Radical Writing Advice: hello?

I started a piece for this week. I like the topic. I want to write about it.

And we had one of those homeowner emergencies over the weekend. The process to deal with it is still continuing, so I'm letting this week's full post go.

I will return next week. But for now I'm cutting back on a few things to decrease my stress level right now.

It's been an interesting week, with great news on two fronts (interpreting and writing) and then the not so good news of a broken water pipe at home. The fall session of Ariel Gore's Literary Kitchen started this week. I was accepted into an in-person writing group. And more. Ups and downs, but holding it together.

So, this week no advice.

I will be back next week for sure. I have it partially written, but the situation at home has taken many hours in what was already a very full schedule.

See you next week! No, see you on Friday for the Razor's Edge prompt. That I will do in the late afternoon.
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Razor's Edge : Sacrifice

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The past few weeks or so I've been thinking about the role of writing in my life. Or I've been thinking about myself as a writer and what I want that to look like. You may have noticed I've started a new weekly series "Radical Writing Advice," which came out of these contemplations.

Although I am wondering how "radical" I can keep things in this new set of posts. Isn't that the challenge, though, to keep it fresh and keep not only my energy moving, but to help others, as well. After all, I am a writer. So I'm writing. About writing.

In this process of writing about writing, and starting - again - to do some drawing with images instead of with words, a story is emerging. It started out as a snippet of some unknown larger context in the online Literary Kitchen Lit Star Training with Ariel Gore. I took that quick write and used it for a later assignment to expand a quick write and then that was the basis to build on for last week's story. And it's still not done. I don't know the character yet. The character has only revealed pieces of that life and I have some of the same questions as the other writers who have given me feedback on what I have so far.

The reason I'm telling you this is that writing about writing has oiled my writing joints and there is a story moving through me. I can't force it to be this way or that, or it hides away. And I find it interesting that I've been thinking about writing as my other career choice - which it is - and this new story I am following emerges. Writing my passion and drive and the thing I do when I'm not interpreting or sleeping or swimming. I've considered doing freelance writing as another income stream but I don't think that is for me. I like interpreting and I'm good at it and it's a part of me. So why not keep with the interpreting - which I know - and allow the writing to develop.

Books and articles and blogs and e-newsletters about freelancing are again crossing my field of vision. Questions are coming up about being a "professional" or being an "amateur" or being a "real" writer.

Earlier this week the book "The War of Art" came up in a blog which was about the author, Steven Pressfield, and his newest release, "Turning Pro." As I often do when interesting writing (or other) books are mentioned, I look them up. So I did with these, as well.

This week's Razor's Edge is based on the Amazon blurb for Pressfield's recent book. The title of the book is a little challenging in an "I dare you" kind of way; at least for me. The earlier book is intriguing, as well, and that one I did order in an electronic format. A book I will have with me anywhere I go since I can read it on my computer, my tablet, and even my Blackberry. I don't have many electronic books; I prefer paper, but this one? It felt right to get it electronically - it's the second electronic writing book I've purchased.

So this week, read the Amazon description of Pressfield's most recent book below. Once you're done reading, set a timer for 10 minutes and then use the prompts which follow the description and write. As always, feel free to post your writing or a section of it; or post a response. I'd love to heard how this affects you."

The Amazon description of "Turning Pro," by Steven Pressfield:

The follow-up to his bestseller The War of Art, Turning Pro navigates the passage from the amateur life to a professional practice.

"You don't need to take a course or buy a product. All you have to do is change your mind." --Steven Pressfield

TURNING PRO IS FREE, BUT IT'S NOT EASY. When we turn pro, we give up a life that we may have become extremely comfortable with. We give up a self that we have come to identify with and to call our own.

TURNING PRO IS FREE, BUT IT DEMANDS SACRIFICE. The passage from amateur to professional is often achieved via an interior odyssey whose trials are survived only at great cost, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. We pass through a membrane when we turn pro. It's messy and it's scary. We tread in blood when we turn pro.

WHAT WE GET WHEN WE TURN PRO. What we get when we turn pro is we find our power. We find our will and our voice and we find our self-respect. We become who we always were but had, until then, been afraid to embrace and live out.

Now, set your timer for 10 minutes.

What is it you are afraid of giving up? What have you experienced to get where you are today, the familiar and perhaps the comfortable only because it's familiar?

If you were able to do the thing you desire, what would it be?

Where is your power? What do you need to embrace your power?

Tell me.
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Feeling Humbled By Recent Events

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elated by the news that I am done with the injections
and can skip today's planned trip to the lab
for another blood draw

nod my head to the phone when the pro-time nurse tells me
today 4 pills, tomorrow 3 pills
then we'll see
no lab today but yes tomorrow

another call from my insurance/care-center needing
to schedule a test with a long intimidating name
the test requires
no prep
it's another examination in an attempt to determine
why I
an otherwise healthy person who was at low risk
for this event -
why
it happened

I don't want anything more to be wrong and
everything points to everything being fine
except
these two spots
on the CT exam
which stole my breath away

the doctors want to know why
I just want them to go away
I just want to return to
normal, my normal

breathing returns
energy is still lagging
stairs are so much easier
and each day I meditate with hand mudras
visualize
my body's terror when I couldn't breathe
washing away
breath
calm
spots dissolving or being absorbed; shrinking

recovering

grateful to be alive
grateful for this strong body and organs
which kept going and are
healing
grateful for my partner
my friends
my life

and sleep
which I think is my greatest healer

breath
strength
returning
.
a word
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Razor's Edge for 3/26/10

Today's theme is Strength of Women/Strong Women.

Being strong is more than physical ability. It is more than being able to stand firm in the face of adversity. It is about being honest within yourself and in your encounters in the world. It is about being willing to be vulnerable sometimes and being willing to open to yourself and follow where your heart and soul lead you. It is about letting go of the societally imposed images that don't fit you, that restrict you, that smother you. About listening to your inner wisdom.

Women are still often not encouraged to go within; to listen to ourselves; to be taken seriously - especially if we cry or feel strongly or want too much. But we still do.

And "strong" does not look the same in all cultures and all countries. Strong for me may very well be different than strong for you.

Below are images of women in different states of strength. And a video of a dance performance, called "Wet Woman."

Take a minute or two to look at all of the still pictures. Then watch the video. When the video is done, look at the still pictures again; one to two minutes.

Set a timer for 8 minutes and ... write. Move. Draw. Build something.

If word prompts help, try this: "A strong woman..........."

Modern Dance - Wet Woman (full Ver) - Sylvie Guillem

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