Bob's Write from the Start: Struggling

Bob's Write from the Start

Bob’s Write from the Start, a blog sharing the roller coaster ride of this renewing writer’s feelings and actual experiences, began March 2017. That January, I began with a two-sentence contribution to a local Writing Group. I am now a Guest Columnist for a local paper and have contributed to small and online magazines. My comments for new and renewing writers? Start by starting. Join a writing group. You are unique but not alone. Once you start work, you will not be in Kansas anymore.

Friday, April 28, 2017

Struggling

Well, here is an unexpected source of both pride and frustration. The coordinator and leader of our Writers' Group gave me the honour of asking me to be one of a dozen members to write an historical article for a local chain of small newspapers. I have been on my own writing journey for so short a time so, you can bet I view it as an honour and a compliment. Of course I said 'yes' - some combination of ego, anxiety and ambition.

Now that I have been trying to do this thing (no pressure, oh no) I find myself struggling to produce anything anyone would want to read. Or even get my arms around the scope of material to cover in up to 500 words. Or, more specifically, to find a way into the story that I am satisfied with.

It is, to say the least, preoccupying much of the time. This way or that way. Maybe I could try this. No, that doesn't work. Ho hum how ordinary that way would be. Where's the joy? Where's the sparkle? Where's the simple target of just writing something someone will happen upon, read, and say to themselves, "I'm glad I read that."

It's due in three days. I have written one sentence I feel OK about. Whoopee.

1 Comments:

At April 28, 2017 at 6:13 PM , Paul Bailey said...: When I worked for a small paper, I'd ask myself what was the one thing about this yarn that intrigued me most. I'd try to spin the first sentence into an interesting declaration of personal fascination and just let it rip.......

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About Me

Name: Bob's Write From The Start

Location: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

Born, raised and living in Sarnia, Ontario, Bob Boulton began writing poetry, short stories and humorous articles for his high school newspaper in the period just after dinosaurs roamed the earth. His article on the mysteries of the Chess Club was particularly well-received. Bob’s excruciatingly naive teenage sonnet was published with positive mention in the high school yearbook. In University he wrote pretty much indecipherable essays on Existentialism and Phenomenology. Then, early in his working career, Bob also wrote short feature articles in the now-defunct (not his fault) Weston York Times. For this, he was paid $5.00 per article, which didn’t quite cover his transportation and parking costs. Then after a short break of thirty-five or forty years as an executive and leadership coach, Bob reactivated his passion for writing. The alternatives he considered were learning to yodel or trying to play the bagpipes. Bob’s loving and supportive family voted enthusiastically, and quickly, for writing.