I get pretty peevish when I hear some pundit-writer holding forth on How to Do It (with the implication that if one is only smart enough to follow his/her recipe, one is certain to achieve dazzling successes). So the next time you read or listen to such a guru, remember this:
There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are, but through the jungles of self, the world, and of craft.
~ Jessamyn West
Feel free to select tools from anybody's bag of tricks until you find the right machete to cut your own path through the wilds.
