Brandt's Morning

Dorothea Brandt wrote a book called "Becoming a Writer" way back in 1920-something. Gimmie a minute while I Google. . . . Okay, I lied. 1934. The book I was thinking of published in 1920s - I stand corrected again . . . 1935 and it's Stanislovsky's "An Actor Prepares". Both books, however, have a similar goal: Get the artist to start working with or near (as it were) their subconscious.

One of the exercises in Brandt's book is to wake up in the middle of the night and write for a certain amount of time - say, 20 minutes. Along with a few other considerations (she uses exhaustion and exercise to describe the point) her concept is to get the writer to work where access to the subconscious is readily available. It works.

I believe it is argued that this is why more artist per capita (when compared to other professions) boast more drinkers - the drinking brings the writer to the brink.

But it takes such a commitment! I'm working that commitment now.

There is so much I want to do on a regular/daily basis that I can get overwhelmed with the execution. Patience and temperance and easing into the program (whatever we decide it's going to be) is essential. Have I taken on more than I can chew? Time will tell. But the last thing I want to do is feel this sort of dread because there's too much to do in one day: meditate, hygiene, eating properly (diabetic), work on new novel, edit old pieces, work at the casino, etc etc (not to mention all the things that need to get done around the house.

I wonder how others handle their own desires to chase their bliss.

Writers and Challenges

After years of contemplation and research (1993 - 1999), I realized being a writer wasn't such a bad thing. At least that's the way it seemed to me on paper. I had come to the conclusion that one of the steps to being a successful writer was community. I had had some experience in community over those years, but nothing that seemed to me to qualify as ultimately meaningful (life changing) or intimate.

Then I recognized that nearly al the GREATS had been involved with the writer tribe. Hemingway had Perkins; Plath had Hughes and others (though that ended badly), Joyce had a champion in Sylvia Beach (as did others), and so on. Enter my slow involvement around the turn of the century with writer conferences. I went to a number of them before settling down in the State of Washington and Whidbey Island.

I am currently involved with a writer's challenge with a good friend from Washington - Steve White and (in a less formal way) Maria Hartung. I also have a champion for my work who goes by the name Eliana. They have encouraged me, pushed me, and even directed me to "up my game" as it were - and for them I am grateful. I leave this post now to hit the 500 word mark of a novel I've been working on since August 1st, thanks to Steve White.

Much appreciated.