Episode 413 THE GREAT AMERICAN AUTHORS (Part 11) Sinclair Lewis, Key West, and Tennessee Williams

Two Great authors and one inspirational city are the focus of this episode. 

Sinclair Lewis 

Sinclair Lewis's writing advice, often delivered directly to his students or in letters, focused on the practicalities of a writing life and the raw discipline required. Some of his most memorable guidance includes the reminder that "real writers" are unstoppable and the emphasis that writing is simply hard work. 

Focus and discipline

• Don't fool yourself. Lewis advised writers, "You can fool the critics but never yourself". 
• Embrace the hard work.
• Ignore discouraging words. 
• Turn off distractions. 

Writing craft

• Write with your ear. Lewis insisted that writers and readers should use their ears, not just their eyes.
• Write what truly interests you. He advised, "Write about what really interests you... and nothing else". 
• Be painstakingly clear. 
• Save your drafts. He suggested that if you give up on a piece of writing, you should put it in a drawer instead of throwing it away. He found that much of his best work came from revising or rewriting things he had abandoned years earlier.
• Know your words.
• Consider not using a typewriter.

Advice to his students

When Lewis taught at the University of Minnesota, he had some pointed words for his class. : 

• Compete with the best. 
• Possess a "divine egotism". Lewis encouraged a form of confidence and ambition in his students.
• Live righteously. 

Tennessee Williams 

Based on his journals and interviews, Tennessee Williams' writing advice centers on honest, emotionally-driven storytelling and consistent practice. He encouraged writers to focus on the human heart, avoid distractions, and embrace the fragile, conflicted parts of themselves and their characters. 

Write honestly and from within

• Focus on inner tension. 
• Be autobiographical. 
• Identify with vulnerable characters. Williams found it easier to write about people who were fragile, lonely, or on the verge of hysteria,
• Embrace the full messiness of your characters. He encouraged writers to let their characters "fight," "claw their way toward something," and be "messy and holy and tired" instead of being quiet and acceptable. 

Overcome your inner critic

• Believe in your first draft.
• Believe in yourself.
• Recognize the dual nature of your work. After the first draft, Williams noted that a play is never as good or as bad as you think it is. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, and a writer must push past these self-assessments. 

Cultivate a strong work ethic

• Work every day.
• Revise relentlessly. 
• Be a "wasteful writer." Williams admitted to generating a lot of material that he didn't use, going through multiple drafts before finalizing a work. For him, a lot of writing was necessary to arrive at what was good. 

Capture and express emotional truth

• Don't bore the audience. 
• Tell the truth, even if it's shocking. 
• Find inspiration in small observations.

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