Saturday, January 26, 2008

Writing Cramps

I don’t write well, sometimes. Although I like the written word and like to put words together to form thoughts that hopefully communicate the intangible, but real to others, I’m not really that good at it. But sometimes I do better than others.

I usually write better in the morning. Now it is late afternoon and I feel a little pushed to get this written, even though I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of days now. In the evening or at night, it seems that I just can’t get words out that make any sense at all.

Sometimes, though, in the morning hours, I can start writing at the computer about little of nothing and watch as it turns into something that I think is rather good. It’s almost as if I’m watching someone else write, but of course, it’s I who am writing. Those times tend to come rather infrequently now, but when they do come, it’s a blessing.

I still have the papers I did in college, at least the ones I did at OCU. When I read them again, I think, “Did I really write that?” Of course I did, but I have little clue how those thoughts came into my head to put down on paper. The writing is not as polished as it is now (I wrote those papers in the early 1980’s), but the thoughts are as if they came from outer space somewhere. I don’t know how else to say that.

I save all of my writing now. All of my bulletin articles from Oakley, the things I write to others in answer to questions or discussion of things (thanks, Kathy), and these blogs are all on my PC. I also have things I wrote while in the ministry in Topeka that no one else has seen. These writings are my way to sort out things and make things clearer in my mind.

I think that’s why I like the blog. I don’t really care if anyone else reads this or not. It’s for me and my thoughts. However, if others benefit from it or enjoy it in some way, that’s all the better.

I’ll probably never make any money writing. My sister is a much better writer than I am when it comes to writing things that might sell. I don’t think she’s sold or published anything yet, but I think it would be worth a shot for her sometime. She’s also a musician and cook, as well as school psychologist, mom, wife, and friend. She has a plethora (as she would say) of experience from which to glean. Maybe she’ll do some of that gleaning some time.

2 comments:

Wayne said...

I've done a bit of writing also, and enjoy it when I think I have something to say. While in New York City I began a manuscript and was able to finish it before we left in 1988. This was done mostly due to my having "something inside me that needed to come out," is the way I have put it most of the time. I have also written several small pamphlets on specific subjects or for specific reasons. Writing is something I enjoy and some have even commented that I should do more. I guess we'll see.

WDK

Anonymous said...

For whatever your reason for writing, I'm glad you do it!

Kathy