“…everything we need in order to tell our stories in a reasonable and exciting way already exists in each of us. Everything you need is in your head and memories, in all that your senses provide, in all that you’ve seen and thought and absorbed.”
Anne Lamott – Bird by Bird
I’ve recently figured out there’s a balance in writing; in taking-in and putting-out.
The first part of my life (about 25 years) was about taking-in. Listening, absorbing, participating. I spent a lot of time in school “learning” – listening and following instructions, sometimes joyfully, sometimes resentfully.
It wasn’t until a very high-level (in the last 5 to 10 years) that I was encouraged to begin putting-out. Writing, creating, publishing.
Finally, I’ve arrived at the realization that there is a balance between input and output. That a lot of writing is about being open and present.
I’ve always known that to be a good reader, you must be relentlessly pursuing life to its fullest. Never missing an opportunity to adventure (see something new, do something new, meet someone new), but also to never wasting time instead of reading something great.
Now I’m seeing the input side of writing; being open and present to the world. Mind, body, spirit, and all seven senses open to the world…
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