Writing, writing, writing...

Writing, writing, writing...
Rabid Ink:
It's difficult to name a blog. I arrived at the title "Rabid Ink" after carefully considering the influence that writing and the written word have in and on my life. I am a writer, reader, student, and teacher. I worked for several years as a freelance writer before returning to college and I am currently working toward earning my Ph.D. in English literature. Some dictionaries define the word 'rabid' as "extremely zealous or enthusiastic," or "unrestrained enthusiasm." A few describe 'rabidity' as "raging, uncontrollable, madness." Of course, rabidity is also associated with contagion and invasiveness.

My relationship with the written word might be characterized by any of these descriptions. My readings or writings can become all-consuming. They can devour my time, infect me with myriad emotions, and rage with what might seem to the uninitiated as an uncontrollable madness. This blog is inspired by the rabid essence of the text, of the ink on the page, of my experiences reading, writing, and pursuing scholarship.

In the "archive" column, I have included some material from a previous blog that delt primarily with writing. While these archived posts are older, I dusted off those I found most interesting or worth recalling and placed them here. If you read them, please forgive any redundancies or blemishes. My writing has evolved since the time of these musings, along with some of my interests.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Inspiration

Sometimes inspiration strikes at the darndest times. I was in the middle of taking an exam today when ideas came out of nowhere for one of my novel-length wips. Trying to jot down the thoughts was impossible. I had nothing to write on other than my test paper and that was being turned into my professor. Then, of course I had to concentrate on answering the questions on the test, but it was really difficult to focus on the exam when all I wanted to do was write down the character interaction that was dancing in my mind before I lost it.

It's not the first time story ideas have come to me at an inopportune moment. I've taken to always keeping a small notebook in my car in case inspiration hits me as I am barreling down a highway or stuck at a red light. But I can't keep a note book in the shower, or pull one out during lunch with a friend, or in the middle of coaching gymnastics. So what's a writer to do?

I don't generally lose the entire epiphany, but invariably bits and pieces go unrecalled, leaving holes in what had been a complete thought. Just the way it is I guess. That thought doesn't make losing the muse any less frustrating, but it does support my assumption that every writer undoubtedly experiences the same problem at one time or another.

What makes it more frustrating is that there really isn't any way to change it. How do you prepare for an idea that hasn't actually come, but might, and possibly in the shower? I can't think of a way, but I can't spend too much time pondering it either. I guess it is just a matter of timing and hoping that yours is good. With any luck, the perfect idea will hit at the optimal time.

At least it is something to wish for.
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1 comment:

  1. isa.bellaMay 17, 2005 at 11:27 PM

    i feel just as frustrated with dreams... i go to bed everynight not knoeing what i'll dream about and facing the prospect that theres a 90% chance that i'll wake up and forget it.

    the inevitability of it all: how i'll only remember one dream out of several if i remember any at all, how all the best details will slip away liek water un cupped hands.

    It happened this morning... i woke up remembering this amazing dream i had with my english teacher, who i'm sickly in love with, my friends and some other people and we were all at my farm... as i entered the shower it was still an intricate video that i could replay... by the time i was in my school uniform it was one solitary image, that image is now blurred, vague and meaningless.

    I hate that.

    big kisses, and thank you SO much for your comment, it really meant more to me than you'll know...

    xx
    isa

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