When I told Drew I thought I was struggling with writer’s block, he responded, “Good.” Gee thanks. He told me it was a good thing to struggle with, and to figure out how to conquer. I suppose he’s right.

I feel as if I’ve been searching for inspiration lately, and not finding it. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough. Or maybe it’s just not there. Some days when I’m blogging, I feel as if I’m trying to force inspiration, and that’s hard to do. It doesn’t feel so inspired when it’s forced. It just feels forced.

I’m currently reading a book off of Drew’s bookshelf entitled “How to Write.” It’s an interesting book, but sometimes hard to get through, as his writing seems like “high literature” if there is such a term. If I’m focused, I get lots out of it. If my mind wanders, I read sentences five times and often they still don’t sink in. I have managed to get some things out of it in the two and a half chapters I’ve read. I just finished the section on voice, and how choosing the correct voice for your writing is often the hardest decision a writer can make. Really? I feel like I’m still finding the story! I’m kind of aimlessly wandering in my writing, hoping I can stumble onto some sort of theme that will become my niche.

Rewinding to the first chapter of the book, he talks about how to start writing. He had a humorous story from early in his career. He asked someone how to become a writer. The man’s response was, “You apply ass to chair.” I laughed out loud at that one.

The author’s advice on how to become a writer? Write. Write something. Anything. Write a page, a paragraph, a sentence, a word. Just write. I felt encouraged by that much. I am doing that.

As I continue writing, I am discovering that not all these blogs are going to be great. Some are going to be slightly uninspired. But I am making the effort, and continuing to write, and that’s the important thing. It’s like when I pick up my digital camera and begin to shoot. I often will take twenty to thirty pictures of one thing. Are they all great? Nope. That one’s off center, that one doesn’t have a good expression on their face, this one is a little unfocused. But there will be one that is perfect. One that will be the picture I was aiming for. It’s beautiful, centered, focused, and ready to display in a frame. Getting that one perfect shot takes going through all those not so great shots to get it.

I’m finding that I write the same way. It may take several pretty average not so interesting blog posts to get that one really inspired ready to be published post.  I apologize to all my readers who have to sit through the mediocre posts. I hope it’s not like going to a friend’s house and they pull out the slides of their vacation and make you sit through them. Hopefully even in the mediocre posts, there will still be something to walk away with.