.<br>Thank you for writing this.Vivhttp://zenandtheartoftightropewalking.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-88228352256764453072013-07-17T01:44:15.000-06:002013-07-17T01:44:15.000-06:00This is wonderful, Johanna."don’t be ambitiou...This is wonderful, Johanna.<br><br>"don’t be ambitious about publishing or selling. Be ambitious about your ideas and your writing." That should be stapled on the walls of everywhere that has anything to do with literature!Dan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-65847381226999732522013-07-17T01:48:18.000-06:002013-07-17T01:48:18.000-06:00Great post. Stirring stuff. Hope you don't mi...Great post. Stirring stuff. Hope you don't mind but I've stuck some quotes from it on the wall behind my laptop for when the black dog turns up.<br><br>Quick question - who wrote 'Great Expectations'?<br><br>Ok, who was his agent? And who cares??Stephen O'Sullivanhttp://ridingthehighstool.blogspot.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-52415154071362232972013-07-16T23:42:01.000-06:002013-07-16T23:42:01.000-06:00I've worked in a second hand and outlet bookst...I've worked in a second hand and outlet bookstore for a long time. Our motto was more or less the marketeer's: We don't need people to read books. We need them to buy books. <br>As a writer, especially one wanting to publish that's sad but true. Quality versus sellability (yes, I know that's not a word). <br>Good on you for firing your agent and finding your own way through it all. The world needs writers. And they need the writers to be true to themselves above all. <br>Because selling books is nice. But knowing they're read, enjoyed, felt and lived is way more important than that. In the end. I think.Linniehttp://tantewillemijn.livejournal.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-73409257167918458132013-07-16T23:49:55.000-06:002013-07-16T23:49:55.000-06:00Thanks, Linnie. I guess I'm starting to take C...Thanks, Linnie. I guess I'm starting to take Cheryl Strayed's advice, because writing this was terrifying.Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-1133800976856330472013-07-17T00:01:51.000-06:002013-07-17T00:01:51.000-06:00A powerful journey, Johanna. In undertaking it, in...A powerful journey, Johanna. In undertaking it, in sharing it with us, you gave us a condensed and powerful journey of our own. How could we forget along the way that writers matter? Writing matters. The world needs writers, you say, and in that moment I remember the truth of it. Thank you for this post.<br><br>Take care,<br>JCJC Rosenhttp://jessrosen.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-7310317235769597992013-07-17T00:10:27.000-06:002013-07-17T00:10:27.000-06:00Great article. If there's anything I've le...Great article. If there's anything I've learned on my indie publishing journey, it's that all of this is hard, really hard. But I'm in this for the long term. It's good to see that you've not given up and that you're taking that leap of faith. That leap in believing in yourself.Ron Vitalehttp://Ronvitale.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-82079095049169842162013-07-17T06:46:45.000-06:002013-07-17T06:46:45.000-06:00I may take you up on that, John. I'm not sure...I may take you up on that, John. I'm not sure I have that version.Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-1000426196273695672013-07-17T09:26:00.000-06:002013-07-17T09:26:00.000-06:00Enjoyed reading this and will definitely keep it i...Enjoyed reading this and will definitely keep it in the forefront of my mind. Writing is my passion, and I want it to stay that way.Alisa Russellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-6977730682699034652013-07-17T06:43:40.000-06:002013-07-17T06:43:40.000-06:00Thanks, John. I find it easier to be protective o...Thanks, John. I find it easier to be protective of other writers and their voices. I'm very thankful for those of you protective of mine.Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-48588381766916936042013-07-18T00:07:16.000-06:002013-07-18T00:07:16.000-06:00A wonderful piece Johanna, you are spot on with &#...A wonderful piece Johanna, you are spot on with 'We need people who will speak honestly about their lives and their experiences, people who make us think and tell us hard-won truths. We need truth in all forms.' Such writing may unfortunately not sell, are we too scared of it? But it does connect us together and that is far more important than sales.Andyhttp://decodingstatic.blogspot.