Milestones...

This entry is an attempt
to get you readers informed in the inner workings of how I write, if you care to know. Additionally, in the comment section, to give YOU a place to share the joys of how you create whatever it is you make. 

LET US INSPIRE ONE ANOTHER! 

For instance you may be a carpenter, a potter, or someone who writes grants for small business... whatever you create I would love to know any "inner workings" you would be willing to share! Thanks in advance for your participation.

     Today I wrote incessantly, fingers stumbling over each other to get to the next key, a bunch of hares and no tortoises. Fueled by 2 black cups of joe, each with small white half n half ice cube added to take the edge of off which can be felt in the empty stomach from black morning-time coffee. What pours forth from my mind in that time is like a new frost on a window, or the dew on a leaf after a foggy spring night, the drop settling on its spine at first, only to roll to the end, eventually falling to the leaf beneath; it's perfect freshness pervades. What I find in my characters at that time is something, in my mind, to behold.

     Nelson Hanlin is a peculiar guy, I have come to learn. It seemed odd when he began teaching me, the writer, things about himself. Not just "if this, then that" sort of things, but real deep understandings, profundities of his life. Although I haven't yet written the chapter which my last post talks about (still could use input, no input yet), I did recently write the chapter before, where his wife dies. In all honesty it brought me to tears many times and I could see the image before me, which I will not attempt to describe here... you'll have to read the book... but she in her image and likeness of the root of the character I wanted to create, became so very real too me, someone I could empathize with and feel gratitude for. More so, because the book is about him and he is the center of the book, Nelson himself has become someone I really care about, he moves me, he motivates me to keep going. This is in the same way that a certain players diligence and persistence inspires a coach to help a team more than he thought possible prior to seeing that source of inspiration in that player. He boosts my moral in general to be quite honest. Something I have grown fond of are the scenes in the book were he is painting, just him, the palette and the canvas, no matter which canvas it is (foreshadowing???). His intimate connection with his creation, the care in which he even breaths around his work even the spirit, and ere of connection displayed in the story between him and the creation... all of it hits me and I mimic it in my story, which may seem contrary to some. 

     Allow me to elaborate: Of course before I write a chapter or a scene within the book, I see the image first. Before I outline it, it is the images which fuel my direction, not the other way around. So because I am writing about an artist I am able to use the images I see in my mind which end up being quite graphic, riddled with detail, to fuel my own understanding of how I should write... how I prepare my desk for instance, the time and care I take in dusting the area, seeing to it's cleanliness day to day. This care bleeds into other aspects such as making sure my bodily needs are met with beverages or a bowl of frozen grapes to munch on when needed, seeing too the right music being played at the various points (for instance there is one violin/piano piece I listen too over and over ONLY when he is painting). 

     All of this is to say, however unintentionally at the beginning of writing this post that I really truly am beginning to feel like an artist in terms of writing, and I love it. It is satisfying to know I am adequately displaying the elements needed in a writer, to the best of my capacity (which I happily feel is greater than I ever knew). For me it is a place of peace to come to a realization of such growth in ones self, in my humble opinion. 

     Another note to mention here, lastly, relationship, I have always found, between the artist and his or her creation. For instance, being a singer, when I find a piece I like to sing over and over, it is a piece which pulls or moves me or others, propelling us toward an end. This is possible to see in gospel music. The music itself intends to move the listener or singer from a place of earthliness to a distinct end result manifesting in a more spiritual awareness or space, etc. Similarly is the power manifest in the love song. I see a young woman mildly interested in a man sitting next too him at a picnic table in a park. The man, knowing she is only partly interested in him wishes to raise her depth of devotion to their relationship by representing his feelings for her in a song, thus helping her to see his devotion displayed. If he sings eloquently or not, he is bound to pull her heart at least to a more happy place, assuming she isn't in opposition to such a thing which does happen to the best of us... I digress. 

     My intention is just to say that I feel a great sense of transformation and growth happening whilst writing this story, and indeed because of it. Furthermore, I hope you are inspired in some way to go out and create more; bring into reality all the expressions of things you see floating around in your minds eye. For an adult I personally believe art itself to be the one of the few socially acceptable ways of expression our childlike side; SO GO DO IT!!!!

Thanks, now I must get back to writing. Have great days and nights, whichever you have come from to read this entry!


Benjamin Hartin