Prompting Yourself to Write 2: Writing is an act of Hope

One of my favorite books on writing is The Writer's Idea Book by Jack Heffron.

The 1st 4 paragraphs of its introduction struck a chord with me:

"Writing is an act of Hope. It is a means of carving order from chaos, of challenging one's own beliefs and assumptions, of facing the world with eyes and heart wide open. Through writing, we declare a personal identity amid faceless anonymity. We find purpose and beauty and meaning even when the rational mind argues that none of these exist.

Writing, therefore, is also an act of courage. How much easier is it to lead an unexamined life than to confront yourself on the page? How much easier is it to surrender to materialism or cynicism or to a hundred other ways of life that are, in fact, ways to hide from life and from our fears? When we write, we resist the facile seduction of these simpler roads. We insist on finding out and declaring the truths that we find, and we dare to put those truths on the page.

To get ideas and to write well, you have to risk opening yourself. Rather than making us weak, it makes us confident and fearless. The more confident we grow, the more open we can allow ourselves to be. If you can write even when your life seems dark and bleak, even if all you can write is "Life sucks," then you have the hope and courage necessary to keep moving, to persevere as an artist. In perseverence you will find your creative self.

Writing also is an act of joy and celebration. With it we say that life is worth preserving, worth exploring in all its facets, and to do it well we must have fun. it must be approached with a sense of play, of risk and experiment, openness and laughter."

 

Blogging is one such experiment, and is full of risk as you open yourself up to the scrutiny of a potentially limitless readership.

As a Blogger you are expressing your joy in writing and celebrating your ability to laugh in the face of Writer's Block.

Comments

[B. H. O.]

Great write up!

Writing can be really enjoyable.

[Caroline]

Don't stop believing...Ever!

Be flexible and go for it!

[Amanda Socci]

You are so right - blogging is an experiment! Beautiful description of the first few paragraphs in this book.