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Tim Sutton

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Influences

Madeleine L'Engel, Anne LaMott, Cheryl Strayed, Diane Ackerman, Scott ...more

Member Since

June 2015

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Tim Sutton Years ago I read Anne Lamott's book "Bird by Bird", and she suggested having a 2 inch frame on my desk so that when I felt stuck or overwhelmed I coul…moreYears ago I read Anne Lamott's book "Bird by Bird", and she suggested having a 2 inch frame on my desk so that when I felt stuck or overwhelmed I could look at that frame and challenge myself to write only a part of the scene or the thought that would fit into that frame. I never actually bought a physical frame, but the idea of being specific as a way to get back to the story stuck with me and certainly served me well while writing "Me and Thad," especially at the beginning.

My editor, Glen Nelson, the president of the Mormon Artists Group, approached me about writing "Me and Thad" within a year after my brother Thad passed away. Glen had seen the film "extraordinary measures" which my brother Travis had so beautifully created, and he asked to write about Thad from my specific experience.

I knew from the moment he asked me that this was a book that I needed to write, but whenever I thought about it, or when I sat down to write, it seemed too big. I was still reeling from Thad's passing, so there were a lot of emotions obscuring the story. It was like I was looking at our life through a wiper-less windshield in a torrential rainstorm. I knew it was out there, but I couldn't see it clearly.

Finally, I stopped thinking about the whole story, and I started by writing moments--every moment that came to my head, like creating a stack of detailed quilt squares before assembling a quilt. Eventually, I began putting them together and forming a narrative, which had no resemblance to the final product 4 years later, but it was an essential step because it helped me dive below the storm of my grief and see how the story of Thad's life and my life entwined.

Another bit of writer wisdom that Anne Lamott gave me when I read "Bird by Bird" many years ago was that you have to get the "shitty first draft" out of your head and onto the page without judgement and without editing. As I started to put the narrative together I reminded myself of that every time I felt the impulse to fine-tune along the way. I learned that when I ignored that advice I would get bogged down and I would get stuck, often overwhelmed by what I hoped the end result would be. I finally was able to let go of that impulse and just write.

That first draft was not good, but it was perfect. I had the substance of what would become "Me and Thad." The blocks that I experienced along the way lengthened the time it took, but did not ultimately impede the progress.(less)

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What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Tim Sutton For me, the best thing about being a writer is the opportunity it affords me to continue to learn. It requires me to exercise my abilities to listen a…moreFor me, the best thing about being a writer is the opportunity it affords me to continue to learn. It requires me to exercise my abilities to listen and to observe, like doing push-ups or curls or cardio for my brain and my heart.

The most gratifying experience I've had so far has been when someone reads "Me and Thad" and from their comments or questions, I can feel that they have connected into my intent for the book; that in some very real way, I have communicated, even communed with this person.(less)

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