No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money.
—Samuel Johnson… at last I understood that writing was this: an impulse to share with other people a feeling or truth that I myself had. Not to preach to them, but to give it to them if they cared to hear it. If they did not—fine. That was all right too.
—Brenda Ueland
Would I write even if I knew that no one would ever read what I wrote? Of course. I did it for years in the past and didn’t even bother to save what I wrote. Once I even wrote in a dream — I had one years ago that is still vivid. I had just been inducted into the German army (no doubt because of my time at Stanford-in-Germany) and I was getting on the bus to go to boot camp when I looked into my suitcase and nothing was there…not even a change of underwear. I briefly worried about that, then I noticed I was carrying my notebook and pen so everything was all right. I got onto the bus, sat by the window and started writing about what I saw and what I was experiencing. No matter where I was in the world, I was home as long as I had my journal.
I no longer write in a journal, now I blog instead. As of yesterday, August 13, I’ve posted something every day for five years. (I started blogging in 2007, but for the first years I posted only twice a week.) I clearly won’t be able to do that forever, and it started as an experiment for just one year, but it makes me happy, so why not? I’m quite content to be a blockhead and write for the sheer joy of it.
every single day for five whole years! congrats my Monk!!!
I think I started in 2011 or was it 2012? there were a couple years there with illness and subsequent deaths so it’s sketchy. but I couldn’t keep up that pace. and yet I’m overly talkative. so … go figure!
but I know what you mean about a journal. I also always kept one! actually they’re kind of like therapy. only cheaper. 😀
And journals are always there whenever you need them, even in the middle of the night if need be.
wow that’s impressive Monk –
I wax and wane – and now I don’t save anything – because I doubt it will ever be needed – I’ve lots of writings from previous times, on sticks (floppy disks info was transferred if possible); in books, on paper but nothing terribly official. I’ve got most of the photos but it wouldn’t worry me if they disappeared either…
What is more valuable is “me” the human being…
I do my best to save pictures and my blog posts — they come in handy at times and they don’t take much space to store.
I am sure Samuel Johnson spoke tongue-in-cheek. If you ARE a writer you’ll write. Regardless. Think of writers who wrote (in their spare time, after the day job was done) not with an eye on publication. One of my favourite examples, a writer I revere, Franz Kafka. He asked his friend, Max Brod, to destroy all manuscripts after Kafka’s death. Luckily, for us, Brod went against his friend’s wishes.
I do not wish to take away anything from you or any other blogger. However, I don’t think keeping a journal or blogging qualifies as “writing”. It’s like comparing whistling a tune to writing a symphony (or even just a simple duet). I believe most, though not all, blogging to be comparable to chatter, conversation, put down on paper. Nothing more. Sign language in the ether.
Other than that, don’t know whether it’s something to congratulate you on but I will anyway: One post a day for years most certainly shows that you are either disciplined or … I don’t know … like routine?
U
Hurray for whistling!
I love the Anais Nin journals. her writing is wonderful.
there are all kinds of writers thank goodness! just like art. water colors never carry the same monetary value as oils and yet it’s a harder medium to achieve. it requires a whole different set of skills.
maybe writing is like that. value (or beauty) is in the eye of the beholder.
Congratulations, CM! I knew you blogged a lot, but never kept count. Doing it every day for 5 years is an incredible record!
I love it — it enriches my life.
I am an unadulterated block head.
Congratulations!
I’ll join your blockhead community. I’ve always enjoyed writing even when I wasn’t very good at it. Selling articles to a magazine made me feel validated but I didn’t really care if they sold and I didn’t stop writing when I stopped submitting for publication. Now most of my writing is to give help to people figuring out how to live in an RV. I want everyone who wants to do that to be able to enjoy it. If I can give them even one tidbit that helps I am pleased to do so.
I thought I answered this a couple of days ago, but apparently it didn’t go through. Isn’t it a relief to be able to write directly to the readers rather than go through a middleman?
Wow! EVERY day for 5 years!
I could never do it everyday.
But I know you enjoy it and do it for yourself.
And it keeps you curious and open to learning news things!
Congrats!
I started blogging in 2009 and then…a year or so ago… pffff
Someday I’ll start again. Maybe soon.
I wrote to tell a story, or to just share a thought/memory or to exorcise my frustration over some current situation.
But mostly to talk about my pets and Art. LOL!
Sometimes I felt as thought I was just chattering but other times I felt as though it was much more than that.
But hey, I prefer a simple ink and watercolor over most oil paintings.
Sometimes a quick line and splash of color is all that’s needed to convey the feeling or message.
😉
xo
I do hope you start blogging again. The posts can be very short, just a picture or a few words to let us know how it’s going. I go to your Instagram account from time to time, but it’s not the same for me as blogging is. I do know you’re very busy, so ignore this if posting is too much!
I used to write for my own amusement and never showed the writing to anyone. Then I discovered blogging and found that I enjoyed the comments people made, so I switched to blogging. I’ve never kept a diary or a journal, it seems like too much of a daily slog for dubious benefits.
Actually most of the writing I did all those years was more the morning pages/keep the pen moving type. It’s powerful stuff.