Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Are Writers Magicians?



Writers, pat yourself on the back. You are magicians because you create something out of nothing. There are very few who can do that. 

One morning last October, we had an unexpected snowfall. When I opened the blinds in my bedroom, the first thing I saw was snow on top of my roses. I stood there admiring the lovely sight of the white snow capping the deep pink roses. Before the day was over, I had written a poem that began with I saw snow on the roses this morning. One small thing that I noticed helped me create that poem. 

Writers view the world with a different eye than others. They notice the many small things that most people overlook. A writer might see a squirrel sitting quietly by a tree and subconsciously, then consciously, think about why the squirrel is so still. Is he waiting for nuts to fall from a tree? Is he hiding from a predator? Is he keeping watch for his lady squirrel who is with their little ones? Any one of those questions could be the trigger to write a story or a poem. 

Writers walk through the world looking for stories, for inspiration to create something out of nothing. If you ever witness a writer sitting amongst a group of people but not conversing and with a faraway look in his/her eye, don't be alarmed. They are probably mulling over a story idea. Something one of the crowd said or did triggered the thoughts about a new writing project. 

I don't think that the 'writer's eye' is an inborn trait. Nope. A writer develops it over time. Not days or weeks, but years. It's not easy to make magic as our poster mentions. We have no magic wand, nor does saying 'abra-cadabra' work. We train ourselves to create something out of nothing. We only need an idea or a spark to get the process going. 

So do go ahead and pat yourself on the back once more. No top hat, black cape or magic wand is needed. You are a magician of note as you use words to creat something out of nothing.

2 comments:

  1. thank you for this lovely true article I find topics themes ideas to write about all around me and then I look for a teaching point ... I do find that too but I also believe that it is a blessing and a natural gift

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, we do make something out of nothing. Yet, below the surface there's an invisible foundation.

    ReplyDelete

Book Review: Addressing Widowhood

Christina Hamlett has been a Guest Blogger here numerous times. An accomplished novelist, playwright, interviewer, former actress--the list ...