Why Do Writers Write?

Tags

Barbara Techel, creative writing, humor, Joyful Paws, The Green Hornet Suit and Other Musings, writing process

Last month, I got tagged by fellow blogger Jess Witkins over at The Happiness Project. It’s part of a series of posts where writers share why they write. A few weeks later, Barbara Techel at Joyful Paws tagged me, so for her readers, I’ll share what I wrote for Jess. It’s been a great exercise, because, really, how many of us stop to think about why we do the work we do? Here goes:

I’m having fun pondering this one, because I’ve never given much thought to exactly why I do what I do. You see, I’ve always just wanted to be a writer. When I was a kid, I wrote a newspaper – I sold issues to my parents for ten cents a copy and drew illustrations with my crayons. Then in fifth grade, my teacher, the lovely Mrs. Schaef, gave us a writing assignment: make an everyday item sound exciting. I took grass, spelled it backwards in the title, and made a whole mystery out of it. Mrs. Schaef told me it was some of the most delightful reading she’d come across, and that I was on track to becoming a good writer. Yeah, it was only grass, but I was hooked.

So thanks, Barbara, for getting me thinking! Here are my answers to your questions:

What am I working on? I’m working on a series of humorous essays titled The Green Hornet Suit and Other Musings. It’s not that odd things happen often, but I do tend to find a lot in life is amusing. When I’m tickled by something, I let it “stew” for a while and then turn it into an essay. I also have the distinct pleasure of being copywriter for Cassy Tully – she’s a fantastic artist, and I get to write about her paintings and her progress. I write regularly for a local newspaper and Lakeshore Living magazine, a bimonthly publication issued by Gannett Media.

 

A bit like the Green Hornet Suit…

How does my work differ from others of its genre? I’ll stick with my humorous essays here. My work is different because it’s me telling the stories, and finding something quirky or bizarre in the interactions I’ve had with the people in the essays. My grandpa, wearer of the infamous Green Hornet Suit (a plaid polyester number that should have been burned) wasn’t by nature a humorous person. He could be exasperating and often tested our patience, but when I stepped back and saw the humor in that, several essays were born.

Why do I write what I do? I believe that everyone has a story. Everyone. Whether I’m writing for Cassy, interviewing someone for the local newspaper, or writing an essay, it’s a story unfolding before me, and because I am a writer, I’m in the unique position of being able to find words for each person’s story.

How does my writing process work? I need to let ideas “stew” before I sit down to write, otherwise my writing feels forced. Sometimes I practice avoidance tactics before I start – clear off my desk, look out the window, crack open another Diet Pepsi – then finally glue my butt to the chair and get to work. Honestly, my humorous essays are the easiest to write – they often come tumbling out, and before I know it, I’ve got a few pages down, so it’s easy to like that work. Then I start weeding, pulling out words and phrases that don’t add to the story. More on that here…

Feedback has also been tremendously valuable. A few months ago, Jess offered to beta read for me. I sent her copies of several humorous essays, which she critiqued. It really opened my eyes and made me realize that what I viewed as a developed essay needed tweaks to depth and detail. Her supportive critique has improved my work, and I keep many of Jess’s comments and questions in my head as I write new essays.

There you have it! It’s been fun really thinking about why all this happens, so thanks for thinking of me, Barbara – see you soon!

 

 

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Tag! Why I Do What I Do

Tags

advice for writers, Barbara Techel, creative writing, humorous essays, Jess Witkins, Peter Mallett, Susie Lindau, writing, writing process

This morning I got tagged by fellow blogger Jess Witkins over at The Happiness Project. Turns out Jess was tagged by Valerie Biel, asked to share with readers why she does what she does.

I’m having fun pondering this one, because I’ve never given much thought to exactly why I do what I do. You see, I’ve always just wanted to be a writer. When I was a kid, I wrote a newspaper – I sold issues to my parents for ten cents a copy and drew illustrations with my crayons. Then in fifth grade, my teacher, the lovely Mrs. Esther Schaef, gave us a writing assignment: make an everyday item sound exciting. I took grass, spelled it backwards in the title, and made a whole mystery out of it. Mrs. Schaef told me it was some of the most delightful reading she’d come across, and that I was on track to becoming a good writer. Yeah, it was only grass, but I was hooked.

