A Recipe for Writing

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Writing is that portion of the artistic world which requires one to develop a work based on a highly organic process. Critical thought transferred to tangible space. This process is a grueling one which requires deep self-reflection, painful re-evaluation of previous beliefs and a serious helping of emotional distress. The development of a written work worthy of literary criticism and historical reference is no easy task. Writing on this level requires many years of practice in addition to an innate talent. Writing on this level is not a skill that can be taught.

Many of us think we are writers and we are not. Many of us say “It’s easy for me to write”, just as it’s easy for me to write this entry which does not make me a writer. I am humble and am learning the true meaning of what a professional impacting writer actually is. A professional writer is not simply someone that is paid for the words they produce. A professional writer is someone awarded monetarily for their contribution to society via their ability to record an important critical thought through written word. This thought, or thoughts, in turn make a positive contribution to society and are worth recording for future reference via historical record.

Writing without pain, confusion, heartache, blood, tears, sweat and the ultimate redefinition of ones self is as simple as this blog. There are differences between pages filled with ideas, criticisms and beliefs and pages scorched by the heat of an abused pen attempting to define the inner most meaning of what it is to be human. Leonardo DaVinci’s human anatomy drawings and Shakespeare’s Hamlet Prince of Denmark are prime examples. This blog is definitely not the latter. This is not to say the former are not contributions. They are more effective spoken, like many famous speeches.

The ability to write grammatically correct sentences and avoid misspelled words does not make you a writer. These are elementary school principles most of us have been exposed to. Besides, that’s what Microsoft Office Word 2007 is for. Rather, the ability to develop character’s, the world in which they live, become the antagonist and make him strong, gain a firm understanding and integration into characters of psychological weaknesses and moral needs, create a convincing conflicting four point character web etc., during the creation of a story that impacts its readers and offers them the opportunity to truly self diagnose is the beginning of an excellent writer.

These steps in addition to the moral argument, premise, symbolism and metaphorical references weaved into the fabric of the story are very important beginnings. The amount of time spent on these principles directly affects the quality of the completed work. The sole purpose of words to the page is the expression of something from deep within, an opportunity to pose questions to readers and perhaps spark positive change or initiate dialogue related to philosophical questions or the human condition. Otherwise, what’s the point?