Speaking, Even In Letters, Is Terrifying

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afraid, blog, don't be, encouragement, soul, spirituality, words, Writing

The fear that so many people struggle with, I think, is of being heard. No one wants to expose their hearts to the world to be judged and be open to the possibility of being ridiculed.

When the hard eyes of humanity is focused on one individual, the soul trembles in trepidation. The words are difficult to form, but they are released from the cage of the throat and out the gates of the lips none-the-less. The voice, if not carried correctly, will be ignored and shrugged. If carried on like a breath of wind, it will be renowned and glorified. More often than not, however, the voice is ignored and the soul is left alone to its shame.

Then is born the fear to speak at all. Even if the voice is only heard by individuals who take time to look at the words that are scribbled down on a page.

Don’t be afraid. Those who don’t care don’t matter, and those who care, matter. Words can not bite their owner, only those who carry malice in their hearts.

Word Quantity or Word Quality?

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culture, dead dreamer, funny phrases, ink, literature, meaningful words, paper, patience, pen, pencil, quality, time, time and patience, word counts, words, Writing

It’s something that I’ve been noticing among a lot of writers. Not so much in books as on blogging websites and forums when they discuss their “writing”. (Which we never see). Many of them seem more concerned about getting a ton of words on the page than they do about making the words count toward a wonderfully told story.

“Just get the first draft down!” They seem to say. Their pen quivers in their hands as they scribble down the next sentence which contains the same words and funny phrases that they used a couple pages ago. “It’ll be a kick!” They aspire, but rarely do they seem to accomplish.

Such is the path of a dead dreamer.

So many writers dream. I respect their dreams, their wishes, but it’s a lack of drive and passion that keeps them from reaching their goals. Sacrifice is an element that I’ve been discovering and some of that sacrifice means time and patience. Taking lots of time to write down the perfect phrase, and having the patience to find the perfect word. The right sentence can mean the difference between making a reader cry out in anguish for a character, or them setting the book down because they found it too poorly drawn.

I do not mean to say that I am a perfect writer, but I have been trying to eradicate those untimely words and phrases from my writing. To keep myself from putting something on the paper that will be “good enough” until I revise it months later. It’s hard, it requires thought and more time that I am really comfortable with, but I have been starting to be happier with my writing because of it. I do not restrict myself to word counts. If I get 2000 words down in a day, and that was all I was trying to do, then fine, that goal was accomplished. But if I get 1000 passionate and meaningful words down, then that is far, far better than any word count will ever be.

Our culture revolves around pushing things out so quickly that we have lost the reality of quality. Do not become the next cliche, make every word count so that when you have a finished product, it won’t be “good enough” but will instead be something to remember. Quantity is not quality, and quantity will not by cherished like like quality will. Glass is pretty, but it is the diamond that stands the test of time.

Time For Writing

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3, author, book, business, chapter, chapter3, fingers, literature, long time, pages, tea, words, wrath, Writing

Pages spread out for effect.

 

So I’m writing the next chapter in my book! That there is my outline and about seven or eight pages of writing. Took me about an hour and a half, so, not too bad! The story is moving along, and now that finals are almost over, I have been indulging myself in some writing that I have been meaning to do for a long time. My fingers and mind were beginning to itch!

Ahhh…tea is nice, words are good, writing on.

Wrath, my friend, we will save you.

If You Had Some Advice For A New Writer, What Would It Be?

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advice, advise, dedication, literature, message, messages, rainy day, typewriter, words, Writing

If I were the one giving advice, I would be telling new writers to keep going, no matter what. However, I would pause and think that that sort of thinking would then seem petty when shined in the real light of life. Because no one ever really stops doing anything, unless they are dead. So, I would tell them to keep reaching higher; that is what will make the difference.

I would tell them to take their pen, typewriter, computer, or if they’re into chiseling their messages into rocks, to write, and keep writing until they are comfortable with how their words sound or until they are sure that they have properly trained them.

Because words are not something to simply be captured and locked away for a rainy day. They are living and breathing creatures that need to be nurtured into submission. They never really do exactly what you want, but they do enough for you that they resemble something of what you are after. I would tell the writer to not think of their pen as a whipping stick, nor even a leash, but more of a stroking hand. Give the words their time, and they respond more quickly to whatever it is you want. They obey, to an extent, and try to please the writer’s will as quickly as possible.

All it takes is that time, that love, and dedication. Not every word that a writer will put down will be beautiful. But there must be a starting place. One moment where the writer is able to look back on, and see how far that they have come. And if they stick with it, keep training their words into messages, then they will see those results.

Words are not mere markings, they are a part of the writer’s soul, and a soul is not something that can be tethered down.

Words are alive