So thanks, Jess, for getting me thinking! Here are my answers to your questions:

What am I working on? I’m working on a series of humorous essays titled The Green Hornet Suit and Other Musings. It’s not that odd things happen often, but I do tend to find a lot in life is amusing. When I’m tickled by something, I let it “stew” for a while and then turn it into an essay. I also have the distinct pleasure of being copywriter for Cassy Tully – she’s a fantastic artist, and I get to write about her paintings and her progress. I write regularly for a local newspaper and Lakeshore Living magazine, a bimonthly publication issued by Gannett Media.

A bit like the Green Hornet Suit…

How does my work differ from others of its genre? I’ll stick with my humorous essays here. My work is different because it’s me telling the stories, and finding something quirky or bizarre in the interactions I’ve had with the people in the essays. My grandpa, wearer of the infamous Green Hornet Suit (a plaid polyester number that should have been burned) wasn’t by nature a humorous person. He could be exasperating and often tested our patience, but when I stepped back and saw the humor in that, several essays were born.

Why do I write what I do? Like Jess, I believe that everyone has a story. Everyone. Whether I’m writing for Cassy, interviewing someone for the local newspaper, or writing an essay, it’s a story unfolding before me, and because I am a writer, I’m in the unique position of being able to find words for each person’s story.

How does my writing process work? I need to let ideas “stew” before I sit down to write, otherwise my writing feels forced. Sometimes I practice avoidance tactics before I start – clear off my desk, look out the window, crack open another Diet Pepsi – then finally glue my butt to the chair and get to work. Honestly, my humorous essays are the easiest to write – they often come tumbling out, and before I know it, I’ve got a few pages down, so it’s easy to like that work. Then I start weeding, pulling out words and phrases that don’t add to the story. More on that here…

Feedback has also been tremendously valuable. A couple months ago, Jess offered to beta read for me. I sent her copies of several humorous essays, which she critiqued. It really opened my eyes and made me realize that what I viewed as a developed essay needed more depth and detail. Her supportive critique has improved my work, and I keep many of Jess’s comments and questions in my head as I write new essays.

So there you have it! If they would like to participate, I tag the following writers whose work I admire: (If your schedules don’t allow it, or you’re not in the habit of participating like this, there’s no pressure from me to do so).

Susie Lindau at Susie Lindau’s Wild Ride – Her zany adventures always make me smile.

Barb Techel at Joyful Paws – Barb shares her experiences with living authentically.

Peter Mallett at Writing in Color – His website encourages other writers, and Peter’s always willing to offer support and advice.

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Roberts Joins the Joy…

Tags

Barbara Techel, Cassy Tully, creative writing, destination, Good Morning America, journey, Robin Roberts, Shannon Ables, The Simply Luxurious Life, writing

Earlier this week, blogger Susie Lindau hosted another of her zany “Use Me and Abuse Me” days, which isn’t quite as painful as it sounds! Susie has a gajillion followers, and on “Use Me” days, she asks everyone to bring a link from their blog, post it in her comment section, and then get click happy. It’s a great way to meet new bloggers and catch some different viewpoints.

I joined in, sharing my “Bloom Where You’re Planted” post of earlier this month. I got some nice comments, including one from Karen (check out her great post “Do Losers Make the Best Parents?”) and another from Lisa, blogger at “Nowhere to Run” who commented about “wishing she could figure out what she’s supposed to ‘be’” in life. Seems my “Bloom” post resonated with her, for which I’m thankful.

Robin Roberts

Speaking of “being,” this month’s Good Housekeeping magazine features a story about Robin Roberts, host of ABC’s Good Morning America program, and her battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow failure disorder. Without treatment, Roberts’s doctor gave her one to two years to live. This news came at the same time that Good Morning America supplanted NBC’s Today show as the #1 morning news program, leaving Roberts, in her words, “on an emotional roller coaster.”

Unwilling to dampen her coworkers’ spirits with her difficult news, Roberts went to their celebratory party, appreciative of the people who made the show’s success possible. At that point, she said something very interesting, something that tied in perfectly with my “Bloom” post.

“It wasn’t how I’d imagined it, sitting secretly with my heartbreaking news, but I prayed it was for every one of them,” she writes. “And I could say that I’d truly enjoyed the journey, because if I’d saved all my joy for the destination, I would have missed it. We are all so focused on getting ‘there,’ but a lot of times, ‘there’ ends up feeling different than you expected. I thanked the good Lord that He’d allowed me to live long enough to see that special moment.”

