Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

Writing and Reading

How did you start writing? Did someone urge you to write, or did it come naturally? will award a MB for his favorite entry today.

I was reading quotes from "A Treasury of Great American Quotations" by Charles Hurd. I found this one by Henry Clay, "Sir, I would rather be right than President." Clay lived from 1777-1852. There has always been controversy surrounding the Presidency.

Guess what? There wasn't any TV when I was a child. I don't even remember a radio in the house. There might have been one. We used to exchange gifts at Christmas with other family members. My cousin gave me a diary. I used to write in it. I had good English teachers who always encouraged good grammar. Until 8th grade I attended school where each class was held in the same room. One teacher taught one grade English, writing, math, recess and whatever else we were suppose to learn. We learned to read and listen to stories at lunch or other times for recreation. Eighth graders were bused to the local high school.

As a senior I worked on the school newspaper as a reporter for the senior class. I was also in secretarial training so we published and printed the school paper.

One time some students went on a field trip to a tuberculosis hospital to learn facts about the disease, how it is treated, and about patients. I had a question at the end of the lecture and would not leave until I tracked down a nurse to get the answer. The bus was pulling out without me. Luckily, the teacher chaperon took a head count, stopped the bus and came back for me.

At one time in the "60's" I read a magazine advertisement for people to send in a sample of their writing to a mail order school that was training writers. They liked the scene I wrote, about a barn cat catching a bird, but I did not have the money to pursue it at that time.

After I purchased my first computer I wrote articles for a bird club online. It gave me some experience and I really enjoyed it.

I have a journal I keep once in awhile. I wrote a lot more in college. I had the time and enjoyed learning how to dig into researching and even interviewing.

Right now I'm just lazy this time of year. Plus, I think sometimes my kindle is a detriment to artistic expression, when it comes to just sitting down and getting the story written.

I rarely have writers block. I can tell a story but, I have trouble describing things in an entertaining way. Alas, the journalist part of me just tells the facts and has to go back to describe what the characters were wearing or how the horse flew over the fence with his legs tucked, for safety and grace of movement.

OK, I'm going to put a load of clothes in the dryer. Happy Writing.