The first twig of this tree has arrived.
April is the cruelest month, according to T.S. Eliot. It seems especially cruel this year, as I am now a motherless child. Grief isn't new to me, but this particular brand cuts deep. Strangely, a book called A Gracious Plenty by Sheri Reynolds has helped me in my journey of grieving. I recently met Ms. Reynolds at a Writers' Conference, and was not even aware that one of her books had been selected by Oprah for her Book Club. She is enthusiastic and inspiring to me. I even think of her as wearing a modern mantle of Faulkner.
Anyway, I am keeping this blog as a journal of sorts of my path towards becoming a writer. I don't want to be a dabbler; I want to write and teach others how to write ...creatively. With soul. With passion. With truth.
I mentioned one of the first steps of my journey above...attending the Writers at the Beach Writing Conference in Rehoboth Delaware. I'm glad that I went because it made me realize a few things. The first is that I have put off writing my own stories for so long...as if I had no limit to my time. Well, I realize now that I do have a limit, something like women talking about their biological clocks ticking. My writing clock is ticking, so I better get to it. I have more to offer now because I've lived more and thought/analyzed/experienced/traveled more than when I was 20.
Another one of my first steps is that I attempted to write a short story. After showing it to a few esteemed personages of my choosing, I have discovered the value of conflicted/conflicting advice. I am going to give it a final restructuring and focus after the semester ends, and then put it to bed and tuck it in and begin yet another story. If I gather some courage together, I may even post it on this blog.
"I cannot live without books." - Thomas Jefferson
April is the cruelest month, according to T.S. Eliot. It seems especially cruel this year, as I am now a motherless child. Grief isn't new to me, but this particular brand cuts deep. Strangely, a book called A Gracious Plenty by Sheri Reynolds has helped me in my journey of grieving. I recently met Ms. Reynolds at a Writers' Conference, and was not even aware that one of her books had been selected by Oprah for her Book Club. She is enthusiastic and inspiring to me. I even think of her as wearing a modern mantle of Faulkner.
Anyway, I am keeping this blog as a journal of sorts of my path towards becoming a writer. I don't want to be a dabbler; I want to write and teach others how to write ...creatively. With soul. With passion. With truth.
I mentioned one of the first steps of my journey above...attending the Writers at the Beach Writing Conference in Rehoboth Delaware. I'm glad that I went because it made me realize a few things. The first is that I have put off writing my own stories for so long...as if I had no limit to my time. Well, I realize now that I do have a limit, something like women talking about their biological clocks ticking. My writing clock is ticking, so I better get to it. I have more to offer now because I've lived more and thought/analyzed/experienced/traveled more than when I was 20.
Another one of my first steps is that I attempted to write a short story. After showing it to a few esteemed personages of my choosing, I have discovered the value of conflicted/conflicting advice. I am going to give it a final restructuring and focus after the semester ends, and then put it to bed and tuck it in and begin yet another story. If I gather some courage together, I may even post it on this blog.
"I cannot live without books." - Thomas Jefferson
posted by Reading Reader | 5:30 PM
2 Comments:
You are never a motherless child; you are a person whose mother has stepped aside so you can take her place in the family structure -- as is the usual progression in life. Not always, but usually.
Now that you are first in line, you can reflect on your many years preparing for this role.
Write, honey; write. Tell us your story, in fact and parable. In imagery and fiction.
First, let me get a steaming mug of tea.
Bravo, Marie!
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