I’m thinking about writing today.
I’m thinking about writing today because a fellow blogger has written a new piece that’s far from her usual style. It’s dark and intense, and she’s expressed her hesitance to post it in light of that. It makes me wonder how we, as writers, approach subjects we’re called to write about in spite of the inner debate, reluctance, fear.
I want to tell her WRITE! WRITE IT ALL! because I know some of my most powerful writing comes from those dark places. Good writing is in the marrow of our day-to-day.
I’m thinking about writing today because a new story has called my attention, and I’ve been piecing together words all week. But they’re difficult words – as truths often are – and I find myself hesitating. Deleting. Editing. Censoring.
I keep pushing myself WRITE! WRITE IT ALL! because I know some of my most powerful writing comes from those dark places. Good writing is in the marrow of our day-to-day.
I’m thinking about writing today and was amused to stumble on this quote in my morning emails:
“It’s a good thing to read a lot. It’s a good thing to write a lot. The best thing to do is to live a lot. Fall in love. Fall out of love. Make a fool of yourself. Watch other people make fools of themselves. Believe something stupid and then realize you’ve been tricked. Feel embarrassed. Be brave and bold. Then be cowardly and pathetic. Give a damn about the world outside yourself. Have some very dark nights. It’s all good. You’ll use all of it.”
— Michael Grant
• • •
Image: Cy Twombly, Untitled 1968, House paint and crayon on canvas
Amen.
: )
Wow, this is awesome! Definitely write! :)
Writing. Writing. Writing away! : )
Excellent! Write on!
Yay! : )
I learned a lot from posting something that was so different. It gave me courage I didn’t know I had in that I’m dusting off some old journal scribblings I was too afraid to explore. They don’t scare me anymore.
Write it all! :-)
It was exciting to read/watch the process you went through on that – thank you for sharing. And keep on writing!
[ Smiles ] A nice unique blog!
Thanks! : )
Axiom: Nothing is wasted for a writer.
First draft: the freer the better. Get it all there, lava fresh from the volcano’s eruption. You can do the lapidary polishing later. The power is in the first energies.
But you knew all that already!
“Get it all there, lava fresh from the volcano’s eruption. You can do the lapidary polishing later.”
LOVE IT! I’m going to hold onto that as I keep sitting with this (particular) old story that is surfacing.
“You’ll use all of it.”
Yep.
My writing continues to evolve as the years pass by. At first I told sweet stories and humorous anectdotes, and tried to pretend that I was happier than I am, but eventually the other stories started finding the light of day. They just keep falling off the ends of my fingers, and it seems criminal not to allow them equal space on the page.
I hope you’ll take your own advice, and WRITE, WRITE, WRITE IT ALL!
Writing certainly does evolve – what and how I write now is much deeper, much more thoughtful than it was 5 years ago, 10 years ago. Like fine wine and cheese, perhaps? Better with age? : )