Writing is for the birds... and I want to be a bird
Hello you pillar of the community.
A friend and I have been getting together weekly(ish) for a couple of years now to try to write. Like many out there, we feel an itch to write, and so having a writing accountability partner has been a great way to cultivate a semi-regular reason to put in the time and energy into the practice.
Speaking of accountability and putting cards on the table, we fell off the wagon a bit last year (okay a lot), and so this week, we launched a renewed commitment to do this writing thing. Again. For realsies. Seriously.
And dammit I want to follow through. I desperately do. I am a get-shit-done person generally. I know how to make a plan and stick to it. I have done it in so many areas of my life before. In fact, this weekly newsletter is part of my effort to make it happen. Steps are being taken. Commitments are being made.
And yet. And yet. And yet.....
Therefore, amongst many other things, this week I have been pondering the conundrum of how to succeed in this intensely-desired-and-yet-completely-confounding practice of creative writing.
The itch I feel to write is multi-pronged: partly to be able to express my perspective and point of view (which many of us don't do well, including myself); partly to be creative and contribute to the canon of delightfulness in this world; partly to prove to myself that I can do it after so many years of thinking about it. In many ways, the act of writing has become my personal white whale (somewhat ironically) #literaryreference #stilldon'tlikeMobyDick
While trying to get traction with this writing thing, what I have been surprised by is not the difficulty of the craft (i think), or mustering the motivation, or even finding the time. It has been actually sitting down and WRITING SOMETHING. I have read so many books on the subject, have tried all of the tips and tricks, and (as you will see from the sampling below) have collected a vast array of wisdom from people from all walks of life and stages of creative endeavour.
And yet. And yet. And yet....
A regular, productive and satisfying writing practice continues to elude me. However, I remain hopeful for what 2019 has in store. For those who write, how do you do it? Inspire me!
And in case you are also interested in trying to scratch a similar itch, here are a few of my favourite tidbits collected over the years. There are many, many, MANY out there so if this doesn't do it for you, google away:
Trying out the snowflake method from Advanced Fiction Writing
Timeless advice on writing from some of the greats--- this is a fab list to prowl through from the ubiquitous Brainpickings
The writers cheat sheet from the blog For the Interested
"Write a sentence as clean as a bone": reflections from James Balwin posted on Literary Hub
A list of podcasts for writers from Writers Digest
20 ideas on the craft, process and impact of writing from Creative Mornings
See also George Orwell's reflections in his classic short essay "Why I write"
And a final simple but profound reflection from the supremely eloquent Mary Oliver (who passed away last week):
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
Mary Oliver, from her poem Sometimes
From one-person-who-thinks-she-has-something-to-say to another, I am glad that we can communicate together. I hope you enjoyed this dispatch, and have a word-filled week!
Until next Sunday,
The Earnest Platypus