I know you're all asking yourself What? at this point. Ask a writer, any writer, and they will tell you that writing is like breathing. It gives them life. Feeds their soul. Fuels their passion. Gives them meaning. Blah, blah, blah.
But just look at the symptoms of extended or forced sensory deprivation: Extreme Anxiety, Hallucinations, Bizarre Thoughts, and Depression.
Sounds like every writer I know.
And why shouldn't it? Writing is a solitary adventure. For hours on end we hole ourselves up in dark corners, effectively shutting out the rest of the world so that we can live inside our heads.
It's almost torturous the way we force ourselves to stare at blank pages until our eyes burn. Sit in a chair, chained to a desk until the words begin to flow. Until our creativity is natural and rhythmic.
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| Source: http://storieslifeexperience.blogspot.com/ |
We go without eating. Drink excessive amounts of caffeinated liquid; to the point where it may as well be administered intravenously. There's no blood left in our veins anyway. We've let it out all over our pages. Our blood, sweat, and tears -- our soul -- laid bare.
So, why do we do it? Why do we subject ourselves to some of the same tactics the CIA uses when interrogating prisoners? Why do we torture ourselves day in and day out?
Is it for glory? Fame and fortune?
Of course not. 90% of what we write will never see the light of day. At best, it will be read by our friends, family, and critique partners. And trust me, none of them are paying for it.
No, most of our work gets filed away neatly. Our characters never to be heard from again.
Even the luckiest amongst us -- those whose stories are written at the right time, land in front of the right person and find publication -- aren't getting rich or famous from it.
Is it for the satisfaction of typing the words The End?
Maybe a little. Maybe for a minute. But guess what? The End is never the end. Those two little words are merely a prelude to a further soul-sucking, emotionally devastating process known in the writing world as editing.
Then once editing is complete, and if the story is good enough and you're seeking traditional publication, you get to complete a query letter, and then a synopsis in three different lengths.
Don't let our happy faces fool you people. Writing is hard work.
I abhor those people who upon hearing that I'm a writer tell me that they too would love to write a novel, if only they had the time. As if time is the only factor in creating a novel. Do I look like I have the time?
My eyes are perpetually bloodshot, surrounded by bags large enough to carry my manuscript in. My hair always grows a little too long before it's cut. And it's usually pulled back into a ponytail because I cannot sacrifice precious writing time to blow it dry or style it.
I go to work looking as if I'd spent the night in a bar, or face down in a gutter.
My hands are covered in ink. Raw. The ring finger on my right hand misshapen at the first knuckle from the intense grip I keep on my pencil.
But still I write. I write for all those reasons I listed above. It doesn't matter that I miss out on having a real life. It doesn't matter that I am the oldest 29 year-old I know. It doesn't matter that I spend most of my time in the dark tied to a desk -- my senses denied to me, used only to create life on the page.
Is it for glory? Fame and fortune?
Of course not. 90% of what we write will never see the light of day. At best, it will be read by our friends, family, and critique partners. And trust me, none of them are paying for it.
No, most of our work gets filed away neatly. Our characters never to be heard from again.
Even the luckiest amongst us -- those whose stories are written at the right time, land in front of the right person and find publication -- aren't getting rich or famous from it.
Is it for the satisfaction of typing the words The End?
Maybe a little. Maybe for a minute. But guess what? The End is never the end. Those two little words are merely a prelude to a further soul-sucking, emotionally devastating process known in the writing world as editing.
Then once editing is complete, and if the story is good enough and you're seeking traditional publication, you get to complete a query letter, and then a synopsis in three different lengths.
Don't let our happy faces fool you people. Writing is hard work.
I abhor those people who upon hearing that I'm a writer tell me that they too would love to write a novel, if only they had the time. As if time is the only factor in creating a novel. Do I look like I have the time?
My eyes are perpetually bloodshot, surrounded by bags large enough to carry my manuscript in. My hair always grows a little too long before it's cut. And it's usually pulled back into a ponytail because I cannot sacrifice precious writing time to blow it dry or style it.
