Week 4, Prompt 2 of 3

Week 4 Prompts, #2

14. Wishing? Lying? Dreaming? Dancing? Boxing? Cooking? What is writing like for you?

Writing is a bit like a grab bag for me, I think.  It depends on the day that you ask me.  Outside factors come into play.  Am I "in the zone" (a.k.a. not constantly checking e-mails and looking up funny things as a means of procrastination), do I have a lot on my plate, is it a topic where I can gather passion to me as I write and then build upon it, like a bird gathering material for her nest?  There are ups and downs for me that factor into it, but I suppose if I had to focus on just one image, I would compare writing with fishing.

Yes, fishing seems truly apt.  You fling your line into the water, watch your float go "plop!" and then bob along the surface, and you sit down.  And you wait.  You could wait a really long time and nothing will happen.  And suddenly - you feel that wild tug.  An idea has come out of nowhere and is demanding your attention.  You reel it in and - voila!  There's your story, there's your piece.  It might be as long as your arm or it might be so pathetic that you only have one option - chuck it back in and start afresh.

For me, I never mentally prepare for a topic.  I sit and stare at the computer screen for quite a while when I need to write.  I do a routine of 5 minutes of procrastination to "get it out of my system".  On a good day, 5 minutes is enough.  On a bad day, it's 30 minutes later and I look at the clock to realize that I'm still looking at hilarious pictures of dogs in Halloween costumes.  So, I start with sitting and staring and not thinking of anything in particular.  And then I just start writing.  I can usually tell right away when it's going to be worthless and not worth continuing.  Sometimes I doggedly ignore that voice and continue reeling that idea in.  But if I don't feel like what I'm reeling in has some fighting spirit, has some potential, I find myself unable to keep pulling it in.  Like letting a line go slack, I let that story slip away.  So often, when I begin writing, I begin writing in earnest.

I suppose there is some comfort in being this way.  Just when I think I've become a dry well, something will appear like an unexpected gem.  But it also perturbs me.  I can't rely on a fount of wisdom and brilliant dialogue.  The fisherman can't point at the water and say "You!  20 pound bass!  Rise to the surface and jump into this net!"  Maybe if the water wasn't so murky some days, I would have better luck.  Or maybe not.  Maybe this is an analogy many writers can relate to.

Certainly passion seems to come into play when writing something.  I can beat and crush and squeeze a topic to death for hours on end, only to get a little bit of juice, if it's something I don't care so much for.  So, since I'm a vegetarian and not passionate about fishing, I'll give this a boost and compare passionate writing to something I am crazy for - cupcakes.  A sweet experience and fun to look at.