The Art of Writing

A piece of blank paper in front of me is neither inviting nor encouraging. Instead, I actually find it intimidating. I’m much better off coming at a page with the idea I want to convey firmly in the grip of my brain, pencil flying. This is why I am almost never prepared when inspiration hits. I’m either in the shower, or driving somewhere when I get the Big Idea. Or I’m in the middle of making dinner or packing kids’ lunches before dashing out the door on my way to work. But if I don’t immediately jot down the thought, chances are it won’t be there by the time it’s convenient enough for me to get behind a computer. So post-it notes, napkins and the backs of old envelopes really are my greatest allies.

While many writers would likely describe their craft as a passion, for me it is something more akin to a compulsion and far more about my desire to communicate. The driving force behind all my work is the need to reach out through expression of the written word. And to my mind, there is nothing quite like constructing a beautifully articulated sentence or finding that one perfect word to describe something so clearly there is absolutely no mistaking the intention. Or on the opposite spectrum, to formulate a concept in such abstract terms that it provokes thought and discussion, and encourages more personal interpretation. 

Writing, like other creative endeavors, has the ability to inspire and unite. But without readers and thinkers who can appreciate it, the art is lost. So if you are reading this now, I thank you!