My Take…

…why writing, makes us all better writers

We write. We get up at 4:00 am in the morning, and immerse our face in a basin of cold water. Plug in the coffee pot, put on some clothes and question the need for a toothbrush and the time it’ll take to use it. We pour the coffee in a mug we’ve used since college and drink it. We sit. We turn on our computer. We straighten our back, shift the pillow under out butt and begin.

Nothing happens. We stand up. Adjust the pillow. Pour more coffee into the mug. Check the time. Check the weather. Check if the neighbor’s dog has eaten through your fence. We return to our desk. We readjust the pillow under our butt and begin again.

There’s a spark. A word emerges. Poignant. We wait for another. Perpendicular. If there’s a connection we’re not seeing it.

We move the cursor down to a new line and position our fingers over the keyboard in anticipation of the Muse finally awakening through the advent of coffee and a cold-water bath. We’re hopeful. There’s another spark.

The words begin to flow. The fingers start to loosen and you’re off. We are writing.

But what is writing? Yes, I know it’s what I just did in the last sentence. Words placed in some order that makes sense and invites reading. But what is it? Where does it originate from?

Is it a process — a collection of individual actions and ideas collected together to produce a singular result? Is it spiritual? Does a Muse really exist and are we simply channeling their words, time and again?

Or is it us? Becoming so proficient in the understanding and use of words that they begin to do what we ask them to do, without having to worry some much about them?

We watch Fred & Ginger dancing; we don’t see the practice. We do see the missteps, the trips or Fred landing on Ginger in a pile of arms and legs. We simply see the result — a bit of magic and grace floating across the dance floor. We see what thousands of hours of practice does to the legs and feet and arms of humans when added to music and a desire to communicate something special to those watching.

When we write, we are calling in words from our past, our present and probably even from our future. Borrowing words and phrases we haven’t even thought of yet, but now are using because they fit perfectly with what we are writing, right now. We are dancing with our words like Fred & Ginger and over time, we become better and better at their use.

How do you hit a Major League curve ball? By trying to hit it over and over again until it’s second nature. Until you stop thinking: Bat-grip-stance-eyes-feet-hips-swing. You just do it.

Writing every day; using words like notes on a piano or hours on the ice, make you a better writer because we stop thinking: word-sentence-idea-grammar-good? And just write.

The words begin to know us and like us and feel comfortable in our hands; so much so that they’ll start working along side us in the creation of something cool and interesting. They’ll be engaged, interested, excited to come to work in the morning, knowing you will put them to good use and showcase their talents as well. Yes, words have feelings and egos and like being the center of attention. They long for headlines as much as we do.

Imagine how seldom perpendicular is used in the English language. It’s a lonely life. The more you use words, the more you craft your sentences using exotic words along side your favorites the greater the likelihood that they will rise up and make themselves more useful and available.

The more we write, the better we write. The less time we spend W-R-I-T-I-N-G and more time we’ll spend communicating the great ideas that we all have.

We practice the piano hour after hour, not so we can move our fingers effortlessly across the keyboard, but so the music flows from us and reaches the listener with a sense of awe and appreciation.

We write to communicate.

So, to make your words act like Fred & Ginger, the following may help.

1. Write with the same purpose that you run — to get better at it, more at ease, and develop a healthier frame of mind. Write intentionally.

2. Think of what you want to write about and then trust that the words will hear your call and come to help you. Don’t force the words. No one likes being dragged into use. Keep it light.

3. When you read, feel the connection words are making with you. Use all your senses. Acknowledge the words that make your heart skip a beat or bring tears to your eyes. Let them know. If you do, they’ll be there when it’s your turn.

4. Be nice to words, whether they’re the right ones or not. Remember you’re trying to create something out of nothing. They are there to help.

5. Enjoy writing! Laugh at your own words. Nod in appreciation. Say thank you when that paragraph comes out looking great. Cuss less, praise more, enjoy the process.

Not too long ago I read a book on writing from Stephen King. Not a huge fan of his fiction, but I’m a huge fan of the writer and his work ethic. Read his book, it’s different and funny and irreverent. It’ll make you laugh. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.

I have written more in the last 4 months, than I (a true confession) did in the last 4 years. The prompting, the reading, the acknowledgment from others — the opportunity — have all created a perfect storm of creativity. But most of all, the writing has produced more writing because it’s fun again. The more you write, the better you write. It’s just you and the words. Just like Fred & Ginger.

Thanks for stopping by … please come again soon and let me know what you think.