As I sit thinking today … I am thinking about writing. There are writers and then there are writers like me. I write about things I know … factual things like planting a seed and the progress of its growth or mixing ingredients and watching as the cookies bake into a golden brown in the oven. I write “how tos” or tutorials to help others do what I have already done. At times I write motivational tidbits and hope it helps others overcome obstacles. I consider myself a “safe” writer….writing about things I know.
In the last few months two very distinctive trends started to surface in my life and opened my eyes to the “other writers”. The first eye opener is my son who recently graduated college and is working on his novel. He doesn’t talk much about it, but I now understand. I get it. I have always just read self-help books or books with a concrete theme (cooking, gardening, sewing) and although I would read a fictional book on occasion I only purchased “practical” books. Then I started interacting with writers in the WordPress challenge and started reading some of their posts. They are writers like my son. They become the characters and build a world from their thoughts; they follow their imaginations to wherever they may lead. They create an environment all its own and they write …. from the depths of their minds. Unlike me, the safe writer, they break the barriers and tread the unsafe grounds.
Now I am becoming aware of different authors or books that I see mentioned. There is a huge world of writers out there and they create works of art that people rush to read. They nod in agreement when they refer to a specific author and his works … it’s a bond that only writers and the readers know.
What prompted my real and final full understanding of this concept was just recently at a family gathering. My sister and aunt were discussing books and authors sharing their insights – I sat there looking from one to the other and finally piped in saying…. If you both love reading so much why don’t you Write! Write a book!
They both looked at me in total disbelief and said no, no we could never write like this … “There are readers, like us, and then there are Writers.”
So as I sit thinking today … about writing …. I know now I totally “get it”.
I think it’s finally time to crack open the book my son handed to me a while back and told me I should read “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein. I am sure the writer Peter Weis would nod in agreement.
Filed under: blogging, Post a Day 2011 | Tagged: blogging, postaday2011, writing | 11 Comments »
