All with lessons and insights on reading and writing poetry and short prose. Check out the resources I offer below and sign up for my newsletter!
I am waiting for Inspiration to strike
2 February 2024
Happy New Month.
The year is moving so fast.
All my goals are yet to start
Progress
This week I wrote 5 fifty word stories and 5 short poems .
Over the weekend I will edit and submit to Literary Magazines.
In today's episode of archive of excuses
I am waiting for inspiration to strike.
I used to think inspiration was what made great work.
I was wrong.
A great work consists of
- A great story
- The Manner of Telling
The perfect example of this is a young incompetent painter painting the face of a beautiful girl.
The painting will not come out so well even though the girl(inspiration) is beautiful.
If I have great inspiration and what.
The inspiration will shine if I can really tell the story well .
The skill comes from practice.
We can get the skill both from on the job training( Writing a book and learning along the way).
Also practicing and experimenting. Here the goal is the practice not the project.
Inspiration can come half formed and grow as you begin to work.
What I like to do is to refine the idea. When I have a story I don't like. I ask what exactly is wrong and I work on making it better.
Here are some quotes from famous writers on inspiration.
1.Your job is to show up and keep showing up. The muse visits the persistent." - Neil Gaiman
2. The muse visits more often when you work than when you wait." - Pearl Buck
3. Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." - Pablo Picasso
4. You can't wait for inspiration to hit you first. You have to go after it with a club." - Jack London
5. If I waited for perfection, I would never write anything." - Margaret Atwood
6. Waiting for inspiration is the surest way to never start writing." - Seth Godin
Forthcoming
April is National Poetry Month
I will be writing a poem a day.
I am preparing to make it the highlight of the year.
What are your writing goals for February?
Well mine is simple.
After trying to write 500 words daily . I reduced the number to 250 words but most importantly the goal is to write a story every week.
I want to start submitting my work not to get published but to get feedback.
To know what I don't know. The Beginners dilemma
Until next time, keep writing
Hi! I'm Mechi.
Every week I send you a newsletter
All with lessons and insights on reading and writing poetry and short prose. Check out the resources I offer below and sign up for my newsletter!
I Almost Quit the 30 Day Podcast... But Here's Why I Didn't Hello Writers, Can I be fully transparent with you? There was a moment when I seriously considered quitting my 30 Day Podcast Challenge. The overwhelm was real, the self-doubt crept in, and I struggled to figure out what I'd even talk about for 30 straight episodes. But then I asked myself - why was I letting excuses get in the way of a commitment I made to myself? I don't have a day job, I have the time. The real obstacles were the...
I am taking a break, Here's why All my subscribers have been supportive. Replying to my emails and reading every issue I send. Thank you. For sometime I noticed that the newsletter I have been writing is not what I will be delighted to read as a writer. I have been asking myself what transformation have I worked on. While I am a beginner and young writer that's no excuse. I started this this newsletter. The blog and the Buildwriting brand in general to genuinely help writers and not just be...
What Teaching Kids Taught me About Writing? When I was called to be a home lesson teacher. I had no experience. No clue. But the person asking me to do this believed I could do it. As with things I am confused about. I called persons I knew had the experience for advice Googled. Checked YouTube. Figure it out When I started I knew beyond doubt that I could figure it out. I just didn't know how . What was special about this was the time between learning a technique and putting it in practice....