I looked and beheld a blank piece of paper before me and a pen inclined toward my hand.
I heard a voice say "Write!"
"But what shall I write?" said I.
"Just write!" said the voice.
"If nothing else, practice your penmanship. Learn to form the characters quickly and legibly. Writing is an art. Make yours beautiful. Make it a joy to look at.
Then, cover the paper with words. Craft those words into sentences. Make each sentence concise and to the point. Craft those sentences into paragraphs that clearly convey your thoughts and ideas, observations and emotions.
Fill copy books and tablets and legal pads with your skillfully crafted words, sentences and paragraphs. Fill reams and quires of paper. Fill memo books, notebooks, and journals. Write things you want to remember and things you'd rather forget.
Write a story -- write your story! Your story is yours alone. Only you can tell it correctly. It needs to be written.
Write about what makes you happy and what irks you, what lifts your spirit and what makes you grieve.
Write poetry; write prose!
Write fact; write fiction, write fantasy. Write opinion; write conjecture; write truth.
Write essays. Write reports. Write a blog.
But write. Always write.
The paper before you is your gateway to lands and peoples and universes you have only dreamed.
Visit them and tell me about them.
Now, take up the pen and write!"
Hearing the voice, I took the pen and began to write. I have been writing ever since. As long as pen and paper exist, I will write.
The blank sheet of paper lies before you. A pen inclines toward your hand.
Will you join me? Will you pick up the pen?
Will you write?
Will you share what you've written?
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I love reading what you write. Sometimes I get the bug to write, and do so. Other times it seems too time consuming and I don't. I feel that words have power, even if they are only for me to see from my own brain. I have had emotional breakdowns on paper that no one else was privy to and just putting it down and out of my head was very freeing. I am glad that I have the ability to put thoughts into words whether it be for me or others.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should coauthor a book about our experience as consultants for the Army. I'll bet Boy Wonder and his dog Rover would love it.
ReplyDeleteThere’s no escaping stories, or the pressures to tell them. I write to tell stories of family past to families who will come. Actually I probably write to tell stories, just because I can.
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