Just Write
I’ve been asked many questions about how to write, when to write, and even what to write.
Well, in each of these and many more questions, there is a
simple answer and that is just to write. There are as many reasons not to
write, but it only takes one to change that absurd thought. Now let’s get down
to what is the question behind the question that is the answer of all answers.
What will it take for me to be a better writer? In other words, what will it
take for me to write like a famous author and receive fame and fortune? Once
again, there are many who say they know the answer to that, but the only one
who can truly help you become on par with those who you admire and receive that
big payday and people lined up for your autograph. Sorry to burst your bubble
and tell you both the red pill and the blue pills (Matrix Movie Reference) is
only sugar, water, and colored die. There is no magic pill that will make your
dream come true. Oh, but don’t get despondent. There is that single answer that
I had alluded to. Well, that answer is you.I’ve been asked many questions about how to write, when to write, and even what to write.
Only you can help yourself become a better writer. Only your hard work can get you noticed by the masses. And, only you can position and leverage yourself to make your dreams come true. Oh, there are people and organizations that can help you as the cook add the right ingredients so that what you have prepared is enticing to many, but there can only be one chef and that person is you. One word that should be placed in your heart, mind, and being is perseverance. This is where you come to the crossroads of; Do or do not. There is no try (Star Wars Reference). This do I am speaking on is writing. You can never get better unless you do. Writing something every day is the most effective way to become a better writer. Reading each day helps your thoughts get accustom to writing styles. Looking around your environment and aspects of your daily life is a great source of material you can use to express your thoughts to ideas to action to written words. I’ve recently read a passage that said that writing is a silent art form that can speak louder than actual words. I can dig it. Basically for me, the deed of writing in it of itself can be placed into three categories (although there are more than grains of sand on a beach). For me these three are the act of writing, writing as a game we play, and writing as a form of escapism. The one thing you should always remember. You can never finish anything unless you start.
The Act
The act of writing every day (in it of itself), even if you don’t have something to say will help you get into the best habit of them all and that is to just write. I think of this as the Rolling Ball Effect. No, not getting the ball rolling. The Rolling Ball Effect is to get yourself acclimated to doing a repetitive act. Like the rote method you had learned as a child to learn through redundancy, this is under that same principle and yet with a bit of a twist. In place of leaning a particular topic under the good old reading, writing, and arithmetic, this subject or acclimated habit is to write without limitation, thinking logically from beginning to end (or even in reverse), and reading for inclusion of thoughts or ideas. Here’s an exercise I was taught in creative writing. You have one minute to look in one direction and capture that picture in your mind and use the next five minutes to describe what you viewed. You could look out of a window or even at an inanimate object within the room with you. Oh, but there is one catch. Once you start writing you cannot look at what you are describing again. This sounds like a very easy exercise, doesn’t it? Try it each day for a week. You will learn things about your writing, your interpretation and your observation skills that will freak you out. What you will see instantly is the depth in which you see things around you will increase tenfold. You will see is your imagination stretch from what is scattered in all directions to a focus line from your beginning to forever. Most importantly, you will see the forest and not just the tree. Now let’s get into the fun part.
The act of writing every day (in it of itself), even if you don’t have something to say will help you get into the best habit of them all and that is to just write. I think of this as the Rolling Ball Effect. No, not getting the ball rolling. The Rolling Ball Effect is to get yourself acclimated to doing a repetitive act. Like the rote method you had learned as a child to learn through redundancy, this is under that same principle and yet with a bit of a twist. In place of leaning a particular topic under the good old reading, writing, and arithmetic, this subject or acclimated habit is to write without limitation, thinking logically from beginning to end (or even in reverse), and reading for inclusion of thoughts or ideas. Here’s an exercise I was taught in creative writing. You have one minute to look in one direction and capture that picture in your mind and use the next five minutes to describe what you viewed. You could look out of a window or even at an inanimate object within the room with you. Oh, but there is one catch. Once you start writing you cannot look at what you are describing again. This sounds like a very easy exercise, doesn’t it? Try it each day for a week. You will learn things about your writing, your interpretation and your observation skills that will freak you out. What you will see instantly is the depth in which you see things around you will increase tenfold. You will see is your imagination stretch from what is scattered in all directions to a focus line from your beginning to forever. Most importantly, you will see the forest and not just the tree. Now let’s get into the fun part.
