Bob's Write from the Start: If a Poem Falls in the Forest

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, May 5, 2017

If a Poem Falls in the Forest

Another good reason to belong to a Writers' Group, mine at least, is they help me think.

For instance, how do you reconcile writing based on your own 'self', using your own unique perspective and voice and, at the same time, meet an objective such as mine? "When someone happens upon my words, they are glad they paused and read them."

Two of my thoughts are:

I am worth knowing
Some of what I know, feel or believe may be useful for you

There was animated group discussion around who we write for (for whom we write). You need to write only for yourself, not so that everyone else will like it, which is impossible anyway, said most of the group.

(Formula fiction, with their predictable narrative templates that have been used so often they are easily recognized, is outside the boundaries of this discussion. It is a whole different thing. God bless those who do it, may they make a million dollars, but it is not what those here do.)

So, there needs to be both less and more to my objective for my own writing. Let's try this: "When some people happen upon my words, they get to know some of my authentic thoughts, feelings and ideas better and are glad they have done so, even if they disagree."

Really, who's going to tell me that Shakespeare wrote only for himself? "Look for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man." Give me a break.

My answer to the question is -- the falling tree produces sound waves. How nice for the tree. Whoop dee doo.

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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.