Keeping the Muse Alive

I know what you mean, cobrateacher, about life "interceding" and the writing opportunities getting away from you. I have also heard of many writers that keep a collection of files that they use in much the same manner that you describe. For me, I write things down in a notebook but never return to them. Perhaps it is a practice that would benefit me if I developed it? Thanks for your thoughts!

Thanks reckon21! That's one thing that I find, too, is that once I get out of the writing habit, it is about as painful as pulling teeth to get back into the practice... I wonder why? Mechanically, writing is writing...

Keeping a journal or a diary is a common practice for many writers. The practice organizes thoughts. It can help to keep track of ideas, to store images and scenes and motifs - to which a writer can return in reference at a later point in the future. Knowing that such writings are "only for you", a writer can be a little easier in not needing to achieve perfection. The writing can simply take place and flow. Ten years! That is an accomplishment of which to be proud. Even if your writing does not bring you money, having these records to cherish will be a treasure in itself for you. "More valuable than the wealth of kings are the memories of happy things." Cheers! And thank you as always for your kind words! (^_^)

Benjamin Franklin wrote: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." Whether there is any truth to his saying, I do not know, but I did not make it very early to bed the other night, as you said. (Perhaps that would explain any lack of health, wealth, or wisdom!) I appreciate your concern. (^_^) Some diaries are better kept "off-line" in notebooks and not posted for the general public to read. (Some writings are better kept as "self wealth" - they are best written and kept for the author to treasure.) And as you have written, they can sometimes be a source of strength and encouragement and a reminder during sad times that life was not always sad. I had a friend that encouraged me to keep a journal when I traveled, because he knew that years later I would forget. I still have that travel journal somewhere... Hope you had a good day today!

I find that you go to sleep very late today. Take care of yourself o. I write all my diaries just on my note book but not online.I would like to keep it as only myself wealth.Sometimes I would like read a few of them to get energy go on when I feel very sad or dispoint. It's my pleasure to find that you can always get my mean very well. Wise man!Good night and have a good dream!

Perhaps it depends on the kind of writing? Or how naturally the craft of writing seems to come to the writer? There are some kinds of writing (such as what I typically do here at myLot) that I can just hammer away, and you pretty much get it straight from the horse's mouth. (I do edit what I write from time to time, but I don't think that if I dropped myLot for a while and then came back that you would notice that great of a difference or that it would take all that long for me to get back into the swing of things. On the other hand, I have noticed that since I started at myLot, there has been a marked change in my posts - I tend to write longer posts than when I first started... Whether you attribute that to continued writing practice here on the site, I could not say...) As far as fresh eyes and new ideas goes, I have heard writers say that they will go through a manuscript, finish writing it, set it aside, (go on to something else?), and then after some time has elapsed go back and run an edit... so that they can put some distance between themselves and what they have written without the "emotional attachments" of an energy-sapped writer who has just poured heart and soul into a project. As for getting bored with writing - I think this is probably the proverbial wall that many writers hit, where the challenge is to find a way over, around, under, or through that wall to finish the project. I believe that you are correct, too, that a bored writer will make for bored readers. Ted Nicholas has a great routine that he suggests for writing - which puts the writer through this energizing little pep-talk routine to infuse energy and vibrancy into the writing process that carries over and is visible to the readers. Thanks for your reply!