Follow What Pulls You

Our interests, what holds our attention, reveal much about who we are. They are the missing guarantee.

When setting out to create, ideas are plentiful and a spark of excitement. That excitement, like beginners luck, exists to sustain.

To be an Experiment

Constantly looking for “how” can make us forget “do.”

There are many recipes. Some are easy to follow.

Most don’t work…

Chefs do not use recipes, working and creating through flavor and experience alone.

Momentum’s importance cannot be overstated.

The reality of any creative project’s condition is only found in the practice.

Ideas, so clear in the mind, become tested with the pen. There is no other way.

The Act of Beginning

The act of beginning is an acceptance of destiny and a rejection of fate.
What can be created can only be known once it is expressed — never before.

No matter how clear, how powerful, it is in the mind, the expression is flavored by…

The Whisper

Always a whisper, lingering, constant and consuming — that is the call.

The need is not manufactured. It is from within. It is real.

Purpose manifested from decision made.

To understand the seeds a draft must be created.

The Seeds in the Draft

To understand the true seeds of a story the draft must be created.

Only once it is done, the pages down, sparks of connection reveal themselves.

Witness

We are the only witnesses to our work. We know how much, or how little, we put in.

Is there anything to lose if we put all that we have into our work?

Not everyone knows what that looks like. Leaving everything on the field has its costs. There is a manner of…

The Writer and Audience

The story will tell itself if given the chance.

Ideas are always clear and interesting when residing in the mind. All of the elements exist in unity and balance.

A masterpiece.

Inputs

The world is rich with inputs. Stimulation on tap is now the norm, and this can be overwhelming.

The mind is not given time to rest.

The overstimulation builds slowly, almost imperceptibly, until the exhaustion sets in.

The Solitary Community

Most creative pursuits can be lonely affairs. Practice is generally solitary.

This is especially the for writing.

Everything prescribed is solitary. But there is another aspect that is very important: community. Writers are naturally…

Finding the Process

The writing process comes in many stages.

Some may wait to finish one project before working on another. Others can work on multiple projects at once because they are in different stages.

The Decision

A decision is the precursor of action. A dedicated decision then becomes flavored with purpose.

Sitting down to write can be difficult. Dedicating oneself to anything is daunting. The time required, the attention diverted, the responsibilities experienced — both real and imagined…

It’s the Audience’s Choice

They accept the gift. It is theirs to do what they will. It is their choice. But they choose you, too.

Writing is a conversation. Those who find it, and value it, will have made its expression worthwhile.

Research Can Be A Trap

But you can get out. Use the excitement as a tool to keep on going. Research can be a fountain of inspiration.

Reading words you admire is also a way forward. This method is not just for inspiration. The path has been laid before us by others.