Tales of a Wandering Spirit
January 14th, 2008
So, I’ve been thinking about something. Wait- I take that back. I’ve been thinking about a lot of thing but the past few days I’ve had a specific recurring thought. It’s about a new project. Don’t panic, it’s not really ‘new’ as it turns out I’ve been doing it all along it just wasn’t on my mental list of things I’m working which far exceeds the little list you see on the right hand side of this blog.
See, when I tell people about things in my life, stuff from my past, my memories, and stuff I’ve learned along the way many of them say I should write a book about it. I’ve thought about it many times and tried to start one many more times but I never got anywhere. Looking back I can see that my main problem was I tried to start from the beginning and work my way forwards but memories don’t work like that. My memories least of all what with large gaps from regression, the years I was medicated uneedfully, and the things I’ve fought so hard not to remember on a daily basis that they’ve fallen back into a dust little folder- said dust obscuring my mental vision. I would constantly give up and take up the idea again and again. It wasn’t something I worked on as much as my other stories since I’ve never given up on those but then again writing those isn’t entirely that painful.
But- when I wrote these bits and pieces from my past and posted them up here on my blog I did just fine. I was able to do it because I was just talking (i.e. typing) about things that had happened, telling others. I wasn’t trying to make a book or write it in any peticular order. I was writing it with the thought that others would see it but it was easier because I felt like I was just telling a story like I do in a conversation. It didn’t have to be perfect.
So, I’ve decided I’m going to compile a bunch of these posts and when I have enough and I’ve completely exhausted myself with this idea I will take them and attempt to put them in some semblance of order and make them into my book.
I’ve decided oddly enough that I might call it "Adventures of a Wandering Spirit". Catchy title, huh? :)
***ps. I swear to all the strange beings I believe in that I will be posting up the awards I’ve been given these past few months in the next day or so.***
***pss. I will have something new for the readers of my private blog in about a day.***
i think that’s a fabulous idea. :-)
Hi Spirit,
Some writers think of writing a book as some sort of daunting task, and it is. But, writers sometimes forget that they are story tellers. Your life is a story and one does not write a book about it in a philosophical sense. We tell others our tales and we use our writing skills to do so. It sounds like I am mincing words here, but what I am trying to say is explain your life, don’t strain to remember it. Describe your experiences, don’t catalog them. Explain your existence, don’t list your experiences. Above all, dig down deep…and write. Your book takes form not as a result of the volume of material your produced, but because of the story you told. I wish you luck with your writing. You have the skills, the drive, and the talent. Just Trust yourself and do what comes naturally. Write.
-Mike.
J1M: Thanks. I’m not sure just when it hit me but it feels like a good one.
Mr. Grudge: Thankies for the awesome advice. It rings true through every word. :) I’m finding so long as I don’t try to write it and just wait until I spontaniously feel like writing down my memories is working for me. The less I try and the more I just let it flow, let the inner writer in me take over, and the inner editor who wants to get published take a back seat, the more I’m enjoying this whole process. It’s fun and wonderful in so many ways.