Are writers disciplined, well this one isn't. I seem to write in spurts, days and weeks on end then, nothing for months. Mood and location have a lot to do with it, as i have said before, unhappiness brings out my best work. Perhaps I just have to learn to transport myself back into a time when things were blacker and lo and behold I will be off.
Been rattling through my workbook for my OU course, a lot of it I have covered before but it is good to refresh the memory.
Memory, now that is an essential tool for a writer, a good memory. I can think of a time and put myself back in the moment, smells, sights etc all become part of it and concentrating I can often find something I had forgotten about.Might just be a little detail but is often the little details that can spark off a new idea.
Every writer tells you carry a notebook, I do and also a voice recorder is another excellent tool. great on public transport to capture authentic dialogue. You can carry it discreetly in your top pocket and forget about it. A diary, blog, journal are all excellent ways to keep track of things that are useful. Looking back at earlier entries can surprise and amaze you.
I am a great believer that talent can be nurtured, however it must be there to start with. You can get all the degrees, diplomas you like but if the creative spark wasn't there to start with you will never write anything of worth or credibility. Writing can become an obsession that takes over your life. Buying books on the subject, writers workshops, courses, creative writing groups, they are all useful.Do not forget though that writing to someone else's formula or criteria stifles originality. Some writers become so absorbed in format and form that the content becomes diluted and the original idea becomes lost in making it become something that has lost all colour and promise.
I am frightened to mention that this our second sunny day in a row, A strange occurrence for Scotland in September. This is the best month to visit Scotland, the heather clings to hills and roadside with a promise of wishes to be granted. Warriors feet can be heard thundering through lakes and caves as they watched for invaders.
Hope your homeland brings you joy and a connection with history. Today let us make our own history and keep in mind others are trying to make thiers too.
Sandra x