Although I have a lot to look forward to and a lot to be grateful for – a new house, someone paying me not to work (or a pension as it is also known) and the ability to see Julia all day rather than just for a rushed breakfast and an evening of preparing for the next day, I am at a low ebb in other ways.
I am, for instance, just days away from the end of several submission windows, with nothing ready and, currently, no interest in writing poetry. It’s actually worse than it sounds, because I haven’t even done my list of planned submissions for the year. I’m sure it was only about a month since I said I was going to aim higher this year. So far I have done nothing.
Contentment, it seems, takes its toll.
My Orange Parker Pen
My plan is to improve by writing more. And to write more I have to submit more, because it doesn’t count as writing unless somebody judges it. For instance – my first paragraph uncoiled as one sentence. And that sentence is 65 words. Now, it’s well known that sentences over 30 words are difficult for most people to understand, the British Government style guide specifies a 25 word maximum and many authorities on writing suggest 15-20 words as being ideal, though James Joyce, who was probably a better writer than most Civil Servants, once wrote a sentence that was 4,391 words long (I knew I had a good reason for avoiding Joyce), so it’s fair to suggest that one of the benefits of submitting writing to editors is that they will curb these tendencies (though note how J K Rowling’s books got longer as she became more successful and no editor dared tell her to cut out half the words). I think that was 113 I am a mere amateur compared to Joyce. But you probably already knew that.
I’ve been getting complacent recently – submitting pieces for the Numismatic Society Facebook page does not involve a lot of competition as there are only two of us writing the posts, and that fell to one for a while over Christmas because the other writer was ill.
Time to start testing myself, I think. The only way to improve is to get a few rejections. That will wake me up.
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I quite agree that contentment is the enemy of creative writing. I blame Mrs T entirely for my failure to build on my early success of getting a play on the radio in the late 60’s.
It is hard to think of what we may have missed, but nice to think you have been happy since the 1960s.
I have been very blessed.
🙂 As have I. And I am so sincere in this appreciation that I won’t even mention that you would have had a wonderful face for radio.
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Rejection is good for the soul
It is, and it is good to sharpen up writing skills. 🙂
You don’t get better without being rejected
Nine rejections last year, ten the year before that. Must try harder. 🙂
Thought ful
Thank you. 🙂
Are you maybe being prompted to new directions?
It could be . . ,
I have quite a full list of things to do forming in my head, and sometimes it’s good to change gear. Or admit you are lazy and only work well under pressure. 🙂
The first sentence (65 words) got me going and I thought it was an excellent start but then the 113 sentence: I didn’t realise it was one sentence so I am quite happy for you to continue exactly like you have. (41)
Thank you. I haven’t counted sentence length for years and was surprised when I started to look at my writing. However, as you say. with elegant use of a colon, if they are clear, it is OK to write them. I think the key is using short words.
There is much to be said for resting and regrouping after a long ordeal, and you and Julia have come through a lot with the move. You will find a new rhythm for writing in your new house. That said, I still expect you to publish a book of your poetry, eventually. 🙂
Thank you Lavinia, it has taken more out of us than I thought it would. Later, I think I may use the word “hiatus” in a post. 🙂