Summary

The web content discusses the life and advice of Octavia Butler, a renowned African American science fiction writer, emphasizing the importance of habit, continued learning, and persistence over mere inspiration and talent in the pursuit of writing.

Abstract

The web content delves into the wisdom of Octavia Butler, highlighting her perspective on the importance of developing a writing habit and continuous learning over relying on innate talent or fleeting inspiration. It touches on her background as a shy child with a desire to write, her pioneering role as a woman of color in science fiction, and her achievements, including winning the Nebula and Hugo awards. The article also references her work "The Parable of the Sower" and its sequel, noting their relevance to contemporary issues like climate change and wealth inequality, and the real-life Earthseed movement inspired by the novels. Butler's papers, including notes and unfinished drafts, are housed at The Huntington in San Marino, California, and serve as a testament to her dedication and process. The author of the web content, Shaunta Grimes, uses Butler's legacy as a motivational tool, encouraging readers to adopt a disciplined approach to their craft, as talent and inspiration are secondary to consistent effort.

Opinions

The author, Shaunta Grimes, admires Octavia Butler deeply, expressing a wish to have met her or studied under her guidance.
Grimes finds Butler's advice to writers straightforward and true, particularly valuing her emphasis on habitual writing and learning.
There is an appreciation for Butler's mantra that writing improves over time through persistence, despite initial mediocrity.
The author acknowledges the significance of Butler's background, noting that her success was not guaranteed given the lack of precedent for women of color in science fiction.
Grimes highlights the eerie prescience of Butler's "The Parable of the Sower" and its relevance to current global issues.
The existence of the Earthseed movement is presented as a fascinating example of life imitating art.
Butler's personal notes and unpublished work are seen as valuable insights into her creative process and a source of motivation for writers.
The author endorses Butler's books, particularly "The Parable of the Sower" and "The Parable of the Talents," as essential reading for everyone.
Grimes personally uses Butler's advice to encourage consistent writing, regardless of the presence of inspiration or perceived talent.

A habit is more dependable than inspiration.

Octavia Butler on talent. (The Commonplace Book Project #21)

The Commonplace Project is a daily post based on Ray Bradbury’s advice to aspiring writers: read a poem, a short story, and an essay every day for 1000 days. These posts start with a quote and go wherever the rabbit hole leads. Follow The 1000 Day MFA so you don’t miss a thing.

“Forget talent. If you have it, fine. Use it. If you don’t have it, it doesn’t matter. As habit is more dependable than inspiration, continued learning is more dependable than talent.” — Octavia Butler, Blood Child: and Other Stories

There is something about Octavia Butler.

I wish I had known her. That I could have taken a class from her or just had lunch with her. I think that studying at Clarion West when she was on the faculty would have been life changing.

I am so drawn to her — her stories, but also just her.

Here’s an interview she gave to Charlie Rose — who kind of makes a fool of himself, speaking over her and just generally making a fool of himself.

I‘ll talk about her stories in a minute. But it’s Octavia Butler’s advice to readers that I find refreshing. It’s so straight forward. So — true. And real.

In the quote above, she says that being willing to learn and developing a writing habit are more important than talent. And it’s true, isn’t it? What good is talent if you don’t develop it and then actually use it regularly?

I love this one, too, from Conversations with Octavia Butler.

I have advice in just a few words. The first, of course, is to read. It’s surprising how many people think they want to be writers but they don’t really like to read books.

And the second is to write, every day, whether you like it or not. Screw inspiration.

And this one. This one is a mantra for me.

You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.

Octavia Butler was the daughter of a housekeeper and a shoeshine man. Her father died when she was seven. She was a painfully shy and awkward child who was the target of bullies. And all she wanted was to be a writer.

No one ever has proof going in that they’ll be successful, but Butler especially didn’t. There were no women of color writing science fiction before her. She sought to ‘write herself in’ to science fiction, filling a gap she found unacceptable.

Octavia Butler: Writing Herself Into The Story

subscribe to Code Switch podcast Octavia Butler used to say she remembers exactly when she decided to become a science…

www.npr.org

She was the first nationally prominent African American science fiction writer. Butler won the Nebula and Hugo awards, as well as a McArthur Fellowship.

We have nearly caught up to the timeline of Butler’s book The Parable of the Sower. In it, society has collapsed, largely due to climate change and wealth inequality. Reading it now is almost uncomfortable, it’s so real.

The book, and it’s sequel The Parable of the Talents, serve as an autobiography of her fictional character, Lauren Oya Olamina. Olamina has developed her own religion. Earthseed’s aim is to place human life in the stars. In the video above, Butler calls the project of putting human life off the planet Earth the cathedral of it’s time.

I find it fascinating that there is a small, but real life Earthseed movement.

The SolSeed Movement

The Homepage of the SolSeed truth, beauty, and values movement.

solseed.org

There aren’t many books that I really feel like every single person should read. The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Talents are on that short list.

One of my favorite writerly things of all time is this. Octavia Butler’s pep talk to herself, written on the back of a cheap spiral-bound notebook.

Butler’s papers — more than 8000 items including unfinished drafts (including of The Parable of the Trickster, which would have been the third Earthseed book), notes, and journals — are housed at The Huntington in San Marino, California.

Sometimes, when I need a kick in the butt, I imagine Octavia Butler reminding me: Talent doesn’t matter. Inspiration doesn’t matter. Just write. So be it! See to it!

Today’s Poem:

From Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

All that you touch You Change.

All that you Change Changes you.

The only lasting truth Is Change.

God Is Change.

Here’s my secret weapon for sticking with whatever your thing is.

Shaunta Grimes is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, two dementia patients, a good friend, Alfred the cat, and a yellow rescue dog named Maybelline Scout. She’s on Twitter @shauntagrimes and is the author of Viral Nation and Rebel Nation and the upcoming novel The Astonishing Maybe. She is the original Ninja Writer.