February 12, 2009
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Writing
Sometimes my mind is just blank and there is nothing to write. But I know something inside is building. I just need some fiber or roughage for my brain. Hmm… that analogy isn’t really appropriate. That would mean the words that come out would be sh*tty.
When I look around Xanga, I’m pleasantly surprised how some of you can write regularly. For some reason, it’s just getting tougher and tougher to write. Sometimes I’ll read an entry and wish I wrote it. The writing is fluid and easy. I can visualize and sense what the writer has written. The paragraphs seem to be fluid.
Or I’ll see a stunning picture and wish I had taken it. I’ll stare at it and wonder how they capture that shot. What was the exposure and what options did the photographer have? Why did the photographer choose that shot? I’ll also try and figure out why I like it. How did it capture my attention?
Oddly enough, it’s easier for me to look at a photo and understand why I like it. It’s not as easy with words and text. I don’t know why. Maybe I’m more of a visual person. I know I don’t have a background in writing. My knowledge of literature is skimpy at best. When John Updike passed away, I just knew he was a writer. I really didn’t understand his stature at all. When I was in school, I was just so so in English Lit. Shakespeare, Hardy and Chaucer all drove me crazy. I did however enjoy A Separate Peace and Waiting For Godot. In university, I didn’t take any English Lit classes. At that time, I had absolutely no interest.
So I feel a bit out of place when I say that I like to write. It’s as if I just entered a marathon but haven’t really trained for it. Do any of you feel the same way?
Comments (33)
You’re actually a pretty good writer and are one of the more regular
Xangans out there in terms of posting. So as for entering that
marathon, just think of it as you as the only runner; you’re only
competing against yourself. Writing is such a personal thing anyway
that you should look at other writers as a source of inspiration, not
as a source of stress.
Personally, it helps that I spend all
freaking day online, literally coming across 1,500-2,000 stories … so
it’s hard for me *not* to write sometimes haha. At the end of the day
though, it’s easiest to get that “fluidity” by writing about something
that you feel a particularly strong emotion for.
It also helps
for me that I live by myself and have nobody to talk to. I think that’s
why I have spurts where I blog a lot. Maybe if you stop talking to your
bf and family for a week, you’ll have *lots* of material haha.
Also
you could consider keeping a small notepad on you, so whenever you see
something interesting in your day-to-day journeys you can jot it down
for later elaboration.
Dude… you left an entry behind in my comment section.
Thank you for the compliment. Yeah, writing is personal but I can’t help but compare where I am to others. I had also wanted to write about 5 or 6 entries a week. But sometimes life and work get in the way.
I like the tip of the notepad (except I would probably lose it).
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words =)
i don’t even know who john updike is! but i bet he got made fun of as a kid. updike? lol!
i wish i had more time to write these days. i actually remember enjoying writing back in school, but i hated the reading material that came with the assignments.
It’s been years since I read “A Separate Peace”. I think I’ll pull it out! Thanks
Don’t worry…everyone gets blogger’s block every once in a while:
http://www.xanga.com/CareyGLY/621926281/dog-killers-bloggers-block-gay-naysayers-otters–thai-geckos/
o man, i find it hard to say anything at xanga nowadays or maybe because everyone has a say on things. lol!
or maybe, i am just getting started with facebook.
talk about multi-tasking.
where’s the food pic?
I must admit I have been into reading since I could pick up a book. I was one of the ones who took all the lit classes I could in college. I don’t know if that helped or not as I still wonder at times what to put in my post. You may notice they are getting further and further apart
.
no.
I feel the same way when I read *your* posts! I wish I could write more like you.
But yeah I do feel frustrated sometimes when I’m writing that it doesn’t sound as good as others but you know, that’s what makes Xanga special is that everyone has their own style and voice on here!
Matt, I subscribed to you because of your beautiful, evocative entries. Trained or not, marathon runner or not, you have every right to call yourself a writer. Your written words move the readers; that is validation enough.
I’d love to write more but just short on time!
Matt, I have to second Chris’ comments…..I do have the similar opinion on your entries.
that’s why i don’t write every day anymore…sigh. but i will never leave xanga – at least not for another year!
just like Chris’ comments, ‘your written words move the readers….’ very true indeed…!
ps – what’s wrong with your food entries?
I think writing doesn’t really need to be limited to certain way or style. When I was in school my professors all encourage us to write with our own style, even if they were not punctuated correctly. (Some famous writers do that a lot) I think your writings are one of the blogs that I enjoy reading on xanga.
I was actually thinking about going back to school and take a writing class to get my writing skills back in shape…this blogging thing is not constructive to writing.
In response to your blog, I think there are times when I just don’t have much to write about. It isn’t because I am empty inside, it’s just that things take a while to brew; like making a pot of tea. It could also mean that I have been exerting my energy outward, leaving very little time to reflect.
The big font makes it look like I wrote a lot…
oh, i thought that it was just me having difficulty writing lately. mabye it’s something in the water?
@zozoyork - are you looking for food porn?
@JonasApproved - yeah, I want more time to write. It’s usually the first to be sacrificed.
@CareyGLY - writer’s block can be such a pain. Sometimes I just stare and stare at my screen rather than wait patiently for a thought to germinate. I don’t even know if I still have my copy of A Separate Peace.
@Renatojr3 - I think I’m the only guy who isn’t on Facebook.
@Fatcat723 - my dad is still a prolific reader and has been since he was a young man. I think he learned a lot from all those books he read.
@AppsScraps - you win the prize for being concise! Must be your editorial skills or management skills.
