Thanksgiving

"To recognize that mystery, we must go down deep into ourselves, into that place where the walls of our being are layered with our own memories. Remember that, as in any pool, when we cast one pebble we will see many, many concentric circles. One memory begets another and then another, building into stories. " - Meinrad Craighead, artist

With all that Thanksgiving brings, I give thanks that it brings a moment to write, to thank, to breathe, and to live. What more is there to write? Thank you, dear readers, thank you.

The Rocking Chair

You must call up every strength you own
And you can rip off the whole facial mask.
excerpted from "After Experience Taught Me..." by W.D. Snodgrass

Usually when I clean the house, my thoughts ramble to anything but the chore I am doing. However, this week I tried to dust in a state of mindfulness. This act opened up my writer’s soul, particularly when I came to the rocking chair, an item which is actually more story than furniture.

I bought the chair in the mid-1970’s while I was a student at Syracuse. In retrospect, I don’t know where I got the money for it, because I was a typical impoverished college student.  The chair is a graceful antique rocker, made of tiger wood maple. The finish was peeling, and years later my husband refinished it, probably not in a way that held the rocker's value as a collectable.  However, its value to me is not in the chair, but in the story; I bought the chair from W.D. Snodgrass, one of the great poets of the 20th century.

Dusting the rocker, I prayed that the legacy of this writer, would tell me the words that I need to be a good writer. Lately I am dancing too much with poor confidence. This will pass, this writer's mood, but so much more quickly when I hold fast to the truth that I am not alone; not alone in writing or living.

www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/w-d-snodgrass

The Restorative Power of Others

"He who does not expect a million readers should not write a line." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

One of the anchors in my life is my writer’s group - Sierra Writers. After an evening with other writers, I feel like I can do anything, write anything.  These meetings provide fuel for my flagging writer’s soul. If you are not in a writer’s group, I hope you consider finding or forming one.

The Writer’s Body

“Writing books is the closest men ever come to childbearing.” - Norman Mailer

It’s not the writing that is hard—it’s the sitting. I am active, and sitting for hours is unhealthy and hard on my back. My hands, neck, and shoulders don’t like it either. Being a writer is a lot like training for a sport. One needs to be in top physical condition in order to make it to the finish line.  
My advice to anyone who is considering writing as a career choice is this:

• Buy the most comfortable chair you can afford.
• Take frequent breaks and include stretching.
• Make sure you get some form of daily exercise.
• Learn about ergonomics. Make sure your computer is properly placed. From time to time, switch your mouse to your non-dominant hand.
• Since you will spend a lot of time in one place, write in a place that is organized and attractive, unless this distracts you.
• Don’t answer the phone, but if you must, get a headset or Bluetooth device for your phone. Use the time to walk around and get the circulation back into your legs.