Shortcuts

Thirty days done in this 365 day creative expression challenge. Nights like these, I find myself wondering if I wrote a little haiku or poem, if that would count? Lol I don’t even remember how to write a haiku, I’d have to google it. I recall that I loved writing them in elementary school 🙂

I began reading Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott where she shares, “Almost every single thing I know about writing.” She is so honest, sarcastic and hilarious. It’s reassuring to know that it’s not so easy even for wonderful, talented writers like Anne Lamott.

She describes sitting there and waiting for the words to come and explains a method where she has a 1 inch picture frame on her desk to remind her that all you have to do is start with a “short assignment.” It can be just one paragraph to begin with, or just one description of a setting, just start somewhere, you don’t have to know where you’re heading.

She says, “We are just gonna take this bird by bird,” in reference to when her brother procrastinated on a school assignment about birds, was frantic and overwhelmed the night before it was due and her dad said reassuringly, “Bird, by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

I guess a haiku could count as a bird, right? Heh 🙂

I’ve been reading about how to write, so maybe this will get easier and better. Plus writing every day is bound to help too! It’s just not as much fun when you have to do it on a schedule. The inspiration is more elusive. I get a little rebellious, stomp my feet and say, “Meh, but I don’t feel like it, I just wanna snuggle in bed tonight and read, all comfy and cozy till I drift off to sleep, gotta work early tomorrow after all.” Just excuses I know.

Dedication, commitment and practice is required to make progress in anything. It takes effort and action no matter how much we want the law of attraction to do all the heavy lifting. There’s less satisfaction in instant achievement, it’s not what we really want. We want the fun, exploration, challenge, the intrigue of the journey along the way and the sense of accomplishment when developing a skill or a talent. We love to create and feel the best when we get really good at what we love. Fully engaged and flowing with our inspired activities. We “don’t want to die with the music still in us.”

That’s why I’m trying different things to see what flows me the most 🙂

I’m taking it “Bird by Bird,” action every day is bound to eek out some beautiful music eventually, lol. Right now I’m in the squawking phase, scheming about taking shortcuts with haikus, lol 😀

That’s it for now, can’t resist the call of my cozy, comfy nest of a bed and more reading Bird by Bird and the other 8 partially read books inviting me in 😀 Night night y’all ?