Mary Harwell Sayler, doyenne of Christian Poets and Writers has asked writers to tell her what we find easiest about writing and what is hardest for us. I’ve been thinking the questions over and I’d like to tell her these things.
Blogs are easy for me, though I’m sure she’s not asking what genres we like or don’t like. But I’ll tell you why I find blogs such a pleasure to write. Like journaling they let me re-live good experiences twice. Take the blogs I wrote today: one was about going to see the “Gone With The Wind Exhibit” in Orlando on my birthday and one was about a fall Saturday when I got a lot out of ordinary things. Both of these will be on www.oldthingsrnew.com on a Monday at some point.
I’m going to get a new phone one of these day with a really good camera because I’ve discovered that whether I go out for a meal, take a walk, or finish a piece of artwork, it’s probably going to flow from my brain and heart in a blog and I’m going to want pictures. Quite likely if I don’t take notes, I’ll wish I had those too. All my senses are keener when I know I’ll want to write about the experience, and I’m convinced I enjoy things twice as much. While things are happening my brain is recording. I see a string of third graders riding bikes on the trail and ask their leaders what’s going on as they pass. I count the children – eighteen. When I got to a neighborhood yard sale, I want to tell who I saw, what I bought, and the reasons for everything. Once I got overly nosy like a real reporter, and got “thrown out” of a big library. I wanted to know about all the homeless people I saw hanging about. I thought it was great that they had a splendid place to be in the daytime. The woman at whose desk I sat to ask my questions apparently thought I was there to make trouble. I can’t talk about that she said primly and clamped her mouth shut. I said, “Oh, okay,” and left. Now, I’m more interested than ever, of course, but I won’t pursue it as a real reporter might.
Memoir, blogs, experiences, descriptions are the easiest things for me, the hardest task comes when I’m writing a novel and must come up with a new scene. What happens next? Then my imagination groans and labors like an old furnace starting up after a halcyon summer off.
Everything we do has hard and easy parts to it, we do it anyway, especially if we are called to it and have found that we love it. So that’s my answer for Mary Harwell Sayler’s question. I’m glad I was inspired to think it through. Thanks, Mary.
I appreciate all your marvelous comments. I am continuing the conversation on my Creative Life blogs so watch for your moniker and a thought or two on the subject of what is easy and what is hard. for us writers.
It’s interesting many people find different aspects of writing difficult – starting is my biggest problem to be honest, followed by fiction, with finishing a third. Thanks for sharing this.
This is exactly how I keep the writing flowing. Blogs and articles. It’s imperative to keep writing, no matter what!
Sometimes sitting down to write is the hardest thing for me. 🙂
Blogs are a lot like keeping a journal and I think blogging has helped me improve my writing over time. Finding out what works and what doesn’t. When you get that camera join instagram and we can be friends there too!
I’m terrible at blogs and reflection, but I love reading yours! I love to escape in fiction. It’s especially fun to create a whole new world. The hardest thing to me is not having time to write.
Great idea! I have a good smart phone, and occasionally use it as a camera. I also find myself inspired by things I see when biking or walking, or even on the bus: people, nature, situations. If I could find a quiet spot and few minutes, I could quickly use my electronics to publish a fast blog post.
A memoir? No way! That is TOO hard to write for me. I can do poetry and almost all the other genres but memoir pulls to many strings of the heart. Of course, if I had to, I’d write it.
I really enjoyed this personal-experience entry about writing’s pleasures and pitfalls.
You wrote such great descriptions which made me want to know more, painted with words a story which I know continues even now. Goodness, why was a nice lady like you sent from a public library just for asking about the homeless population there? What did the third graders’ leaders tell you in response to your question? What treasures did you uncover at the garage sale?
That new phone needs to come home today. Since your birthday was recent, I think a gift of that phone for you and your stories for us would be a great way to celebrate.
A memoir would be hard for me – I write fantasy and I’m sure I’d throw some sort of alien world in there. I love Flash Fiction, so I find that super easy. I guess it all depends on how my muse works that day.
Happy Birthday, DiVoran! And thanks. Other members of our Christian Poets & Writers group on Facebook will welcome your post, too, so I’ll highlight it on the Christian Poets & Writers blog – http://christianpoetsandwriters.blogspot.com. God bless.