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Jumping in with both hands, a thought and a prayer
“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement”. C. S. Lewis
Let’s face it – some of us are writers and some us are just readers. I’ve fallen into the latter category. It’s been years since I’ve written anything, other than my current bio. As far as reading goes, I’ve limited myself to very little actually, mostly little blurbs on the internet about various interests, yet I retain no specific knowledge or expertise in anything. I feel like a failure. But, in order to be a better writer, I have to become a better reader. But let’s tackle my first thought, shall we? Writing…
To sit down and put my thoughts into actual, visible words for an audience to peruse and critique may end up being met with failure and disappointment. To express myself in the written word scares the crap out of me. Where does the comma go? Is this phrased correctly? Did I spell that correctly and why isn’t it coming up in spell check and still spelled incorrectly? Have I changed tense and structure midway through my paragraph and confused the hell out of anyone willing to read what’s on my mind? Will I fail at something else? Let the writing panic attacks start.
Now wait just a minute, like C.S. Lewis said “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement”.
Having said this, I realize I’ve been writing for years and years. No, I’m not talking about the time I sat next to an editor during my newspaper days and frustrated the hell out her with my writing style and atrocious spelling. It has just dawned on me. Facebook has been my publisher for my insights and musings. Posts on various bulletin boards before Facebook (or Twitter) were the normal way of reaching out to people. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) before that. Yes people, I’ve been on the internet for a long time now.
So now I find myself addicted to writing or posting to Facebook. I have been posting for a few years now. It gives myself and outlet for, in most cases, my frustration with people, my life and my views on any given subject (usually posting photos of scantily clad and buff men). Although I’m not as articulate as I’d like to be, I do tend to get my point across. I tend not to fail at this. I know I’m read because of the number of “likes” I get or the comments that follow. Photos posted, whether by me or what I’ve shared via my Facebook feed, get a few likes here and there. I’m read…holy crap! I’ve written something that has gotten a response and I’ve not failed. What an ego booster!
How sad is that? I’m validated by the number of likes I get on a blurb that could be misspelled, inarticulate and, for the most part, about me being cranky about something. What has social media done to me?
I’ll tell you what it’s done to me – isolated me. Since I work at home I can sit here, type away all my frustrations and move on. Well folks, this is a new year and like most people who make a new years resolution or two, I have one that I need to work on – write more, write about events, people, or interests that will get me out of my isolated Facebook-posting self and away from my desk. Let’s get me out of my voyeurism of watching the world go by and actually say something about it. Oh the heck with it, let me just say, “participate in the world”. AND, TO GET BETTER AT WRITING! Yes, that’s me shouting at myself in all caps to improve my writing. I’ve attended many lectures by authors about writing and they all say “writers write and they don’t stop writing”. So, with that in mind, let’s see what I can achieve within the coming weeks.
I’m now throwing caution to the wind, bracing myself for writer’s block, panic attacks and letting myself fail so, that in one way, I can achieve. This is blog number one. My first ever “official” blog entry for any website. Let’s see how I do at blogging. I pray I don’t fail.
P.S. If anyone wants to throw a subject or two at me to touch upon – I’m always open to suggestions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
