Dear Stephen King,
The children hogged the two available Netflix channels this afternoon, so I could not get my fix of Fringe. Yes I realize I am way behind. I had not given it enough of a chance when it was airing live on the television. I tried it again a few weeks ago and now I cannot stop watching it now... except when the kids have control of Netflix.
While I was hiding away on my day off inside the house and looking for any excuse not to write my own work, I started surfing some of the other movie providers, and that is where I found a documentary on H. P. Lovecraft. I got drawn in and could not stop watching. This man was a wonderment and led a sad, exciting and expressive life. I knew about him, but I never knew his life story.
I don't really want to talk about Lovecraft himself though. I want to say something about the inspiration to go write when I watched this film. There is something to be said about seeing the success someone else has and using that excitement as fuel to get yourself writing again. I find myself tired and not really wanting to write after a long days work.When I sit down to write my own story, I will sometime only get a couple of paragraphs down before my mind is exhausted and I move to the couch in front of the TV. I should really get rid of that thing.
I am wondering what other documentaries are out there, whose biography can I look into and become inspired by. I have been inspired by the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. He has a lot of great experience that we can use in our own lives; things like his notebook stating the points he tries to avoid in his daily life. If he breaks one of the rules he set for himself, he would mark his notebook and at the end of the three month period, he would see how he was progressing by observing how many marks were in his notebook. He would wipe the notebook clean and start again.
I have also enjoyed your writing memoir, "On Writing." Even though you are giving advice about how you personally made it in the business and what you learned along the way, I find your personal success story inspiring. It makes me want to sit down and BE you. It makes me wonder, Who were the inspirations for you? Who made you want to sit your butt in the chair and keep writing?
Here's to making today memorable history for tomorrow.
Robert T Gasperson
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Writing on Holidays
Dear Stephen King,
Yesterday was the 4th of July, a national holiday that requires family fun and bar-be-Que and lots of fireworks. I found after getting home from work and having fun with the family, I did not have the time to get my butt into a seat to churn out any words. I thought about it. Are holidays supposed to be free from writing?
I have met authors who refuse to write on holidays because they want to spend their day with their family. They don't want to have a story hanging over their heads, guilt about not sitting down and writing when they are busy entertaining or playing with the kids. They want to set that time aside for their family and friends.
I have met other authors who refuse to miss a day of writing no matter what. It could be thanksgiving or Christmas, they still want to write, even if it is only a hundred words or so. If they don't write, then they feel like they have dropped the ball somewhere. They feel the fear of not picking up where they left off. If they miss one day, that day might lead to a week or a month without writing. Then their story will never get told.
What do I think? I think I should have a specified time to write on holidays. This time does not have to be long. Even if I can get on the computer and knock out 20 minutes of writing, then I feel like I have done something towards finishing my book. Usually holidays are spent sitting around either talking or sleeping or watching the kids play. There has to be a few moments that can be made to write. I try to find them early in the morning before anyone else in the house is up and moving about, this way it is already done when things start happening.
What about you Steve? Do you write on holidays?
Have a great week.
Robert T Gasperson
Yesterday was the 4th of July, a national holiday that requires family fun and bar-be-Que and lots of fireworks. I found after getting home from work and having fun with the family, I did not have the time to get my butt into a seat to churn out any words. I thought about it. Are holidays supposed to be free from writing?
I have met authors who refuse to write on holidays because they want to spend their day with their family. They don't want to have a story hanging over their heads, guilt about not sitting down and writing when they are busy entertaining or playing with the kids. They want to set that time aside for their family and friends.
I have met other authors who refuse to miss a day of writing no matter what. It could be thanksgiving or Christmas, they still want to write, even if it is only a hundred words or so. If they don't write, then they feel like they have dropped the ball somewhere. They feel the fear of not picking up where they left off. If they miss one day, that day might lead to a week or a month without writing. Then their story will never get told.
What do I think? I think I should have a specified time to write on holidays. This time does not have to be long. Even if I can get on the computer and knock out 20 minutes of writing, then I feel like I have done something towards finishing my book. Usually holidays are spent sitting around either talking or sleeping or watching the kids play. There has to be a few moments that can be made to write. I try to find them early in the morning before anyone else in the house is up and moving about, this way it is already done when things start happening.
What about you Steve? Do you write on holidays?
Have a great week.
Robert T Gasperson
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