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The Rule Breaker
Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 June 7, 1980) was an American writer. He was known for breaking with existing literary forms, developing a new sort of semi-autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical reflection, explicit language, sex, surrealist free association and mysticism. His most characteristic works of this kind are Tropic of Cancer (1934), Black Spring (1936), Tropic of Capricorn (1939) and The Rosy Crucifixion trilogy (194959), all of which are based on his experiences in New York and Paris, and all of which were banned in the United States until 1961. He also wrote travel memoirs and literary criticism, and painted watercolors.
Writing Advice From Henry Miller
1. Work on one thing at a time until finished.
2. Start no more new books, add no more new material to "Black Spring."
3. Don't be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.
4. Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
5. When you can't create you can work.
6. Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
7. Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
8. Don't be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.
9. Discard the Program when you feel like itbut go back to it next day.
10. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
11. Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
12. Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.
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13. Never write coherently from your stream of consciousness until you get to sex and then be explicitly clear so that your books will be banned, and therefore, sell like hotcakes!
Among my grandmother's books that my uncle allowed me to take after she died was the Tropic trilogy, the only works of Miller I read except what he wrote in Playboy. That's interesting, because as my grandmother descended into Alzheimer's, she became increasingly religious. Her having those books seemed incongruous.
Ron
Love ya!
Jane