Wow. That’s a strong statement! Often, we do the same thing – we hoard our joy for the destination, forgetting that the work along the way – frustrating or not – brings its own rewards. I’m writing a series of humorous essays, titled The Green Hornet Suit and Other Musings. Sure, I imagine the day I finish the book and see it in print, but Roberts’s words reminded me that my writing journey is part of the process. My friends Barbara and Cassy often talk of their work in writing and painting as a journey, something that unfolds as they go.

People like to rush through things, though. It seems that’s just the way we’re wired, and today’s world encourages this behavior. We all need to be reminded to pause and enjoy where we’re at, to remove our focus from the destination. As this week unfolds, take time to do this. Whether you’re writing, working on a work deadline that seems all-consuming, or delivering the mail, take your eyes from the finish line and look around – let me know what you see, too!

For extra insight, I encourage you to visit The Simply Luxurious Life, written by Shannon Ables. She does a great job sharing a fresh definition of luxury, urging readers to create their own “luxury” in their everyday lives. Robin Roberts’s book, Everybody’s Got Something, is out now.

 

 

 

Dogs on Wheels Leading the Way…

Tags

adversity, Barbara Techel, dachshund, Frankie, grammar, overcoming fear, passion, positive spirit, writing

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk to let it blossom.” Anais Nin

Today’s post is still about writing, but at its core, it’s about stepping through fear to become who you’re really meant to be. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re a writer, an engineer or a mail carrier – we all have dreams in our hearts that yearn to come true. It’s fun thinking, wishing, hoping, but sometimes, actually acting on those dreams can create a lurching fear, holding us back.

That’s why I’d like to you meet Barbara Techel. She’s known mainly for her children’s books, authoring the “Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog,” series, along with “For the Love of Animals: A Collection of Short Stories,” but it’s the work she’s done promoting animals with disabilities that’s nothing short of inspirational.

And she never dreamed of being an author. Reaching her 40s brought “a restlessness,” a seeking for something more. Barbara always loved animals, having a passion and sensitivity towards her furry friends that ran deep.

Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog

To know Barbara, you have to know about Frankie, her late dachshund with liquid chocolate eyes and a spirit that invigorated every inch of her being. A fall left Frankie paralyzed, right at about the same time that Barbara herself was feeling paralyzed in her career.

Frankie was diagnosed with Intervertebral Disc Disease and eventually fitted for a custom dog wheelchair. Overnight, her needs became immediate, paramount, taking the spotlight off Barbara’s life situation, forcing her to make a move.

“I never considered having, or adopting, an animal with a disability before,” Barbara said. “But Frankie changed all that. It wasn’t easy at the beginning, and honestly, I questioned whether or not I wanted the responsibility, or if it was even the right thing to do. Would she have a quality life?”

Frankie, however, didn’t seem to notice. Fitted with wheels, the spunky little dachshund carried on as only dogs can, oblivious of her wheelchair or her disability. She was mobile again, and that’s what mattered.

And so was Barbara. Motivated by Frankie’s spirit in the face of adversity, Barbara found herself set free to pursue a career she had never dreamed of. Frankie became a registered therapy dog, and the pair appeared regularly at nursing homes and schools, where they urged children to “stay positive” in the face of challenges.

“I’ve always loved animals, especially dogs, so deeply,” Barbara said. “I wondered how I could share that with the world. Well, just by starting small with writing for a local column, led me to where I am today, still writing and writing about the human-animal bond.”

If you ask, Barbara will tell you that the indecision and second-guessing didn’t evaporate overnight; she still struggled, but taking the first steps toward a career focused on service and acceptance gave her the wings she needed for liftoff.

“I couldn’t live like that any longer. Once you break away from that, it is so gratifying and freeing,” Barbara said. “We think there is so much risk in following our passion that we stay stuck in a place that seems somewhat comfortable, but also comes with much pain at times.”

Barbara is sharing those experiences in her newest book, “Through Frankie’s Eyes: One woman’s journey to her authentic self and the dog on wheels who led the way.”

Her advice to others yearning to follow their passion? Start small and surround yourself with those who will support and nurture you along the way.

“I gravitate towards animal-loving people, as well as positive people,” she said. “The more I do, the more my world has opened up in a way I could have never imagined.”