So I asked myself this question: why do I write? More specifically, why do I put so much effort into writing? Even now as I write this blog I could have got my point across ages ago. But here I am, fiddling and tweaking, endlessly searching for better words and grammar. I want the perfect words, the perfect sentence, the perfect composition. I could have just plopped down some words and been done with it. The problem appears to not be the words, but the meaning. Not just any words will do. I must find the best words -- the perfect words -- to weave into at tapestry of textual meaning. So I guess the reason I put so much effort into writing is this: I enjoy the challenge of expressing my thoughts on paper.
Writing is an opportunity for me to catch thoughts from my mind and hold them in print. As I think about what I want to write, thoughts jump at me like fish in a pond, and I net the ones I can catch in words.
Retrieved May 7, 2007: Image courtesy of A Perfect World - http://www.aperfectworld.org
My fingers tap the keyboard, and a line of text forms on my computer screen. Every four or five lines I backtrack, making sure my mental translation makes sense. Sometimes my thoughts stop jumping. I know from experience they can't be forced, because thoughts are lured by patience. I review my written words and try to write a nonsence paragraph. Sure enough, a relevant thought casually floats to the surface. It is followed by another, and soon my fingers are jumping across the keyboard as I race to keep up.
When I feel like I have transferred my relevant thoughts into text, I re-read my work. I consider the words and how they build meaning. I pay attention to grammar, but only after I have the meaning down pat. By the time I'm done with it, my writing is usually pretty close to what was in my head at the time.
Some might call this effort after meaning cognitive processing. I simply call it writing.
Writing is a chance for me to capture mental images and hold them in hard copy. I doubt I will ever be satisfied with words that I feel are merely good enough. It appears by my nature I'm doomed to forever chase the perfect prose reflection of my thougts.
Writing is a chance for me to capture mental images and hold them in hard copy. I doubt I will ever be satisfied with words that I feel are merely good enough. It appears by my nature I'm doomed to forever chase the perfect prose reflection of my thougts.
What I learned: It's the feeling of satisfaction I get when I see my thoughts appear in print, just as they appeared in my mind. That's why I write.
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