To Play
There is no rule that writing is some harsh endeavor. An emotional wrecking ball yes, but isn’t everything that you put your heart into the same. Have you ever really looked at a child play (prior to learning what a TV or books are)? Give them something as simple as a toy (any toy) and they will spend hours with that toy until they need one of the big three, (hungry, a bottom change, or sleepy). An author I enjoy their work had a description of the interaction of their baby daughter who would cry constantly and a stick that gave him peace. He wrote something along the line of; “I didn’t know that to do with her. After she ate, bathed, and changed her bottom, she would cry something awful. That was until I gave her a stick and asked her which side was the beginning and which side was the end. From that day on, I had peace and quiet.” –The Other Person “That was cruel of you to do, but I do have one question. Did she ever ask you for the answer?” –The Father, “Of course not. You know how stubborn she is. And, if I were you, I wouldn’t bring this up to her. She still has that stick and may do some very interesting things to you with it.”
Write something you believe is funny. Write something you believe is romantic. Write something you think is scary. The important thing is to write something you like so you will realize that (unlike when you were in school working for a grade or some important note to pass) you are. Now that child at play trying to figure out which end is the front and which end is the end.
There is no rule that writing is some harsh endeavor. An emotional wrecking ball yes, but isn’t everything that you put your heart into the same. Have you ever really looked at a child play (prior to learning what a TV or books are)? Give them something as simple as a toy (any toy) and they will spend hours with that toy until they need one of the big three, (hungry, a bottom change, or sleepy). An author I enjoy their work had a description of the interaction of their baby daughter who would cry constantly and a stick that gave him peace. He wrote something along the line of; “I didn’t know that to do with her. After she ate, bathed, and changed her bottom, she would cry something awful. That was until I gave her a stick and asked her which side was the beginning and which side was the end. From that day on, I had peace and quiet.” –The Other Person “That was cruel of you to do, but I do have one question. Did she ever ask you for the answer?” –The Father, “Of course not. You know how stubborn she is. And, if I were you, I wouldn’t bring this up to her. She still has that stick and may do some very interesting things to you with it.”
Write something you believe is funny. Write something you believe is romantic. Write something you think is scary. The important thing is to write something you like so you will realize that (unlike when you were in school working for a grade or some important note to pass) you are. Now that child at play trying to figure out which end is the front and which end is the end.
Escapism
Have you ever worked building something in wood, create something with clay, or tried your hand at painting (not wall with a single color)? The act of doing these things and many more may have caused you to lose track of time. Unlike something like needlepoint where your hands are busy and your mind is free to enjoy some other pastime like talking, writing can also cause you to lose yourself. Having a bad day, sit down (with an alarm clock set for 30 minutes) and write a character who is having a day just like yourself or better still worse. There is always someone who is having a day worst then yours, so you can still see the glass as half filled. Just be forewarned that you will not be happy when the bells rings that your time is up. However, when you need that extra little bit of a; “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!” moment in your story that will have everyone shaking their heads at how emotionally compelling that bit of realism was for them, don’t be surprised. Remember, most people read to escape their reality for your fantasy. Why not give them something consciously from your self-conscious. Get that play on words? Well, not all of them can be gems. (And, here comes the shameless plug again.) No matter if it isn’t useful with what you are working on, you can always put it into a Magic Box of its’ own. (See previous articles on the Magic Box). The best part of escapism through artistic means is that it has a direct effect on even out your emotions without you even noticing.
Have you ever worked building something in wood, create something with clay, or tried your hand at painting (not wall with a single color)? The act of doing these things and many more may have caused you to lose track of time. Unlike something like needlepoint where your hands are busy and your mind is free to enjoy some other pastime like talking, writing can also cause you to lose yourself. Having a bad day, sit down (with an alarm clock set for 30 minutes) and write a character who is having a day just like yourself or better still worse. There is always someone who is having a day worst then yours, so you can still see the glass as half filled. Just be forewarned that you will not be happy when the bells rings that your time is up. However, when you need that extra little bit of a; “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!” moment in your story that will have everyone shaking their heads at how emotionally compelling that bit of realism was for them, don’t be surprised. Remember, most people read to escape their reality for your fantasy. Why not give them something consciously from your self-conscious. Get that play on words? Well, not all of them can be gems. (And, here comes the shameless plug again.) No matter if it isn’t useful with what you are working on, you can always put it into a Magic Box of its’ own. (See previous articles on the Magic Box). The best part of escapism through artistic means is that it has a direct effect on even out your emotions without you even noticing.
The writing
process can and have been described and retooled over and over again over the centuries,
but without someone preforming the act of writing, enjoying writing as a form
of play, and an escape to worlds that exist in the mind and conveyed to a
medium to share, we would all be left with a stick with two ends and not know
which end is which. Writing isn’t only a way to entertain, but a way to pass
one’s own history down from one generation to the next. I’ve heard and
experienced people speak about other cultures and how they have a long and
honorable history (very few actually do because the victors writes the history
books) and yet no one had ever thought that today’s lifestyle and family
customs and cuticles are tomorrows honorable history if someone just write. SD
Tracy Harper
Illustration; www.spitjournal.com
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