The Underside Of Writing

So white…so plain…so blank. That’s how every amazing story piece starts–with an empty page. Whether it’s a page from a book or from a digital device, our efforts to piece together our creative ideas unfold when we put a pen to paper or finger tips to keyboard. The finished product can be life-changing, awe-inspiring, humorous, thought-provoking, informative, or even crazy rants. However, what happens in between writing the first word and the last, is sometimes enough to cause hair loss.

Writing is fun. Doing so put the wheels of our minds in motion. It pokes at our creativity and demands that our imagination get to work. All this is exciting…when we know what to write about that is. It’s the truth. When ideas are fresh, and a productive brainstorming session yields a concept map overflowing with branches of related points, writing is easy. When we know the topic we’re writing on, and our research is fruitful, constructing paragraph after paragraph is as easy as writing our names. On the other hand, when we’re arrested by writer’s block, mood-swings, or just plain laziness, making a beautiful masterpiece is not so forthcoming.

This reality made me a slave to my sporadic “I’ve-got-it-light-bulb” moments. When they occur, whatever I’m in the middle of, has to be put on hold. Whether I’m eating or in the middle of a conversation, I have to stop and go record my thoughts somewhere, on something…be it on my phone, a strip of paper, or a used napkin. I don’t know about you, but I can testify of the many times I’ve laid down to sleep with my mind still buzzing, and just as I’m about to doze off, an excellent topic, keyword or phrase for an article or story pops into my head. Experience has thought me not to wait until morning to write it down. Regardless of how tired I am, I must roll out of bed and empty the contents of my mind on some form of storage device. If this is not done, that great idea will only be a figment of my imagination come daylight–I’ve learned the hard way.

The best writers can agree that those hours between the beginning and the end of an article has the potential for being equal parts intriguing, time-consuming, and baffling. I’ve written some articles within hours, and some within days. What’s important for the completion of any piece is perseverance. “Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'” (Luke 9:62) Stick with it until it’s done. You may not be finish the same day you start, but eventually see it through to the end. Take breaks. If your mind is not in it, then the finish product will be lackluster. A fresh perspective and a well rested mind tends to harvest better articles.

Remember, real writers have no regrets regarding writing. (Amelia Brown)