Tonight's Poet Corner: Introspection
I like to believe that in order to be a writer, you need a job to accommodate it. Not a job that consumes all your time and restricts your ability to pound out or scribble something for at least an hour of the day. Not a job that doesn't allow you to breathe, think, and brainstorm. However, a lot of writers disregard other jobs or careers and claim they're hindrances to being a professional writer.
Look, I'd love to be a professional freelance writer. Being able to just write for my career would be fantastic. However, I'm also someone who can't write without a schedule. With a schedule comes obligations, a structure, and a routine. And when you have that routine, you can allow yourself to include writing as part of the pattern, not simply something you do when you're inspired.
Retail jobs are good if you're a student writer because of the stories - anecdotes aren't the only things to emerge if you're a cashier or waiter. You meet very interesting people in the allotted time you have with them, and that creates characters for your future fiction and poetry. Being a teacher or professor, in my opinion, is essential to being a strong writer. This is because if you teach writing, you are fully immersed in it as an art, as a job, and as a field of study. Being able to write while assisting others who aspire to be the same as you allows you to read, to edit, to critique, and to keep the juices flowing in your brain. And again, it's all about working with people.
People, for me, are the main reason I can keep writing. Without people, I can't milk anything from a pen or a keyboard. Politics and religion wouldn't be around for debate and rumination without people. Love or romance can't exist without people. There is no story to tell if people weren't involved (even with your anthropomorphic animal characters - they're basically people with fur, scales, and/or muzzles). And that's why to me, a career is important to stretch your fingers out toward more fields of opportunity.
Never limit yourself. Never see a job as a threat to your writing unless it destroys any time you have for it. And above all...never forget that people are a blessing not only to your art, but also to your life and existence.
Now time for the regular recommendations:
Recommended Book: The Triggering Town by Richard Hugo
A rather unique approach to writing poetry. Recommended for anyone wishing to expand on the craft and on different approaches to maintaining inspiration to write.
Recommended Poet: William Blake
Try to find a website that shows his etchings alongside his poetry. Beautiful engravings and writings.
Recommended Music: Afro Celt Sound System
The perfect fusion of Celtic and other worldly musical influences.
Recommended Drink before Bed: Sparkling apple cider
Great for any special event, too.
Writer's Quotation of the Night:
If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it.
- Anaïs Nin
Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.
Look, I'd love to be a professional freelance writer. Being able to just write for my career would be fantastic. However, I'm also someone who can't write without a schedule. With a schedule comes obligations, a structure, and a routine. And when you have that routine, you can allow yourself to include writing as part of the pattern, not simply something you do when you're inspired.
Retail jobs are good if you're a student writer because of the stories - anecdotes aren't the only things to emerge if you're a cashier or waiter. You meet very interesting people in the allotted time you have with them, and that creates characters for your future fiction and poetry. Being a teacher or professor, in my opinion, is essential to being a strong writer. This is because if you teach writing, you are fully immersed in it as an art, as a job, and as a field of study. Being able to write while assisting others who aspire to be the same as you allows you to read, to edit, to critique, and to keep the juices flowing in your brain. And again, it's all about working with people.
People, for me, are the main reason I can keep writing. Without people, I can't milk anything from a pen or a keyboard. Politics and religion wouldn't be around for debate and rumination without people. Love or romance can't exist without people. There is no story to tell if people weren't involved (even with your anthropomorphic animal characters - they're basically people with fur, scales, and/or muzzles). And that's why to me, a career is important to stretch your fingers out toward more fields of opportunity.
Never limit yourself. Never see a job as a threat to your writing unless it destroys any time you have for it. And above all...never forget that people are a blessing not only to your art, but also to your life and existence.
Now time for the regular recommendations:
Recommended Book: The Triggering Town by Richard Hugo
A rather unique approach to writing poetry. Recommended for anyone wishing to expand on the craft and on different approaches to maintaining inspiration to write.
Recommended Poet: William Blake
Try to find a website that shows his etchings alongside his poetry. Beautiful engravings and writings.
Recommended Music: Afro Celt Sound System
The perfect fusion of Celtic and other worldly musical influences.
Recommended Drink before Bed: Sparkling apple cider
Great for any special event, too.
Writer's Quotation of the Night:
If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it.
- Anaïs Nin
Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.
Comments
Post a Comment