For me, writing is akin to a walk in the woods. The beginning is always difficult. Where do you start? You struggle to find your way, often becoming turned round - lost and confused before you have even begun. Eventually, thankfully, you will locate the beaten path or dirt track you wish to follow. As you meander down this path, your pace becomes fluid - slowing at key events or themes, as one might slow to enjoy the flowers, before hurrying on again. And while you continue forwards, leaving the path here and there to explore the undergrowth that gives your work its dimension, you are safe in the knowledge that you know which direction you are heading in.
To begin truly is the hardest part of writing. I enjoy the sense of achievement felt upon clambering through the thickets and hedgerows that cloud my mind, reaching the well-travelled path beyond. It is not dissimilar to solving a puzzle. In one brief flash, one moment of clarity, you make sense of the jumbled information and it all falls into place. Why then, with such a passion for putting pen to page, have I avoided writing for years?
The blame lies rightly with my old English teacher, who allowed hindrance and criticism to take the place of support and nurture. While she put me off at first, it is a mantra of sorts that has convinced me to begin scrawling my thoughts for the world to see. I have come across different approaches to life in books, film, through the people I know and once during a midnight conversation with a Greek man in an underground Manchester bar. And while everyone has a different approach to living life, I am content with my own little 'mantra'...
Do what makes you happy
Regardless of the money you earn, the places you go, the people you meet and the ones you leave behind -
Always do what makes you happy.
Image Owner: Wilfred Thomas
Every search begins with beginners luck and ends with the victor’s being severely tested.
ReplyDelete~The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho.
Liked your analogy; writing is, indeed, a long journey of discovery. Keep going and show us your discoveries! :)
Thank you very much (: Like you say, I have no idea where I'm going with this - but there's no harm in continuing further down the rabbit hole
DeleteYes,continue please!:)
ReplyDelete