A Writers Life
Eugene Ionesco was a French/Romanian playwright. He said “A writer never has a vacation. For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing”
Laying that quote over my own life, I can identify fully. I do leave my home and go to other places, but the knowledge that I’m a writer and the constant inspection of my surroundings sourcing inspiration, means that I don’t switch off from that writing. Should I switch off from it? Does any good writer ever switch off?
From my own point of view, I’m going to say no. A good writer is always sourcing inspiration. I have found it in the strangest of places. I watched sugar cane bending in the breeze. I have people watched and seen things. I saw shapes in the clouds. It may have been one line of a song lyric or tv show. After all, Aaron Sorkin once said “ good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright”. Take advice from the pros!
I have a notebook with me everywhere I go. There is always one in my bag. I have my phone to put notes on and my iPad also. Inspiration strikes anywhere and you have to be ready. There are pages I have of notes. From one word to full poems. From one lyric to the name of a song. It’s all there. Some I’ve used. Some I haven’t. Some I may never use.
Some of my favourite poems have popped into my head at one in the morning. I’ve had to get up and write it quickly. A writer never has a vacation. You may physically be in another place, but mentally…..the writer brain is firmly in the “on” position.
(April 28 2022)
A Writers Life
Stephen King said “if you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others. Read a lot and write a lot”
Reading.
Reading a lot is a broad statement. How much is a lot? What should you read? Is there too much reading? I read. I read a lot. It’s something I have done since childhood and frequently remember various people telling me that I always had a book in my hand. I belong to Goodreads, so that I can share my love of books, and my reviews with others.
Each year I challenge myself to read a set number of books. This year, it’s 75! You may think that’s a crazy number, but I also read and review for NetGalley on a professional level. I read every day without fail, wherever I am.
I review every book I read through NetGalley and as many as I can on GoodReads too. I am reading outside my usual comfort zone of favourite authors too. That’s a great thing to do. Makes you think.
Do I write every day?
Every single day. That writing may be a post like this. It may be an email. It may be two lines added to a book I’m planning. It may be a blog post. It may be some freelance work that I have. But, I do some daily. I’d say I feel lost if I don’t!
A writer is a creative person. A writer reads to expand their knowledge and writes to share that creativity.
If you don’t step out of your comfort zone, you remain on the easy path.
The easy path is not always the right one……
(April 27 2022)
