Writing on Writing

Writing on Writing

I use writing as a diversion from stress and worry. It helps me clear my mind. Sometimes I try to describe places and people or incidents. Much of what I write is not intended for others to read. Of course I can pick and choose what I want to share. I like to introduce others to the pleasures and benefits that writing provides and encourage them to give it a whirl.

Writing is a chore for me; it doesn’t flow easily; I have to work at it; I am not prolific. One of my stumbling blocks is trying to edit before I write. It is much better if I just start writing random thoughts without any particular order, grammar or spelling. Once I get the thoughts down I can always go back and edit, organize, rearrange, add and delete.

If I can’t think of lines of poetry, I simply write a short story, and then sometimes, later on, a poem will develop from the short story. Other times, a couple of lines will just enter my head and if I have the presence of mind to write them down before they are lost, other lines will follow, usually not in the proper order.

I try to write as though I were talking to someone, which is usually myself.  Abby would often bark at me, I suppose to bring me back to reality.

When I start a story, I seldom know where it is going to lead. If it has a few characters carrying on a conversation, I may add more characters, as the story progresses. And it is much the same with a poem.    

I like to write short little vignettes about family members because as I get older I tend to forget incidents that are interesting to me. And also, I like to just record my memories of aunts and uncles and cousins so that children and grandchildren will have  something more than just an old photograph of Aunt Katy or Uncle John.