Me As A Writer

Day Twelve:

Five Adjectives that describe me as a writer:
Curious
Observant
Reflects the common man
Political
Thoughtful
Tenacious
Loves words

Five Adjectives that describe my writing:
Clever
Humorous
Questioning
Poetic
Moral  - basic values

Next: My creative vision

Attitudes And Values.

Day Eleven

The following statements are my attitudes and values concerning writing:

• I like to express my feelings and ideas.  I enjoy the creative feeling.
• I like to empower people with useful information.
• I like to persuade people to take some action or to think differently.
• I like to inspire people.
• I Like to entertain people.
• I like to help people to develop their abilities.
• I love words and enjoy crafting readable sentences and paragraphs.
• I like to tell stories.
• I like seeing my name in print.
• Writing should communicate some kind of message.
• Writing feeds off and explains the culture war.
• Writing forces me to know myself better.

If I prioritize  the list it would look like this:

1. I like to express my feelings and ideas.  I enjoy the creative feeling.
2. I like seeing my name in print.
3. I love words and enjoy crafting readable sentences and paragraphs
4. I like to tell stories.
5. I Like to entertain people and know myself better.
6. I like to empower people with useful information.
7. I like to persuade people to take some action or to think differently.
8. I feel compelled to write about what is happening in our culture.

Most people like to write what they read.  Here's what I read:

• Tom Clancy types- an insight into current political thinking
• Fiction - I enjoy the creativity and the well written sentences and character studies
• Non-fiction - some insight into science, government economic policies, stock market and investing
• Crime novels - I love the intricate plots of the whodunnit
• Sci Fi - if it is not too weird.  I like stuff that is a glimpse into the future or poses a new paradigm
• Stephen King types - I love his conversations
• Some poetry because it requires one to strip out the excess

Next: Describe me the writer.

Three Types Of Writing

Day Ten:

Dave Trottier in "The Freelance Writer's Bible" describes the three categories of writing as:

1. Commercial Writing - anything you write for business or an institution.  It pays the best money, BUT there is no byline
2. Traditional Writing - what we normally think of as writing; novels, magazine articles, stories, screenplays, etc.  Pay is less than Commercial Writing unless you get fame and fortune.
3. Entrepreneurial Writing - includes self-publishing. Rewards can be significant, but may require capital outlays.

Based on my values and goals Traditional Writing appeals to me and it aligns with what I want out of writing.

Tomorrow: My writing attitudes and values.

Values and Priorities

Day Nine:

Of the ten values what are five are most important and in what order?

1. financial independence
2. knowledge, wisdom
3. acceptance
4. education
5. recognition
6. Joy
7. health
8. friendship
9. serenity
10. my wife's love
11. sobriety

Of those ten the top five and the ones I am most passionate about are:

1. sobriety
2. my wife's love
3. financial independence
4. health
5. Joy

What do I want from writing Part 1?
Doing what I love and getting paid for it. That's the simple answer. I read a lot from a variety of sources and want to share that information.  Some of the information is self-help, some good advice, some weird, some just self protection or survival.

This country used to have just three TV channels and we shared a common experience when we watched.  The next morning we were all sharing about the night before's program.  We all saw the Beattles on Ed Sullivan or all saw JFK murdered.  The best example of that focus was the continuing coverage of 9/11.

Today the audience is splintered and on the internet we only tune in to news sources we agree with.  Thus we become polarized.  I'm trying to bridge that gap by encouraging my readers to share information and talk about it.  Hopefully, change minds.

Financial independence is important.  I want to make money writing and I want to write from a warm climate with my feet in the sand.  I want to share about my travels and travails and feel the joy I get when people read what I write.

What do I want from writing Part 2?
What are my top five benefits of writing for me?

1. A "community" focus on my writing
2. Getting paid for writing
3. Financial independence
4. Expressing my joy by writing
5. Influencing others in a ethical way

Tomorrow: Three categories of writing.

Strengths & Flaws

Day Eight:

What was my bravest moment? I don't think I've been particularly brave creatively or generally.  I've gotten up before large crowds in the Memorial Coliseum in Portland and spoke.  Maybe, the bravest moment was getting up for the first time at an Open Mike to read my poetry in front of many who had been writing poems for years. 

My weakest moment is any time I procrastinate; giving in to being tired or being overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task or just not granting the task its importance.  I've learned when you make an error, you should immediately correct it. No procrastination, however I still like to procrastinate, like being asked to vacuum or doing this writing about things I have to think about.

Next: What I want from writing.

Inventory

Day Seven:

What was the most creative period in my life?

This is the most creative period in my life.  It started 19 years ago when I living by myself without much furniture in my apartment.  I was nearing three years sober and fell crazy in lust with a blonde.  I would come home from an AA meeting, where I would see her, and sit down at my table and write poems.  I was amazed at what came out of the end of my pen and was moved to see the reaction my poems would have on those who read my poems.  Tears would flow and it saw how powerful were the words I strung together.

