Writing about Writing

Here's one thing I want to do more of:  Write.

Some people have always dreamed of writing a book.  They imagine putting pen to paper, filling endless sheets, until they have a beautiful manuscript.  I'm not one of them. 

Writing is hard work.  It's long and tedious.  It takes time.  It sounds a little pompous.  It's not something I ever dreamed of.

Guess what class I hated the most in high school ...

Thoughts.  I have thoughts.  And ideas.  They pulse around in my head, daring me to let them out.  So ... once in a while I write.

I actually have had 3 books in my head that have dared me to let them out.  Entropy causes them to lose energy over time, and they go silent. Letting them out isn't like letting air out of a balloon, or toothpaste from a tube.  It's more like dropping a set of Pick-Up Sticks.  I have to surgically reorganize, caress, and rebuild each piece. 

Once in a while I take the dare, and write.

Mostly I write short things.  One page long. Maybe a chapter.  Once I dared to start a book.  I ended up with four very rough, unedited chapters. 

It takes a lot of time, a lot of work, and a lot of focus.  Three things I usually don't have much of.  Until now.

Once I read, "If you want to get better at writing, then write."  It makes sense.  If you want to get better at running, then run.  If you want to get better at hockey, play hockey.  If you want to get better at praying, then pray.   

So, I write.  This Making the Most experiment is half an exercise in writing.  Two big exceptions:  It's a lot shorter, and someone might actually read it.  Zing! 

I have time.  I'm starting to go a little crazy, looking for any excuse to go do something.  I can discipline myself to sit down and write.

I don't know how it will come out.  I might dust off the invisible covers of an unwritten book.  I might see if the local newspaper is interested in a weekly column.  I might write a series of articles and stories to clarify my own thoughts and learn some things.  I don't know. 

I guess I'll find out tomorrow when I sit down and see which ideas dare me the most.

If you're interested in the process of creative genius, here's a brilliant Ted Talk.