Mood can affect writing. There are no two-ways about it. Let me change that a little – my mood influences my writing, and while I’m thinking a bit more deeply, that’s not such a bad thing.
Nor is it a great thing sometimes.
Many writing gurus and fabulous wordsmiths recommend ‘stream of consciousness’ journalling. It’s a bit like ranting in a muddled way, but instead of verbally venting your spleen at a loved one, the dog, the motorist (in your latest version of car rage) you write it down.
Thus, the first page might contain a range of yelled comments like this:
Why are you using the brakes when you are travelling on a freeway?
Where did you get your license from ? A download site?
I’m going to Twitter your friends about your driving skills! You suck.
Seriously, I’ve never tried rambling in a journal (without a creative purpose in mind). I wonder if people have and whether they find it beneficial. I think it might be an excellent tool of release when one is in a Cow of a Moooooood?
A couple of posts back, I mentioned falling madly in love with this empathetic, slim-lined, written by Australians number, ‘Get Your Book off the Ground’ (aka, the parachute/hovercraft book) Initially, I thought I’d open the pages and it would give me a checklist of ‘how to’. Rather, it is an attractive, well-spoken, best writing friend to listen to on a rainy Grand Final afternoon.
Suzanne Male writes that journalling can help the flow of creativity – how the head can be clogged with mindless matter (my words, not Suzanne’s) from ‘to do’ lists, to a fight with a spouse to what is on the menu for dinner that evening. By sitting, freeing the hand over the blank pages of a journal, you simply write out the muck. If you are a moody cow (present company only) then you can moo all over the pages and then turn your attention to your udder writing.
I adore Suzanne Male and Anthony Santoro’s approach to writing. If I could make a Grand Final trophy and award it to them for these 130 pages of cheer, practical advice, positive, no nonsense, wank-less words - I would. They actually perform better than Geelong (that’s the team wot won the AFL Grand Final, for the beloved internationals).
They also include a chapter about ‘good luck’ and the writer. I have a real issue with the writer (painter, business person, athlete, clothes designer, film maker) who looks at the success his/her counterpart has achieved and credits it to luck. Or worse, begrudges them their dues.
AnthAnne (I love to squish names together, so the authors of this book – Anthony and Suzanne – are to be known as this for the moment: no offense intended) make this important observation:
(I’d like to quote them specifically, but I don’t want to go to Blog Prison for copyright infringement.) What would Blog Prison be like, by the way? Hmm, that’s an entry for another time, but I bet most of the inmates sit around typing into their dashboards, hold up empty coffee cups to muscly guards to refill and get jealous of what Convict 45 has put in his/her blog from the depths of Cell 13! Would they steal each others AdSense accounts, I wonder? Hmm.
Back to what AnthAnne say about luck – (I’ll paraphrase). Anthony claims that getting ‘spotted’ as the next best thing isn’t just about being in the right place at the right time. The author (or business person, athlete, garment conjurer, butcher, baker, candlestick maker) has to have persistence to have written the book (make the dress, prepare the meat) in the first place! They need to have done some work in order to get ‘there’.
Wherever ‘there’ is. Things are not handed to the writer (et al) on a silver platter.
If that makes us into Moody Cows (because it aint easy) then so be it! We need to milk the word-cow for all she’s worth, get herd, OR moooooove on. And that’s my beef for the day.
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2 Responses to Moo-sings of a Moody Cow
Twas lurverly to see you and the girlies today and then to get home and read your blog……. just to let you know, whenever you find yourself getting too moooooody, I’m always heifer ya!!! (a chrissie pressie for me????) xoxoxoxox
oh. You are a punny lady. Here, take a jersey to wear as your prize (bull)
Twas very luverly lady. I look forward to the next coupla weeks. And yes, you get a christmas present! xxxxxx