I have always been a writer. Even before I could write; I was a writer.
Because before the skill took over and I could finally form the letters necessary to organise and present my thoughts in a coherent form; I was a talker. I talked all the time. Not straight out of the womb, obviously. But very soon after. My language came as fast and furiously to me as a bit later on, did my writing.
My love of talking my thoughts out loud played a solo part, under the glare of my personal spot light during my pre-school life, until I learnt the art of forming letters and then words and then whole sentences.
I have not been able to shut up since.
Talking then Writing. It’s important to do both. Words need air as well as a page to sit on.
I fear the lack of structure in writing. I hate the splurgings. I dislike the unfettered nature of an unplanned writing exercise. But sometimes. Like now. I really need to do this.
My marriage of 8 years is over. It is only slightly older than our 7 and a half year old son. And now we, my boy and I, are moving house.
The fridge freezer is covered in letters and some are formed into words. My ex-husband and I used to make sentences for each other using the myriad of word choices gleaned from one of those magnetic word packs you can buy. Can’t remember if he did this, or if I did, but there are 3 words along the top of the fridge door. ‘Family’. ‘Boy’. ‘Love’.
Grief is a weird thing.
It’s not easily explained. Or analysed. It depends so much on the individual. Yet everyone will have an opinion on how to deal with it.
So it is at these staring-into-the-black-void times that I feel the necessity of words again, crowding my brain, pushing against the inner wall of my skull. I need to say stuff.
It isn’t rocket science. But all writing has to come from a soul. All of it. The other stuff is just artifice.
That’s why writers feel so deeply. They must connect with their audience on a human level.
Writers don’t write to keep it to themselves. We are noisy, insistent, rather needy types.
And so, when the heart can’t take it anymore, we writers – write.
This is a small and rather distilled blog. But I wanted to tell you how important it is to really write from the heart.
At all times.
Even when you are faced with a very structured, planned-to-the-last-episode Series that you may be lucky enough to be writing for; always, write from your heart.
Use the structure given to you and within the shape of what you are given; write your heart out.
Structure only gives your writing ideas a better view.
I’ve cleared the word magnets from the fridge door. They won’t be moving with me.
Just before I turn out the kitchen light I see one word has missed my word cull. It sticks out from under the foot of the fridge. I pick it up.
It says ‘Important’.
Protect your heart. Give it a voice.
Happy Writing.
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