Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

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HoodedMan
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by HoodedMan »

If you're a writer like me, you enjoy the process of writing but not necessarily the finished product. You're never sure of its quality and you hesitate to display it at all. If you do finally decide to post it, you can't help but think and fear that your readers are being insincere or overly nice in order to not hurt your feelings when you receive compliments.

I'm like that. But the other day I saw the following excerpt of a letter posted on the wall of someone I consider a true artist. Every word struck true; I know intimately the "queer, divine dissatisfaction" of which she speaks. Do you?

I find this quote very inspirational and it's going to help me to continue to write and to post the two fics I'm working on. I hope it helps you if you're as hesitant as I am to write and to post.
Martha Graham to Agnes Demille
There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening
That is translated through you into action
And because there is only one of you in all time
This expression is unique. If you block it
It will never exist through any other medium
and be lost.
The world will not hear it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is;
Nor how valuable it is;
Nor how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep it yours,
clearly and directly,
To keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself
or your work.
You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges
that motivate you.
Keep the channel open.
No artist is pleased.
There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.
There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction,
A blessed unrest that keeps us marching
And makes us more alive than the others.
Edit: Emphasis of what I consider one of the most important parts.

[Edited on 27/6/2006 by HoodedMan]
ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen looken peepers! Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.
Rowena
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by Rowena »

This poem is beautifully written and painfully accurate. Thoughts like those are pretty much the only thing that force me to put my story ideas to electronic paper instead of just allowing them to swirl around my head or storing them on my computer in neat little files no one ever looks at but me. For me, sharing my work is very hard--I even have trouble turning in school papers, I get so nervous! Sometimes I procrastinate for weeks or even years (I'm not kidding about the years) before writing down a single word just because I'm scared the work won't come out right! It's so stupid, I know, but I can't help it. Now, though, whenever I get my brain stuck in a nervous feedback loop, I'm going to remember this poem. It's already given me a boost out of one loop, and I know it'll help in the future just to know other people get that same "queer, divine dissatisfaction...that keeps us marching"!

Thank you very much for sharing this!!!

:bamf
"There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, where the sea's asleep and the rivers dream, people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice and somewhere else the tea is getting cold. Come on, Ace, we've got work to do."
~The Doctor, Survival

"There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes."
~The Doctor, Robot

"If this isn't civilization, why am I standing in a bomb crater?"
~Hawkeye Pierce, M.A.S.H.

Rowena Zahnrei's Stories: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/526713/Rowena_Zahnrei
HoodedMan
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by HoodedMan »

You sound exactly like me, Rowena! I'm pleased that you were able to get into the game earlier than I was, but with these thoughts I definitely want to be writing now! Thanks!
ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen looken peepers! Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by littlebamf »

It really is an excellent piece, real inspiration!

Writing's always been hard for me too (partly because no one told me I was dyslexic until last yeat which explained a lot).

Rowena - I always had problems with giving in work at school, then sixth form as I would always think that it was no good, and it neeed a praragraph here or there, it wasn't good enough, my tutor was expecting something excellent and all I could do was crap....

I remember one piece I did in particular was my scriptwriting assignment - it was a big deal really, because the script you wrote would then be directed by another class mate. I seriously had issues with it and was practically in tears over the damn thing and I just didn't wnat to give it in, and was literally dragged into my tecaher's office as she was kind in the fact that she would read your piece with you, tell you what she thought and would send you away to do it.

She loved it, it was one of her favourite pieces anyone had done (out of a class of 16 kids). But, I still wasn't happy with it and ended up throwing it around the dressing room until someone pointed out (probably to shut me up and not because they were trying to be clever and insightful) that I should stop trying so hard and just do it.

So, I did and it came out alright - until it got totally raped by the girl who directed it that is...
Dämon
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by Dämon »

:D Thanks for sharing this! It's really inspiring. Okay, time to get cracking!:bamf :computer
"I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know." -J.R.R. Tolkein
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by Elfdame »

Yeah, but most of what I've been writing the last five months or so really *is* crap that nobody would want to read. It's full of my Mary-Sue OC and is basically drivel. But I am addicted to writing it (I see heads nodding in solidarity across the planet) and at least *I* enjoy reading it. Even my husband has started to quote me quoting Elise; he speaks about her as if she, y'know, almost exists. (At this point, my OC is kinda like The Other Woman in our marriage ha ha. I love her soooo much!)

However, I should share an anecdote ... a couple of years ago I entered a contest with a story which I thought was pretty cute, fun characters, realistic story, etc. I read it in front of my monthly writing group, and boy howdy did it get shot down! Nobody liked the tone (the characters had down-home speech but the narration used more educated expressions), they hated the interactions, the plot was deli-sliced thin, blah blah. I was sooo discouraged, because it wasn't a matter of "watch out for this phrase" or "that reaction seemed illogical for the character," it was wholesale blech-dom.

But since I'd already slaved over it and paid my entry fee, I entered it in the contest. Turns out there were only six entries, so I got the 25 bucks for first place.

Ha freakin' ha.

And the little old ladies who judged the contest were enchanted by the story; it had them tickled pink.

So I added sunshine to someone's day and stuffed some bills in my pocket too.

Let's all chant along with the captain from "Galaxy Quest": "Never give up! Never surrender!"
"Humanity is a parade of fools, and I am at the front of it, twirling a baton." From Chapter 9 of _Brother Odd_ by Dean Koontz / from Chapter 10: "Life you can evade; death you cannot."

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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by wingyding »

Yeah, HM, I know how you feel.

Writing's always been a bit iffy for me. I hated to write things, especially creative ones, for the longest time--in fact, up until my junior year is high school. My lit teacher inspired me to get writing since I did so well on papers and in essays for class, and the idea finally came up to speed when I entered and placed third of five hundred in a poetry competition my school held.

Writing fanfic and my own original stories has always been enjoyable, because I like the actual writing. However, past that I tend to be hesitant of posting it or saving it, and the vast majority of what I do ends up being stuffed in a book or folded up and unknowingly sent through the washing machine. ((Yeah, I'm disorganized, so shoot me. ))
Neither Love nor Evil conquers all, but Evil cheats more.
Important Lessons Learned from the X-Men: Never give indestructible metal claws to something that doesn't die when you shoot it in the head.
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Inspiration For Us Hesitant Writers

Post by Dämon »

Ah yes, the washing machine...it has stolen a few bills, keys, homework assignments and socks from me...but it does make my clothes smell nice...:tub
"I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know." -J.R.R. Tolkein
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