by Susan G. Haws
When we moved to our current home we had a nearly blank slate (dirt and rock) yard. Other things had higher priorities at first and the back yard had to wait. (Front yard comes after back yard.) This winter and spring we had people help us get going on the back yard and while it is a work in progress you can now see the vision of what will be.
To get this far involved a lovely landscape plan, heavy machinery, sledge hammers, jack hammers, trenches and lots of man hours. (Thank goodness for talented/skilled nephews.)
The pergolas and young trees are already providing shade. The raised garden bed (though not yet planted, has my brown thumb promising me vine ripe tomatoes.
I think I can learn about my writing projects and writing as a craft from our landscaping. Some walls require sledge hammers. and some undesirable trees have to be sawed down and the weeds have to be pulled regularly.
The heavy machinery needed to dig and level and the underground sprinkler system are like the learned writing skills of the author and the back story, work the writer must do to create a story but merely hinted in the book. The sheds, planter boxes, path and pergolas are like the plot and provide structure and flow. Where the trees and other plants are like the characters and their conflicts, and their world (the things that breathe life into a tale).
I am sure more experienced writers might come up with a better analogy. But as I look at the work in progress that is the back yard and imagine the mature shade trees, citrus fruit, grapes, roses, gardenias and garden patch with tomatoes and spinach that I expect. I have hope I can grow as a writer and express tales as I imagined them.
This is one of the ways I encourage myself. How do you encourage your writer self?
When I forget whether or not it will be published and remind myself that there ARE actually people who want to read it then I feel a renewed courage to push onward and get more done.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. Great analogy!Thanks!
ReplyDeletehugs~
It's it fantastic that we see analogies to writing a good story in practically everything we touch? Great post, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI don't have to encourage my monster-writing-self. It is always waiting to be released at just a mere suggestion.
Sometimes I re read something I've written and think hey that was pretty good keep doing it.
ReplyDeleteDebra, I am always thinking about reading or writing, and my "monster-writing-self" also always wants out. Like Terri I often like what I write and the stories I am planning,but unlike Kami I am not sure that others would want to read it. I appreciate all of you sharing how you feel about your writing, thank you.
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