There's a relatively famous passage from the book of Ecclesiastes (made even more famous by the Byrds in the song titled 'Turn, turn turn,' and yes I had to google that!) about, 'a time for every purpose under Heaven, a time to sow and a time to reap…' While this is very good advice for life, it seems to apply to most activities within life as well, even to the art of writing. I have a limited amount of time to write each day (nap time) and when the stars have aligned to grant me five minutes of authorial bliss, sometimes I discover the muses are out to lunch. Sometimes I can write, but at others I find myself staring blankly at my word processor like a college kid the night before his term paper is due. Instead, I am sometimes in the mood to read/edit or revisit some half finished story, read something actually worth reading (a real book), or even clean the house (yeah, we are real exciting around here). All the 'writing pros' say you need to write X number of words per day if you are going to make it as a writer, even if you do not feel like it. I suppose my writing career will never take off then, but it is more a hobby than a career anyway, after all, changing diapers and doing laundry (our own) is much more lucrative!
I used to dread writing in school, mostly because it was on a subject in which I had no say or interest. I could care less about an Organic chemistry lab report (try spell checking one of those) or comparing and contrasting the major themes in two completely unrelated novels (please write 10,000 words relating 'Hamlet' to 'The Cat in the Hat,' I might prefer the chemistry). I suppose that is why they call it a BS degree, that is about all it taught me to do, that and write countless pages about nothing since word count was all that mattered, not conciseness. Happily, the floppy disks (yes I am that old) containing those horrendous papers have vanished with the years and will hopefully never again see the light of day. Now I write because I like to, actually I almost have to, else the 'very stones might cry out,' not really but I might get rather grouchy. At least I can do a professional critique of children's books (not from a background in english literature but because I was once a child). Just like in the world of grown up books, there are some great and some horrid books out there and a whole lot of mediocre ones (like mine!).
Thesis, yes thesis, that was what they called it. Anyone else visualizing Gandalf ("that was my name once…"), no, too bad, moving on... One must have a topic and stick to it. I learned something in school, not that you can tell from this blog post though. Anywho, write when you feel like it, don't force it when you don't (unless you are still trapped in the Swamps of Education, then you just have to get very good at making things up). If you do not like writing (or have lousy spelling and/or grammar and don't know a good editor), please do not write a book! I know the 'american dream' is supposed to include writing a book and technology makes it very easy in this day and age, but a word processor does not an author make. I am terrible at golf, bowling, and most anything else that requires aim, precision, and a ball thus I spare others (and myself) much misery by not attempting such feats unless absolutely required to do so in the name of social etiquette. Writing is an art, as is music and painting, neither of the latter do I EVER exhibit in public, though I like to bang on the piano on occasion and once painted a stunning watercolor in 7th grade (at least I got a C on it). Do whatever you enjoy, just please do not throw it out for public consumption unless it is worth consuming lest your intended audience get indigestion. I would like to say the same for Facebook, Message boards, texting, and the like but I am too late for that. It is a wonder modern english teachers are not committing suicide in droves or at least becoming Amish. Thesis, who needs a thesis? Now chocolate, yes chocolate…go eat chocolate, that makes everything better!
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