Everybody Write! October 22, 2008
Posted by Becca in Uncategorized.trackback
The other morning, as I was sitting with notebook blithely writing away at my morning pages, I had a funny little frisson of thought~you know, those strange notions that seem to pop into your head occasionlly, like a waking dream. For just a second, I had the feeling that everyone in my neighborhood, everyone in the world, actually, was writing too. With a quick mental shake of the head, I came to my senses. How ridiculous is that? But then, a wave of sadness came over me, sadness for everyone I know that doesn’t write, because they are missing so much.
Using words to express our needs, our thoughts, our emotions, is basic to life, and something every child is taught from the earliest of ages. Unlike playing a musical instrument, or painting, or dancing, learning command of our languge through speech and the written word is deemed one of life’s most necessary skills. Isn’t it exciting to watch children master the use of words, to figure out that the use of words makes things happen? Who hasn’t cherished a child’s scribbled notes and poems, written with such excitement and freedom, their first forays into the world of written expression?
Back in 1938, when she wrote If You Want To Write, author Brenda Ueland insisted that “everybody is talented, everybody who is human has something to express.” We let that creative engergy, that drive to express oursleves get “drummed out of our lives by dry obligation, and because we don’t respect it in ourselves and keep it alive by using it.” Fast forward 60 years, and Julia Cameron publishes Right to Write, in which she advises us to “write because it’s human nature to write. Writing claims our world. It brings clarity and passion to the art of living. It is good for the soul. It connects us to our insights, and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance.” I don’t believe writing is just for the “chosen few,” but that everyone comes hard wired with this need to express themselves with the written word. The proliferation of blogging as a means of personal expression is testimony to that.
In the high school where I worked, we had a period of time each day known as “Silent Reading.” It happened about 10:30 a.m., right after morning announcements. Just after we heard results of the volleyball game, meeting time for National Honor Society, and were reminded to wear red and black for spirit day, the announcer says, “Now it’s time for Silent Reading.” The entire student body -all 2100 of them- including teachers, stops class and reads for 20 minutes.
I love being there when that happens. I love the idea of everybody stopping in their tracks just to read, to enter into someone else’s world for a while. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if the whole world took time every day to do that? And, wouldn’t it be even more fabulous if the the world took 20 minutes every day to write, to enter into our own worlds a little deeper, express our vision of life and ourselves on the page. Wouldn’t we all become more mindful of the beauty that surrounds us, the people that intersect with our lives, and more keely attuned to our own thoughts and dreams? Those are just some of the ways my writing experience has enriched my life.
So, how about you? Do you make time to write everyday? Don’t you think everybody should?
Becca, Here we have the first prompt where I may not agree with you totally. But it’s a great one to get me thinking. Thanks.
http://www.andilit.com/?p=302
Becca,
Again, your prompt is inspiring.
I love the ideas you are drawing on from Ueland and Cameron.
http://scobberlotch.blogspot.com/2008/10/write-on-wednesday-write-because-its.html
Good morning, Becca! Ah, so glad to read you and have a little coffee. Don’t care at all that I’m running late for work. And now I have something cool and creative to think about amidst the tech world. Will be back later!
Good one Becca, I loved your thoughts. And I think each one of us is capable of writing!
Here is mine:
Write on Wednesday
Finally, I can do a W.O.W. post! LOL… Here’s mine:
http://mizwrites.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/wow-everybody-write/
MizB
Another great prompt. Here’s my link: http://mymuseandme.blogspot.com/2008/10/write-on-wednesday_22.html
This prompt is relevant to me right at this minute! http://booktrash.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/write-on-wednesday-2/
Yes, definitely – am working on this (although, how uncanny, without having seen this I sat in the train this morning and started writing down what I saw, in particulary, two people sitting at the other end of the carriage, and wondered about a whole lot of things: why they were dressed the way they were, where they were going, why they were so obviously nervious… etc. ) Another train journey tomorrow and I’ll probably have a post
Lovely blog as always Becca!
Hi, I’m a new baby writer, I discovered about 6 months ago I could write poetry annnd that people actually liked what I had written, even really accomplished writers like Linda Marten, I started with 5 line ditties and have just completed a 265 two part poem. Thing is I have never liked poetry, I still don’t like an awful lot, help!
Thanks, Becca!
http://kimhaasdesign.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/write-on-wednesday-3/
Oh, my, Becca. I’m off to do some thinking on this one, as it’s headed me into some difficult territory. I’ll see how I can do at putting my immediate impulse into words!
Finally I have my entry up and published
Writing into the Day!: Write on Wednesday. What fun to document myself as a writer for the last 20 years. Fun to travel down memory lane,
Bonnie
Inspiring! Here’s my answer:
http://novaren.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/every-day/
Yay, have part 1 of my answer posted. Love this question; thought at first I had nothing to say except yes or no, but started with a visual and will write more on it tomorrow, too.
I posted on Wednesday and forgot to add my link! I’ll be out to visit other writers as soon as I get back on high-speed. (I’ve been out since Tuesday with the flu… not a happy camper.)
http://www.themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com
Becca, I know the link in there isn’t working right, and I’ll try to get it changed.
I love the idea of a whole school (including teachers and staff) silent reading for any amount of time. Doing either reading or writing would be awesome.
With my busy schedule, I don’t write every day but I always find time to hold a pen when ideas start coming out…
Whoops here my entry posted on my blog:
http://blk1.eudblogs.org
Bonnie
Sorry, let me try this again. It’s
http://blk1.edublogs.org
I think I got it now,
Bonnie
There’s always something to write every day — email, grocery lists, lesson plans — sometimes the things I HAVE to write seem endless. Not sure if I am always writing the kinds of things I want to write every day, but I do try to make sure that every day I find some kind of fun. There’s the trick!
Thanks again, Becca, for nudging my thoughts into new directions!
Thanks, Becca! Happy writing to you!!!
http://qugrainne.com/2008/10/26/write-on-wednesday-the-last-rose-of-summer-welcome-fall/
Well, there went my Saturday, Becca! If you keep making us think about such interesting things, I’ll never get anything else done.
I’m posted, indeed, with a word about literary haves and have-nots.
http://shoreacres.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/the-haves-and-the-have-nots/
Hello, Do something for help the hungry people from Africa and India,
I made this blog about them:
at http://tinyurl.com/5hu74e