@brooklyn2028 - thanks for the compliment. You always have something positive to say. Maybe I’m still trying to find or hone my own style.
@christao408 - thank you, I appreciate that. It’s just that sometimes I feel like a grain of sand in the beach. I think in the past few years, I’ve come to appreciate writing a lot and know there’s still a lot more to learn.
@curry69curry - time – yes, I want more time too. Thank you too for the compliment.
@ABSOLUTmichael - it would be interesting to sit down with you and find out how you write. More food porn for you as well?
@agmhkg - gee… thank you to you too. *blush*
@Wangium - how interesting, can you elaborate on the point about blogging not being constructive to writing? I like the analogy of brewing tea. I believe ideas and thoughts gradually ferment before they are ready to be expressed.
Ok – I changed the font size. It did look a bit to large.
@kunhuo42 - water? could be late winter blahs?
“When I look around Xanga, I’m pleasantly surprised how some of you can write regularly.”
As a fellow xangan who has been here for 3 and a half years, believe me when I say this: Many people can write regularly in xanga because most of those Featured or have the most comments are purely nonsense. Haven’t you seen Top Blogs and Featured Blogs? It’s mostly about sex, corny jokes, masturbation and whatnot.
Trust me, THAT is not real writing. They’re just writing those so they could receive lots of recs and comments and become popular.
The real writers are writers who can write with substance. And most real writers have writer’s block. I’ve been there.
So, don’t worry if you don’t really have anything to write. Just don’t be like the rest of ‘em that has been hogging the limelight here in Xanga.
I’ve been seeing A Separate Peace in bookstores, but I never got around to buying it. Not enough money at this time.
Well, good luck in your writing!
First and foremost, I enjoy what I read here, you are indeed a writer in my book. But then again, I consider myself a writer and a photographer, but only in the sense that I do it because I enjoy it. I do so for me, sometimes the things I come up with really please me, other times, I compare myself to others and fall completely short. I need to work on that, as art is subjective at best.
If you haven’t check out my friend “mommacakes” please do, she is a writer with two very sucessful books published, she blogs almost daily and I find her stuff very inspiring as she writes about things going on in her life. Very witty, well written and fun to read.
Have a great weekend Matt, I look forward to seeing your next post.
*~matthew~
My xanga always have a gaps, sometimes days, sometimes weeks, most of the time months because I have no idea what to write. Especially I am not good in describing my feeling and my thought. I honestly believe picture speak a thousand words. So i always try to post a picture on all my post.
As long as you enjoy doing it, then keep on doing it!
@ElusiveWords - Nothing wrong with being a grain of sand, Matt. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a beach. Each of us is both insignificant and extraordinary at the same time.
@c_jamaica - yeah, the quality of writing is very inconsistent in top blogs and featured blogs. Thank you for dropping by.
@bleuzeus - thank you for the compliment. I will have to check out mommacakes. You have a great weekend too.
@vsan79 - just keep writing. (I also notice the gaps too)
@mmmagination - I will – thanks Benson.
@christao408 - that sounds so Buddhist.
@ElusiveWords - Well, they were written by a Buddhist, so that would make sense…
Good blog! Your name says it all–”elusive words.” For the best writers, writing is difficult. As Hemingway wrote to his newspaper editor from Spain, as he sent in a long story, “I don’t have time to make it short” (I’m paraphrasing).
One thing I love about Xanga is that we have all sorts of writers here–those who write to share or vent; those who write funny, off-the-cuff bits; those who analyze; those who compose. And some who do all of the above. As far as I’ve seen, people are fairly non-judgmental about each other’s writing, which means one doesn’t have to make every entry “good.” It’s very freeing.
I’m with Christao408. You’re obviously a writer.
p.s. I never liked John Updike either. Sorry to speak of the dead, but his writing is vapid and mysogenistic.
I just think without the pressure to write grammatically correct sentences I begin to lose it.
Prolific writing and great writing aren’t the same thing. Quality, not quantity. You’re good!
Sometimes I also wish I wrote more eloquently. Perhaps I just have to proof read before I post though, haha. Would save a lot of hassle and perhaps might even help score me a date.
But yeah, good writing is a pretty new discovery for me. I just did it to get by in the past. Even though I did eventually get into AP English, it was more out of effort rather than natural talent.
I find a blank screen more intimidating than a blank page of note paper.
And even though I have these long interesting ideas for posts that I never have time to sit down and write out properly; now I force myself just to post even a few lines so I don’t lose the habit of posting.
@jojobaDESIGNS - thank you. You’re right, the community (at least those that read my stuff) are very forgiving of grammar errors etc.. I think blogging is very informal and the styles vary quite a bit. It’s often personal stuff too.
@Wangium - I sometimes lose my mind trying to figure out all those grammar rules.
@Binakwan - thanks – I was trying to also write 5 to 6 times a week. Sometimes I should just let nature take its course.
@alchemystfury - thanks for the cupcakes! I know what you mean about sheer effort vs raw talent.
@spacerboi - I’ve always believed that you would be publish a book. I like paper – if you can’t think of something, you can at least doodle.
it’s the same with me. this is why i write less and less on xanga. i feel so in adequate in expressing anything. plus, english is not even my mother tongue. i tend to need to be inspired by an event so much so that i would have much to say, before i would consider sharing it to fellow xangans. so far, moments pass after certain events that the initial feeling of joy or sorrow no longer significant to initiate me to log in to xanga.com. or you may call it laziness. either way, hence my blog absence.
@rudyhou - Your English is just fine. I look for everyday events now as the inspiring ones seem to be few and far between. Hope to see you back soon!