I go to work looking as if I'd spent the night in a bar, or face down in a gutter.
My hands are covered in ink. Raw. The ring finger on my right hand misshapen at the first knuckle from the intense grip I keep on my pencil.
But still I write. I write for all those reasons I listed above. It doesn't matter that I miss out on having a real life. It doesn't matter that I am the oldest 29 year-old I know. It doesn't matter that I spend most of my time in the dark tied to a desk -- my senses denied to me, used only to create life on the page.
For me writing is like breathing. It gives me life. Feeds my soul. Fuels my passion and gives me meaning.
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Okay, Sara Furlong Burr the talented writer behind Starving Novelist tagged me in this awesome game of 'Meme'. As usual, this game has a few rules and according to the rules of Meme, I now have to pass on this brain teaser and tag three fellow bloggers.
The goal is to come up with your own metaphor defining what "Writing is like..."
"like ice cream on a hot summer day"
or
"like a foray into an abysmal pit of loneliness"
Okay, so time to tag those lucky bloggers:
1) Jamie Handling of Handling My Dream fame
2) Mandie Baxter over at Rose Red
3) And Patricia Lynne from Journey Through the Pages
These ladies are awesome. If you're not following their blogs yet, you should.
Okay ladies -- tag, you're it.
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9 comments:
I see you poured blood, sweat and tears into writing this post! ;)
Thanks for tagging me. I'm off to figure out what writing is like to me and who I can torture with this meme.
That's a good meme...whatever that is...This is new to me! But I like your comparison. The pictures are hilarious. I can almost picture you sitting in a corner w/ empty coffee cups spread around muttering to yourself.
I love your blog too. It's so pretty, neat, very well put together. Now I guess I have a good idea for my weekly blog post! Thanks! :)
Ok, I'm trying this again because apparently blogger hates me.
I loved your post. I especially liked what you said about people who say they've always wanted to write a book but don't have the time.
I met an author a while back before I started really writing. I told him I'd always wanted to write a book, and he said "There are two types of writers: those who write and those who talk about it, but don't. Why type are you?" That lit the fire I needed in me to force me to stop talking and just do it.
Thanks for the great blog!
I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!!
Mandie - it's funny because it's true.
HAHAHA this is how I feel, it's weird I even have the same issue about how tight I hold a pen?
I eqaute writing to constantly falling in and out of love, one dy I will write about it for you! Thanks for the laugh!
See you at gun point!
Wonderful post! I completely agree with you. People who assume I must have a lot of time on my hands because I write (or those who think writing a best seller is as easy as getting up and going to work every morning) irk me like there is no tomorrow.
In order to be a writer, you must absolutely love and be committed to it as it has a tendency to evoke feelings of joy, hope, frustration and sadness all in a startling short period of time. Kind of like my first marriage ;-)
Hah! I was drinking ccoke right about the word 'intravenously' and I choked. Thank God there was a really cute guy right next to me to give me CPR (nah, I wish!). So anyway, I enjoy your writing and what you have to say. So much so, you had me at the title. ^_^ Nice job!
Hmm, but now I realize (yet again) how horrendous I look, the bags under my own eyes, and the two ponytails that stick like candycanes sticking out of my ears. Today, a friend put it like this: I hate it when the mirror sees me. LOL. So thatnks for this brain treat. And yes, it is awfully like sensory deprivation. Sigh.
You guys are awesome! Thanks for the comments. It's always nice to know that I'm not alone in my writer-ly ways.
I enjoyed your writing, I agree that the decision to write is not simply based on having the time, it is as you so elequently point out, deeper, more primal than that. I liked the way you make light of the way we steal hours, work late, sweat over the blank page. There are a number of exercises that I use to kick start the creativity, I am using the University of Warwick creative writing podcasts from i-tunes to hone the old chops. I think being part of a group is also useful for a number of reasons, you produce something to a deadline, you get some sort of constructive feedback, and you get to hear other people's work. Plus you talk to people about the process. I often think it is the writing that keeps me sane. Well, sane-ish.
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