Bob's Write from the Start: Old Thomas Stearns and I Have the Same Problem

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.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Old Thomas Stearns and I Have the Same Problem

". . . The only wisdom we can hope to acquire

Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless . . .

Trying to use words, and every attempt

Is a wholly new start, and a different kind of failure
Because one has only learnt to get the better of words
For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which
One is no longer disposed to say it. And so each venture
Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate . . .
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.”

-- T.S. Eliot. The Four Quartets (East Coker)

In other words, I'm back to Plan A and have worked my way, slogged my way, through a substantial bit of what I felt (thought would be too strong a word) I should be doing to outline the mystery I plan / intend / hope to write.

On my own 'graph' of how to measure 'success' as a writer, this effort would qualify as discipline / effort. There is nothing in the rules that says I can't be grumpy about it.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home

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.