In my initial blog writing six years ago, I talked about what my friend, Dan, said, “We live to tell stories.” At that time, I had ideas for stories to share based on my almost 70 years of life. I wrote for myself and to share with an audience. Recollecting and organizing my thoughts is both challenging and gratifying to my soul.
At a recent writing workshop, I heard the statement, “All writing is about relationships.” I thought about that idea for awhile as that connection had not been obvious to me. I reflected on my decades of academic writing of research articles and textbooks. Were they about relationships?
The more I deliberated, however, the more I realized that research is always about relationships among variables including correlations and sometimes cause and effect. I also concluded that writing textbooks is about establishing a relationship with students/readers regarding understanding of concepts and foundations.
Ursula K LeGuin also offered a perspective that guides my writing expressions, “Storytelling is a tool for knowing who we are and what we want, too. If we never find our experience described in poetry or stories, we assume that our experience is insignificant.”
My writing desires relate to the simplicity as well as complexity of growing up on a farm, the love I have with animals whether domestic or wild, and observations about the natural world in which I live. Writing for me provides a means for exploring what is important and why, as well as what might be common experiences that others can relate. My hope is that my work “evokes an echo in someone else’s life” as described in another blog I read recently.
Writing is my creative outlet. Visual arts are not my interest or forte, although I appreciate those who can create beautiful physical images. Authoring is a therapeutic release that sometimes makes me smile and other times conjures pain. It provides a focus for processing emotions for others to consider or in the case of my journaling will never become exposed.
Some people think to write while I have always been one of those people who write to think. That approach explains why I often go through a half dozen drafts of a manuscript or essay before I am ready to share. I have gone to writing classes that use prompts to stimulate writing. I am happy to participate but always reluctant to immediately share because I know that my writing/thinking is only partially complete in a first draft.
I also write as a legacy for myself. By putting my stories on paper, I leave a historical record for myself. I do not want to forget the experiences that have been so essential to who I am. I am grateful that writing and sharing stories creates order in my life and brings joy to my heart.
Yes and AMEN! I am not a natural writer. But I am a talker. And often my talking helps me think through whatever.
I envy and celebrate your writing skills. And appreciate your sharing that with us. Thank you!
I like this reflective piece a lot…. maybe reading is about relationships, too.