What Have I Done???

This one is for the writers out there, and anyone who has ever taken a leap and then thought, "Uh-oh. What have I done?" Two days ago I started this blog. It's taken me over three years to muster up the hootspa to do so. I finally did it - yay me! - and then wondered how long it would take before panic set in. The answer to that question is, by the way, two days. Now that I've taken the leap, I am free to ponder such questions as these: How will I think of something interesting to say every day? Is anyone actually going to read this stuff? What if no one likes it? Eeek! The answer to these questions turns out to be, Who cares? What matters is why I am doing this at all. It's about the writing, the journey, the process of becoming who I am. Writing to me is oxygen. Words and phrases course through my veins, and writing them down is what keeps the blood flowing inside of me. If I don't write, I die. Ok, that may be a little dramatic, but the point is, I don't just want to write, I need to write.  

Ok, so write, you say, but must you do it publicly? Apparently, yes. This is a phenomenon I did not understand until very recently. Writing is like any other art. The singer, the dancer, and the painter all know that if there is joy in what they do, that joy is expanded 10-fold through sharing it with the world.

The motivation is important. Doing this for fame or money or some other extrinsic benefit is misguided and probably a waste of time. Enough self-doubt then and back to the business of writing! If you're looking for me, you can find me here, poised over my laptop keys, trying to bend them to my will.

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on the creative writing process, or any other creative process you engage in. What motivates you to pursue your hobby or passion? Do negative thought processes get in the way? How do you block out the inner critic and do it anyway?

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My invitation to you: Whatever it is that you love to do, allow yourself that happiness. Not only will you live a more fulfilled life, but the rest of the world will be brighter with your light shining brighter in it. Have a wonderful, creative day!

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There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer. When asked to define great, he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!"

He now works for Microsoft writing error messages.

Retrieved on February 12, 2011 from http://www19.homepage.villanova.edu/karyn.hollis/prof_academic/Courses/common_files/jokes_about_writing.htm