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Wraven, your doubts about writing sound like "performance anxiety." When I was in high school or college, I heard words, that were something like these from a musical director as he encouraged our musical group to be our best. "When you have 'butterflies in your stomach' as you go out on stage, that's a good thing! If you don't have 'butterflies,' (if you're not nervous,) then you'll be boring. If you 'have butterflies' and are nervous, then it means you care enough about your performance to have your adrenaline pumping. Just learn how to teach 'your butterflies' to fly in formation." Those are great words! I've never forgotten them. These words apply to band, to choir, to acting, to painting (and all other types of artwork) and to writing, (which is an art in itself.) I had an English teacher to give this advice to a class, that I was attending, "If you learn a format of poetry with which you are comfortable, then you can write a poem as easily as you can write a friendly letter." Iambic meter and A-B-A-B rhyme scheme have served me repeatedly well over the years and continue to do so. If you look at my bio, then you will find these words, "It has been said, 'Write badly, until you can write well. That way you will prove to be a fearless writer.' Here's hoping that less is more in the realm of bad writing, that my excellent writing may surface sooner rather than later.'" Some of my work, even on WDC, is well received with multiple reviews. Some of my other work is received more on the level of "meh," but I have yet to find a reviewer on WDC, who is totally negative. They usually try to give me something with which to be encouraged as I read their reviews of my work. One day I wrote this, when I was in a silly mood. I'm not sure it means anything to anybody else but me, but it got me going on that day.
I would encourage you to keep stirring the bottom of the pond, if that's the best you can find for now because eventually you'll find a foothold for traction and you'll start to find your way out of the muck onto the high ground for doing some great running. Remember, exercising for fitness is about moving, even when it doesn't feel like its doing any good. Writing is about writing, when the words seem like nonsense, even to yourself. Remember, Lewis Carroll wrote a nonsense poem, called, "The Jabberwocky" and he introduced a new English word to the world. "Chortle" has its beginning in our language in that very poem. As you can see my personal challenge is not nearly so much having nothing to say, but editing what I do say in order for it to make good sense for the people, who do me the courtesy of reading what I write. However, in my defense this is a technique I have learned from one of my favorite writers, Randy Alcorn. (I found the following words to illustrate my meaning at this link, http://www.actforlibraries.org/never-wait-for-inspiration-just-jump-right-in/ I heartily agree with this sentiment.) "Randy Alcorn is arguably one of the most prolific writers in contemporary history. He is prolific in large part, due to the fact that he has not waited until fame and recognition were his before beginning to write effusively. "Randy Alcorn writes because he breathes. "Procrastinators of every stripe, not just writers, could gain a great deal of victory over procrastination by learning from the pattern of Randy Alcorn. "'I learned long ago that I should never wait for inspiration or a good beginning. I just jump right in. I’ll either cut it out or clean it up later. Years ago I heard someone say ‘Never edit at the point of conception.’ The best writing comes in revision, not creation—but you must have something to revise. I think a lot of writer’s block happens when people wait for the right words. I just write. Later, I labor over the right words, and there’s no block because I’m already looking at something on the screen.' (Randy Alcorn)" (The emphasis is mine.) Go forth and conquer, Wraven! Write because you breathe! :D |
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