Picture of a typewriter for process

It slices, it dices, it even makes Julienne fries

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Someone asked me about my process for writing this blog. That made me laugh, yeah I have a process, mostly it is procrastination. Don’t get me wrong sometimes I wake up and there is an idea or topic right there in the front of my brain just waiting to be pondered for a bit and then written out, but that is the exception more than the rule.

The general process is to wait until I am inspired by something, a tweet, a conversation, really anything that sparks my brain. Then I take to writing, but not until I discuss it with Molly who is my sounding board for all things. Occasionally she will point out the flaw in my reasoning and even more rarely that the whole topic is just a really terrible idea.

Once I have an idea that won’t actually piss off (most) people comes the tricky part. Negotiating the difficult pathways from brain to fingers. In my head the post is eloquent and right to the heart of the point I am trying to make, surely to be loved and adored by all who read it. But the words that appear on the screen are never quite as beautiful as the words in my head. But I type them out none the less.

This process is interrupted by a plethora of things. Making dinner, helping with homework, telling the teens for the 90 millionth time that no phones are allowed at the table. Even the cats get into the game (mostly Mr Wawa) by deciding the exact time I have to type is the time he wants to put his fat ass on my lap and nudge my hand until he gets the petting he wants.

Once I have forced all the words onto the screen I give them a quick read over and then turn to Molly and say “I have reading for you my love” She reads the wreck of a post and corrects the numerous typos, asks questions until she can correct the incomprehensible parts and then lastly she contributes the best part of any of my posts. The picture.

That is the long and winding path that I take from blank page to published.

Michael

Ps by Molly – Just to add some context to some of what he says. There was one typo in this post that needed fixing, the rest was absolutely perfect.


Comments

2 responses to “It slices, it dices, it even makes Julienne fries”

  1. I always find reading about writers’ processes to be fascinating.

    I compose eloquent, sexy, engaging, mistake-free posts near nightly – mentally, anyway. Usually while I’m drifting off to sleep. Those pieces typically only get written in my head. By the time I *have* time to sit down and type them out, my brain and fingers just do not communicate well enough to get anything out.

    There are times, conversely, that I go into “manic mode” with my writing. Because, ALL THE IDEAS. When that happens, I try to run with it as long and as hard as I can. It sometimes results in a series of related posts, or manifests as several ‘starts’ I can keep in my Drafts folder and return to at a later date. When I’m really “on” and produce good writing from my ‘mania’, I pre-set several posts to publish over a the course of weeks or months. I tend to feel most comfortable (as in, “Thank goodness I haven’t misplaced my muse” – less pressured/concerned about content) when I have at least one post waiting in the wings.

  2. Silver Eagle Avatar
    Silver Eagle

    My Master requires me to do journal entries on a regular basis and to occasionally write stories for him. I’ve never been one to keep a diary nor have I felt the compulsion to write.
    However, by doing this, my skills have grown; I pay more attention to grammar and puctuation. I have become more descriptive and express my emotions and reactions more easily.
    It’s still a chore for me, but I actually like some of what I’ve done.

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