Thoughts on Writing

When I wrote the post about writing naked, I had already written some thoughts in my journal about writing in general.  I keep my journal handy so that I can write down thoughts when I am away from my computer.  The only problem is when I am away from both the computer and my journal and I have a thought--then it's got a very good chance of being forgotten.

I have always loved reading and writing.  As a child, I devoured books and I still do.  I would much rather read than do other things.  When I would have to spend time outside as a kid, I would bring a book with me.  When I would spend weekends at my dad's house, I'd bring multiple books with me, and I'd read every single one of them.  I remember being very confused one time, because I was reading two Nancy Drew books at once, and I was getting the plots mixed up!

In my high school math classes, we often had to do what were called "lab reports".  At least, I think that is what they were called; it's been longer since I graduated high school than I care to realize.  These reports were my favorite part of math class, because they were more than just solving a math problem; we had to explain what the problem was and how we solved it.  I always did much better on these assignments than on tests and quizzes.

During my junior year of high school, I took a creative writing class, and during my senior year I took a poetry class. I loved both of them.  I also remember contemplating at one point going to college for journalism, and using our brand new internet connection via Prodigy on our computer to do some research about schools for journalism.

I never did pursue journalism or creative writing though, and while I don't completely remember my thought process as to why, I am fairly certain it had to do with insecurities about multiple people reading what I wrote.  A paper in class was easy; only the professor would read that.  But to write for other people to see is scary, especially if one feels that writing is an extension of who one is.  A criticism of it could hurt more than I am willing to let someone do to me.  After all, nobody says "here is my child that I love; beat up on it".  I also think that good writers share personal things and I do not know to what extent I am comfortable with that, not only because I would be sharing my own heart but because we do not live our lives in solitude and anything of a personal nature could involve writing about other people, people I would not want to hurt or offend.  In fiction writing, people can be disguised, but not in this type of blogging.

I am happy that I now have the time and opportunity to write.  I am exicted to see how I will learn and grow through the process of blogging, and also through journaling (I have kept a journal off and on since I was a child, and I still have most of them packed away in a box.  Some are plain notebooks, some are the pretty journals that I prefer, but all of them are my thoughts throughout the years.  Every few years I read through them.  It's probably about time to do that again).  In the last few years I have only had ideas about writing but never really had the time to do it.  Now I do, and am making the time, even if my kids do watch a little too much tv some days.

I have come to a point though, where (I think!) I can understand that criticism of my writing can only serve to help me become a better writer.  I do want my thoughts to have clarity, not just for me, but so that those of you reading can benefit from them.