It has been a while since I actively wrote. We'll that is a lie. I've started a novell and a TV Drama. Both are stuck at a spot where I need to discipline myself into researching it, working my way around a block, or simply just making time to write.
Tonight I grabbed some of the books I purchased from Writer's Digest. The one 'Where do you get your ideas?' by Fred White and 'The Writer's Idea Book' by Jack Heffron. Granted both have been lying on a shelf with the rest of the purchase, which I am ashamed to say are market books for 2013! Yeah. Procrastination I am your master, or are you mine.
I did a quick scan down the table of contents on both. Selected the Chapter 11 from the 'The Writers Idea Book' - Creating a short story from a news paper report. I read the first bit, got to the check list then skimmed along. I postponed that writing to tomorrow... well the proper reading of that chapter and applying it.
So why am I writing this? Jack Heffron touched on something that has been missing in my life. Although I am full time employed, the joy of it has been missing. His first chapter 'Making your way to Schenectady' got the synapses firing and hence me seated, cross legged on my bed, iPad on my ankle typing away at this blog post. Any writing, so long as it's writing and most important to me: 'Finishing it.' This will be finished when I post it.
He did get me to think about the times when I did write, and write a lot. In high school the English teacher would assign us essays to write. Three hundred words. I never could stick to the three hundred words. I had to make time for the writing in between all the other classes and my favourite pass time: 'Reading.' Yeah, I know,. I read everything. Science fiction was a big favourite, Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov immediately spring to mind.
Yet, after high school the work of working took over and all my writing devolved to technical writing. Ok. Before technical writers lynch me. I wrote user guides. How to's for the technically challenged. Also, tons of reports for other techies and management. So, I know I can write. One of the things that Jack has you do. Make a list of the accomplishments. Taking note of how you felt when you did write and completed the writing assignment. Amazingly it's touching on that feeling that has kept my fingers dancing on the keys to produce this piece.
So, in a short time, and only with chapter one I have, shown up, I've acknowledged to myself that this is hard but that I have done this many times before. I am experiencing the joy of writing again and I am grateful that I have not lost this talent.
In all, just in one chapter, one book has paid for itself. One book has given me the impetus to write more. Jack has given me the emotional base, the joy, to take his book further, and to use chapter eleven from Fred's book to write more. Write more tomorrow, the day after and after. Now, I need to show up, regularly. On my bed. At the table or couch in the pause area, or even the coffee shop.
Thanks to all the writers that have gone before for producing, for showing up, for remembering your joy, for your gratitude, for teaching it to others, directly and indirectly. Here's to pages and pages more... now I can go back to reading some more. Writing will flow... I can feel it.
Tonight I grabbed some of the books I purchased from Writer's Digest. The one 'Where do you get your ideas?' by Fred White and 'The Writer's Idea Book' by Jack Heffron. Granted both have been lying on a shelf with the rest of the purchase, which I am ashamed to say are market books for 2013! Yeah. Procrastination I am your master, or are you mine.
I did a quick scan down the table of contents on both. Selected the Chapter 11 from the 'The Writers Idea Book' - Creating a short story from a news paper report. I read the first bit, got to the check list then skimmed along. I postponed that writing to tomorrow... well the proper reading of that chapter and applying it.
So why am I writing this? Jack Heffron touched on something that has been missing in my life. Although I am full time employed, the joy of it has been missing. His first chapter 'Making your way to Schenectady' got the synapses firing and hence me seated, cross legged on my bed, iPad on my ankle typing away at this blog post. Any writing, so long as it's writing and most important to me: 'Finishing it.' This will be finished when I post it.
He did get me to think about the times when I did write, and write a lot. In high school the English teacher would assign us essays to write. Three hundred words. I never could stick to the three hundred words. I had to make time for the writing in between all the other classes and my favourite pass time: 'Reading.' Yeah, I know,. I read everything. Science fiction was a big favourite, Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov immediately spring to mind.
Yet, after high school the work of working took over and all my writing devolved to technical writing. Ok. Before technical writers lynch me. I wrote user guides. How to's for the technically challenged. Also, tons of reports for other techies and management. So, I know I can write. One of the things that Jack has you do. Make a list of the accomplishments. Taking note of how you felt when you did write and completed the writing assignment. Amazingly it's touching on that feeling that has kept my fingers dancing on the keys to produce this piece.
So, in a short time, and only with chapter one I have, shown up, I've acknowledged to myself that this is hard but that I have done this many times before. I am experiencing the joy of writing again and I am grateful that I have not lost this talent.
In all, just in one chapter, one book has paid for itself. One book has given me the impetus to write more. Jack has given me the emotional base, the joy, to take his book further, and to use chapter eleven from Fred's book to write more. Write more tomorrow, the day after and after. Now, I need to show up, regularly. On my bed. At the table or couch in the pause area, or even the coffee shop.
Thanks to all the writers that have gone before for producing, for showing up, for remembering your joy, for your gratitude, for teaching it to others, directly and indirectly. Here's to pages and pages more... now I can go back to reading some more. Writing will flow... I can feel it.
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