So, the new year is upon us. Four days in, already. I've set some fairly specific goals for myself this year to try and get myself back on track. I've allowed myself to become lax in too many areas and it's not going to help propel me forward to allow it to continue.
I was thinking back on some advice my Auntie left me as a comment for one of my blogs. It's a well known phrase to anyone doing any sort of writing: Write what you know. The past few days have had some high levels of creative activity up in my mind, but with little external creation. I realized part of this is because I simply don't have a good enough grounding on how to write the things I want to write. You can't just sit down and BAM!, produce a novel. Or even a short story for that matter. So, thinking back on the first piece I began posting on here, I decided to read a couple of pieces based in the associated time period and within the genre of mystery.
First I picked up the first Sherlock Holmes short, entitled A Study in Scarlet. I am finding it quite easy to read and quite enjoyable. It's helping me to retain a more firm grasp on the dialect used during that time as well as giving obvious examples of plot twists and the sort. The other book is an Agatha Christie novel about Hercule Poirot. I enjoy her method of writing, as it is always moving forward. She does not spend a great deal of time with drawn out discriptions of needless banter. She's very direct.
My reading is a bit slow, as I have a hard time reading just one book at a time. Perhaps that is something I should practice, but reading for me is much like listening to music. It all depends on my mood. Sometimes I want to read a sci-fi...sometimes a modern day piece...sometimes a fantasy and so forth. Therefor, books are slow to get completed, but at least I'm always reading.
We'll see what this year has in store for me. I'm hoping to have myself squarely focused and be able to get some real work done. I guess that all depends on me, doesn't it?
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4 comments:
Like your photo! It's hard to believe it was actually warm at camp when it is so cold in Maine now.
Go for it! Most of us suffer from Oliver Cowdery's problem when he attempted to translate the golden plates and was given permission from the Lord to do so. He hadn't put in the required spiritual work (among other things) and was told,
"you did not continue as you commenced", and the gift was taken from him.
I am trying, even at this late stage, to learn to "continue as (I) commence."
I LOVE the photo!
Some writers carry a small notebook with them and they jot down odd thoughts that fly in their heads. That may help. Actually we should all probably do that. There have been many times where I thought, 'guee I should have writtent that down' or 'what was I thinking again?'
Its great that you've been reflecting. I think its important to take stock once in a while.
I used to carry a small tape recorder around with me and tape record my reactions to the dates I went out on. Most of the time it was in mockery and ridicule. I know that makes me sound like a completely evil person, but I did envision myself writing memoirs about it one day.
Ha Ha!
Yeah, I had a bad experience with the tape recorder concept...in fact, I shall go write a blog about it.
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