Saturday, May 7, 2011

Part 1: To Write or 'Write' ... Right?

I’m sure you, like me, have written a lot of things. And perhaps similar to a lot of what I have done.

When I think of all the writing I’ve done, I’ve written a lot (in somewhat chronological order, except for my poetry which I started at about age 18 or 19):

notes
cards
correspondence
diaries/journals
projects
book reviews
essays
critiques
reports
assignments
presentations
exams
resumes
letters (including a number of political and editorial)
applications
forms (such as for employment and for research grants)
medical/scientific research papers
job evaluations
stats
meeting minutes
year-end reports
articles
proposals
synopsis
blurbs
advertisements
endorsements
testimonials
poetry (including some limericks and odes, and attempts at haiku)
scripts (of monologues and dialogues)
lyrics (including rap – that was fun!)
children’s story (or two and my foray into an adventure story/book in grade 3)
a workshop
emails
press releases
taglines/captions
a blog

... and ideas (for poems, stories, books, business cards and businesses, jokes, and even for my dream). Does broadcasting, instant messaging, and texting count? ; } And I hope to add at least one book to this repetoire, one day...soon?

I’m always communicating as we all do. Obviously, other than with body language, I do so with words, verbally or in written form. However, I also occasionally experiment with telepathic communication. Does anyone else? ; ) (Just curious.)

Words, these words, where do they come from? Do they just pop onto the page? Are they forced from my fingers onto a computer or page? Are they imagined or projected onto another’s mind like a screen, or not? Do they appear seemingly out of nowhere, like magic?

I used to struggle - actually still do - a lot with finding the right word(s). LOL. This is one example. Should it be ‘word’ or ‘words'? (Actually in this case, I think it’s both!) The right words or phrase to capture the essence, the feeling, the emotion, the experience. I endeavour to capture perfection in doing so. But I can also write, and have written, in the flow.

Sometimes though, I don’t capture words on time, especially when in the flow as happened with my blog. In one instance, I accidentally erased an inspired piece of prose - it was a masterpiece - before I could transfer it to my blog. Ouch! That hurt!

I used to think that I didn’t think these words, but I must. However, they usually ‘show up’ as one word. Yessss! One. Word. Only. One...word. Sometimes though, a phrase or a few lines from the etheric realm (or wherever) grace me in the form of poetry. This is so erratic in comparison.

For the most part, I don’t “force” my poetry unless, say, I’m at a poetry workshop and my mind is blank. Or when I sit down to write a bunch of poems which I did one day (and one day only!). Otherwise I write poetry or snippets of it (only) when inspired.

Yet for me, words come intuitively, a lot. They come to me like books. Books show up without me having to hunt for them. But with words, I don’t see nor hear them. I just ‘get’ them claircognizantly. It is immediate, spontaneous, out-of-the-blue, from the ethers. And at times, I have a vague sense of the definition and consult a dictionary or computer!

Despite this, I’m not a perfect writer. By no means. I’m honoured to be favoured or graced with this passion and am extremely grateful and appreciative of that.

Gratitude (though sometimes with an accompanying 'knowing' smirk on my face) also occurs when, oftentimes, I think or ‘get’ a word or phrase before it tumbles out of a person’s mouth, whether a speaker, colleague, family member, or friend - anyone for that matter.

I also appreciate occasionally hearing music or a beat in terms of writing lyrics or in the case of my one-time rap tribute.

These experiences make me realize that intuition is really at work and I am truly inspired in those moments. I LOVE when that happens!

Does anyone else experience any of this? I’d really like to know, truly! And pray tell, what are your experiences with words? And writing? I’d love to hear. : ) Please ... and thank you, kindly.

6 comments:

  1. Sometimes it comes to me in dreams , you know, the things I want to write about... While at times I need to sit and really think hard... Sometimes songs give me ideas and inspirations.... I like how you think about writing and how to express it...And now I think it's high time you add a book to that list :)

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    1. Cool how you get your ideas for writing Naba, through writing and songs! Thanks for your encouraging support...who knows, maybe that book will birth itself sometime... ;) <3

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  2. Elly, this is one of your best post. The words seem to be flowing from the heart. I loved reading it.

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    1. Oh, thanks so much Usha for your compliment: how sweet of you to say that! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it, and thanks for your feedback. :) <3

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  3. You are remarkable Elly. How do you do so much? As far as my experiences with words -- I sit at the keyboard and my fingers type the words -- they are stored in my fingers first - then my brain. Sometimes I have no idea what I am going to write until I start typing. Have you ever done that?

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    1. Well, thanks Carol though it takes one to know one, eh? ;) For sure, that happens to me a lot..in fact, that's how A LOT, maybe all my blog posts are written...in the moment while at my keyboard! ;) <3

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