Writers Create Something out of Nothing

 

Looking at the poster for today, it occurred to me that maybe writers don't give themselves enough credit for what they do. Think about it. Writers start with a whole bunch of nothing and create something from it.

That's magic, isn't it? Writers don't wave a wand to create this magic. Instead, they delve deep within and bring it forth from past experiences and imagination.

More than once, I have thought about a man like Walt Disney, not a writer, but one who created a wonderful world from nothing more than the ideas in his mind and ionspiration and hard work. Hard to imagine a world without what he has given us.

Writers are the same as they come up with an idea, feel inspired, and spend time seeing it to fruition. 

Is it hard work? It is. Anything worthwhile is going to involve a work effort. 

Do you have a list of publications in your files? Take a minute or two today to read through the titles. You created each one from nothing, made it into something and managed to get it published. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back. You've earned it. 

What about the file that holds all the pieces you've written that have yet to be published.? Take credit for them, as well. Once again, you started with nothing and made something. Not everyone can do that. Are they all perfect? Probably not, but you can continue working on each one and make it better, maybe good enough to submit and hope for publication. 

Start with an armful of nothing. End with a great big scoop of something. That's the writers' own special magic!

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What's Magic in Writing?

I love this poster quote. Especially the last part that says You create something out of nothing. That's powerful. It is a kind of magic, except that there is no magic wand. It's you writers who are the creators. I wrote a post last March on this same theme, which is often the case. Same theme, different perspective.

Consider that you begin with a blank page, whether it is in a notebook, a journal, or on your computer screen. Blank! Waiting for you to create the magic by putting words together to form paragraphs, then paragraphs one after the other, and finally a full story, essay or whatever. Those who are poets do the same by in a different order--words into phrases, phrases into verses until the page is filled with a brand new poem.

It sounds so easy, but we all know it is not. Even so, when we do create a finished piece of writing, it feels a bit magical. It gives us satisfaction, some pride, and incentive to keep writing another and another.

When what we write tosses out one stumbling block after another, we can't feel much magic. Instead, we are frustrated, disgusted, and perhaps angry. Nothing magical about that! If we keep working around those stumbling blocks and finally reach a point where we are satisfied with what we've written, then the magic floats over us like the magician's swirling cape.

Is every piece of writing going to be magical? Probably not, but if we work hard and practice writing on a daily(or almost daily) basis, we're going to have some of those magic moments. Each time we do, we're inspired to start a new writing project. We like that good feeling, and we would like to have it again and again.

Ponder on that final sentence in the quote: You create something out of nothing. Not everyone can say that, but many writers can. Step 1 is to believe you can do it.

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.

Writers and Magic

Yesterday's post highlighted the blank page. The picture-quote above continues in the same vein.

Did you ever consider yourself a magician? I certainly didn't. At least, not until I saw this quote. Stop and ponder on the quote. We who write create something out of nothing. Wow! I think that's pretty awesome.

With that blank page before you. you have choices galore. You can opt to write a short story or a personal essay. Perhaps you'll start on a memoir or an article about writing. Maybe you'll pen a poem. Do you have a magic wand in hand? Probably not. You have something even better.

You have a mind and a memory. So much of what we write evolves from memories and experiences we've had over the years. Besides those memories, you have a mind that can create new things, too.

Think about it. That's pretty exciting. A college professor or assistant prof teaches with the aid of a syllabus. Some write their own while others teach from an outline someone else has created. Yes, created, not copied. More magic.

Elementary school teachers and those who manage high school classes use textbooks as the basis for what they teach. Someone waved his/her magic wand and created those textbooks. They started with that blank page and built their creation little by little.

Actors and actresses would have no job if someone had not waved the wand and created a story for them to present to play-goers or movie buffs.

When you write a new story, pixies don't flit around you sprinkling the magic pixie dust. You're the one who does that. You are the magician in residence, the one who creates story upon story upon story.

What a writer does is just plain amazing. If you haven't patted yourself on the back yet, go right ahead and do it now. Then go practice a bit of your magic.

Are You A Writer Or A Magician?

Various kinds of artists start with a blank canvas, a pure white page, a lump of clay, an empty loom or a bolt of fabric. As the poster tells us, it is magic to create something out of nothing. 

It's the painter, the writer, the sculptor, the art weaver or professional designer who hovers over nothing, then waves the magic wand and Presto! Changeo! art of some form appears. 

Oh, if it were only that easy. It is true, however, that we writers do create something from nothing, and that can feel magical at times. It is also hard work. 

When we begin with the blank page, we start with one sentence, then a full paragraph, then more paragraphs until we've written a thousand or more words. Is it a masterpiece? Of course not, If we could find that magic wand and let it hover over our words, it might be. Instead, we must go back and revise and edit until the words do appear enchanted. 

When you read a novel, do you ever give thought to what the author has been through to bring you this finished product? I do occasionally because I am a writer, and those of you who write may, as well. But the average reader most likely concentrates solely on the story. They don't think of the gnashing of teeth, the late night frustration of working out a scene, or the anger when things don't come out to the author's satisfaction. The reader doesn't consider the nights the author tosses and turns in bed figuring out why one character does something to another character. The reader is only interested in the story itself. 

It's the writer who wants those words to reach out and touch the reader in some way. He/she who has created something out of nothing wants to bring something special to the reader. 

We plant seeds and wait for the flowers to grow and bloom. When we have a story idea planted in our minds, we have to do more than wait for it to bloom. We work at it a bit at a time. We fill that blank page with words until the story begins to gel. Then we shape it to perfection before submitting it to an editor. 

If you are a writer, be proud of yourself today. Give yourself the proverbial 'pat on the back' because you have performed a bit of magic every time you create something out of nothing.