I have met so many writers of late who don’t write.
Some are too worried about criticism, whilst others feel that they are not good enough to write.
My advice: Ignore what people think and just write!
Write for the pleasure, write for the practice and most importantly just write for yourself…whether it be fiction or non-fiction, regardless of the subject matter – just do it!
You don’t have to show anyone if you don’t want to…BUT:
To be a writer you must actually write!
My favorite quotes on poetry by a poet and teacher:
“you enjoy language without knowing what it means”
“poetry has to resist finite meaning”
“poetry has to be a little obscene and honest”
“I want to be bewitched when I read poetry”
– Dr Ali Alizadeh, 2016
I’ve been called a weirdo a lot during my life because I have a twisted sense of humor, have eclectic tastes and don’t fall in line with what is considered “normal” by societal standards.
When people say this to me its not meant as a compliment but I take it as one because truth be told, I’d rather be a weirdo than a dullard.
Think about and consider who tends to do extraordinary things in this world, whether they are known to you or not – people who are considered normal or those who are labelled weirdos?
Lastly, like someone I respect who teaches children says to their students “it would be boring if we were all the same”.
Have you ever looked through your family’s old photo albums or gone to a market or antique store and seen old photos for sale?
These photos can be very useful for character development or inspiration in your fictional stories.
You can use them for historical fiction as well as flashbacks within your contemporary story.
So next time you come across some old photos – look again as they might inspire you to write something which never crossed your mind.
Dropping Anchor
Shifting seas
Drifting aimlessly
Uncontrolled rudder
Moving where taken
Monsters subdued below in darkness
Quiet whilst dreaming of disobedience
Spotting the shore
Commanding the wheel
Steering towards safety
Monsters wake and cause a storm
Keep going or drop anchor
(C) T. Altman 2016
if it doesn’t come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don’t do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don’t do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don’t do it.
if you’re doing it for money or
fame,
don’t do it.
if you’re doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don’t do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don’t do it.
if it’s hard work just thinking about doing it,
don’t do it.
if you’re trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you’re not ready.
don’t be like so many writers,
don’t be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull and boring and
pretentious, don’t be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don’t add to that.
don’t do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don’t do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don’t do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.
Thanks to the required reading in year 8 English for introducing me to science-fiction through Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”. It was the first novel which made me think outside the lacking literature which was around me at the time and made me delve deeper into the genre which I found fascinating.
Thanks also to JG for introducing me to sci-fantasy in my early 20’s through Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts “Empire Trilogy”. This imaginative genre has definitely inspired my creativity and is one I am drawn to.
These two avenues of discovering new genres changed the way I read and write and for that I am thankful.
Shared the following poem by Poe with a fellow creative and it touched her so much it brought tears to her eyes.
I wanted to share with her how succinctly Poe described feeling detached and separate from the world.
Its always been a favorite of mine as Poe was my first literary love and the first writer I became obsessed with. He wooed me with his words of romantic melancholy and showed me that the written word could evoke multitudes of emotions.
“Alone”
I’ve been writing lots of poetry in recent months due to being inspired by people and the world around me. Things which have been bubbling to the surface and needing to breathe, have forced its way out.
April is poetry month and I have been actively participating in the Dirty Thirty (one poem every day for 30 days in April).
Truth be told, most of my work has been filled with profanities but this one was written whilst contemplating my parents and is one I would like to share with you:
Imperishable Stars
Imperishable Stars
Never to rise nor set
Your luminous hearts fixed
Watching in abject silence
Epithets eternally emblazoned
Within and upon your earthly kin
Eternally through the promised premise
Incandescent in dogging darkness
(C) T. Altman 2016
tinaaltman.com 