I went to Open Mikes and read my poems.  Many didn't rate more than polite applause, except for one night I heard, "Now that's a poem!"  I later met and married Beverly and continued my writing even taking classes from local poet and jazz musician Doug Marx.  Those weekly immersions in poetry fed the fires.  I started blogging in 2004 and that has taken over for poetry.  I seldom write poems anymore, but continue to view the world through a poets eye.

What was the most productive period in my life?

 One of the most productive periods happened when I was a stockbroker.  There was a new local bank going public and my firm was handling the underwriting.  For weeks I phoned people encouraging them to buy stock in the offering.  I talked to 200 people a day for two weeks.  In  the end I opened over 47 accounts, had the president and officers of the bank as clients and the offering was a huge success.  Later the bank was taken over by another bank for a 200% profit to the shareholders.

When was I so involved with something that I lost track of time?

I can lose myself when I'm writing poetry or when blogging and the words just flow.  I don't get hungry, tired or thirsty in that time.  Then something magical happens and I look at what I've written and wonder where that come from.

What was the greatest inner battle?

The decision to quit smoking led to my greatest inner battle.  My craving for nicotine took over my life.  I started in college at 18 and continued on until I was 47.  I tried to quit many times, with hypnosis, with aversion therapy and with the Seventh Day Adventists Quit program.  I always failed.  Finally, I read about a seer or sensitive who could talk with those who'd passed over.  The spirit said those who had the most trouble on his side were smokers.  They still had the habit and desire, but no way to satisfy the hunger for nicotine. Again I took the Seventh Day Adventists Quit program and my last cigarette was on November 10th, 1991.  A week later, I was going crazy looking for a cigarette through co-workers desks on a Saturday.  I called a friend of mine for help.  She asked me why I wanted to quit, so I started telling her and the compulsion was lifted.  I haven't had a cigarette for 19 years.

What did I learn?  I learned to approach things "one day at a time."  To break big boulder like problems into pebbles and attack each pebble.  I learned persistence.  I learned that I couldn't quit smoking alone.  That I needed a higher power to help me.

What accomplishment am I most proud?   

I am most proud of being sober for 22 years.  Alcohol was ruining my life.  I wasn't proud of who I was or how I acted.  I had severely embarrassed myself and my friends with my drinking.  I've said I was morally and financially bankrupt when I quit on June 23, 1988.  Since then, I have found the love of my life, have regained the love of my children and have a higher power in my life.  No longer do I feel a big hole in my insides.  I am proud of the way I act and treat people.

Tomorrow - What was my bravest moment?  What was my weakest moment?

Who Be You?

Day Six:

The journey is getting harder the next few exercises will concentrate on "who be you?"  They are designed to reveal my values, my highest ideals. the principles and beliefs most important to me, that bring me personal fulfillment or make me happy.

First, what does the world need?  The world needs to follow some basic principles:

• Love God for everything.
• We are all one.  When something happens to one of us, it happens to us all.  Therefore love everyone as you would want them to love you.
• Do all you agreed to.
• Do not encroach on another person or their property.
• Live each day as if it's the last day we'll ever have

Second, what are my top ten values in no particular order:

1. financial independence
2. knowledge, wisdom
3. acceptance
4. education
5. recognition
6. Joy
7. health
8. friendship
9. serenity
10. my wife's love
11. sobriety

Next, a look into the past at my most creative experiences.

A Letter To My Children

Day Five:

Today Dave Trottier author of "The Freelance Writer's Bible" wants me to assume that I will never see My children again.  What  last words of advice would I write to them.?

Dear Gilyn and Erica,

The day we've been dreading has finally arrived.  A year ago we found out that the Mayan Prophesy of the world ending on Dec 21, 2012 was true beyond any doubt.  It was then that the Sirians made their presence known and revealed their plans to save mankind.  As we crossed the center of the Milky Way, gravity would create such tensions on the Earth that no humans could survive the earthquakes and volcanoes and violent storms.  Those who survived the  planetary disasters would not be able to feed themselves for thousands of years.


At first we heard that we would be taken from this planet and moved to Anthem in the Ophion Galaxy to start a new life.  Later we learned sadly that only those no older than 25 would be going.  Many were the unbelievers,  How could this happen?  There was, as you know, great  anger and some chose to destroy and steal.  Many realizing their end was near, chose to take their life and the lives of their families.  In the end, those of us over 25 and staying behind resigned ourselves to our fate and vowed to be the best we could be in the last days.

I want you to know how proud your mother and I are of you.  Despite all our parenting flaws, you turned out to be two fine, independent women.  Don't be sad.  We will continue to live on in a different dimension as long as you have memories of us.

As you might expect, I have some advice for your futures:

• Love yourself and love your fellow men and women.
• Live each day as if it were your last.
• Work smart
• Thank God for directing the Sirians to our planet
• Be grateful 
• Reproduce

All my love,
Dad