Guephren's Writing

This is the first one then, the first post I really have to work for.

I stare at the empty screen and words don't magically appear.

Surprise, surprise! Writing is something you have to work for. Drawing and painting is all I've known for the last years and a blank canvas has never been an issue for me. It's easy to go through the motions to get a painting or a drawing started. First you open your drawing program (what is it that you're trying to make? Maybe you need a vector program instead of a raster one), then you make the document (gotta think what size you'd like it), then you add a base color (one that complements your painting's subject and that won't hurt your eyes as pure white would), pick colors to sketch with (that must have enough contrast with your background color), select your favorite brushes (or maybe pick new ones to try things out), and then, finally, you're ready.

Took a while, didn't it? That's my particular process every time I start a new picture. Through every little step, no matter how small, I'm already making decisions of what I want to make and how I'd like it to look in the end. It's the perfect time to get into the mindset of drawing and when I'm done with it I'm ready to start. Even if I wasn't it's only a matter of taking a big brush and laying down some strokes to get things going.

With writing you have none of that. After you've got your writing program just how you like it there's no use in changing page sizes or playing around with colors. You open it and the great unknown is immediately there inviting you to step right in. As your finger land on the first key the dust rises and the page is no longer so barren. You hesitate. Was this first step the one you should take? There was no preparation for you to undertake before you started writing, you just crash landed in front of the vast white space and now you get to do anything you want– anything!

I need to find a starting ritual for writing.

___ January 18, 2019 #RandomThoughts #Writing