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-53631439847415280602013-07-18T00:32:28.000-06:002013-07-18T00:32:28.000-06:00This really resonated with me. Thank youThis really resonated with me. Thank youAlisonhttp://www.alisonpercival.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-19006332121595708132013-07-18T01:09:33.000-06:002013-07-18T01:09:33.000-06:00Our Courageous Johanna...We all believe in you..No...Our Courageous Johanna...We all believe in you..Now Is Your Time,must be a bit Selfish to move on.Remember How Many People You Have Encouraged..Please xx SusanSusannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-1420878100782370582013-07-17T09:34:30.000-06:002013-07-17T09:34:30.000-06:00I am always moved by stories that ring of truth. S...I am always moved by stories that ring of truth. Somewhere I read a famous author (maybe Neil Gaiman) saying that your voice is unique. Only you can tell your stories. If it takes away from your story or its characters, think long and hard.<br><br>On the other hand, I do editing work with fiction. A good editor will work to pick up inconsistencies with the writing, characters, and story. We as authors need to work with our editors to make our stories the best they can be. If there is something to their comments about the substance of your story, especially if the different editors pick it, look at working on that section. These guys have been doing their jobs for a while, so hopefully they have some intuition about it all. <br><br>However marketability is a term I find annoying. Who wants the same old stories?<br><br>I think you did the right thing. Work with one editor is my advice. It gets to be a case of too many cooks. <br><br>Good luck and I hope you find an agent that appreciates your voice.Smophnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-18106679964461731782013-07-17T06:41:56.000-06:002013-07-17T06:41:56.000-06:00Don't give up, Clara. Keep writing what matte...Don't give up, Clara. Keep writing what matters.Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-68085173872060856802013-07-25T00:11:43.000-06:002013-07-25T00:11:43.000-06:00[...] The World Needs Writers from Johanna Harness...[...] The World Needs Writers from Johanna Harness (via M. Fenn) On the power and necessity of truthful honest raw stories… which means courageous storytellers. [...]A note and some links to share | Visible and Realhttp://visibleandreal.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/a-note-and-some-links-to-share/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-19750870924803836482013-07-18T02:35:14.000-06:002013-07-18T02:35:14.000-06:00[...] The World Needs Writers Johanna Harkness on ...[...] The World Needs Writers Johanna Harkness on writers and storytelling. Telling those tales is important. [...]Link Treats | M. Fennhttp://mfennwrites.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/link-treats-4/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-32461017174732860702013-07-17T21:37:28.000-06:002013-07-17T21:37:28.000-06:00Yes. Yes. Yes! This is what I signed up for:-D Tha...Yes. Yes. Yes! This is what I signed up for:-D Thanks for posting, Johanna:-Dmima tippernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-2259183238722081382013-07-17T06:40:45.000-06:002013-07-17T06:40:45.000-06:00Excellent point. I was reminded just the other day...Excellent point. I was reminded just the other day that Walt Whitman self-published Leaves of Grass---and he wrote his own negative reviews to give it weight. When he was outed for reviewing his own work, he published those scathing remarks alongside his own reviews. <br><br>Oh yeah. <i> I am large. I contain multitudes. </i><br><br>Thanks for the long-view, Stephen!Johanna Harnesshttp://www.johannaharness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8150322794779933406.post-56936644555081228762013-07-17T02:40:20.000-06:002013-07-17T02:40:20.000-06:00Thanks for another 'truth" wake up call, ...Thanks for another 'truth" wake up call, Johanna! It seems my writings lacked authenticity. I suppose because of fear. I let go of an attempt at writing my memoir, because it lacked authenticity. Like Cheryl Strayed advised "Always write terrified" I get it and I will.<br><br>Blessings,<br>Clara.clara54http://authentic-woman.netnoreply@blogger.com