Ramblings On Writing Style

Some thoughts on writing style today.

"You're a prolific writer".

Quite a few people have said this to me lately. I know they mean that my writing has a lot of depth and a profound style to it, but the actual definition of 'prolific' and how it applies to my writing I still can't quite grasp. Yeah, go ahead and look up the word 'prolific'. Except for the one that says "intellectually productive", I never thought of my writing as that, but who knows.

Dunno...maybe it's just me.

*shrug*

Anyway, this got me to thinking about writing style and finding your "voice" on paper. I spend a lot of time at the computer in my current job, so it's quite easy to be catching up on all my favorite blogs during the day. If it seems I'm at the computer 24-7, just blame it on the mobile workforce and wireless internet connections.

Some blogs I read are SO funny! The writer takes the most mundane daily events and they can spin it into the funniest post ever. Other blogs are just people posting about their day to day, as if they are carrying on a casual conversation with friends. Others still, are so out there and just full of very random ramblings. And mine? I guess my writing is pretty deep in some ways. Perhaps it isn't, and maybe the depth conveyed is really just a reflection of the style with which I write. Eloquent? Wordy? Flowing? Analytical? Relational? Maybe one, maybe two, maybe all of these things and more. I don't know.

I've always enjoyed writing, but somewhere along the way an overly practical mother discouraged the pursuit of it because it's not considered a lucrative professional track. So as good as I was at it when I was younger, winning some awards for poetry and short stories, and loving my journal time, it fell by the wayside and I pursued a more practical career path. I kept at it during my college years and now, when I look back, I should have taken that leap and pursued a writing or journalism degree. But my younger years were a bit messed up and such is life.

Through this wonderful period of gratitude I am going through, I am once again rediscovering the ease, the flow, and the joy of writing. All of my posts right now are just flowing. There's no struggle, no writers block, no real inhibitions at all and I'm loving it! There isn't even much revision or drafts going on. It's just a dump and I realized today that I *am* a good writer. And I can only imagine how much better I'd be if I kept pursuing it and learning more about it. I see a writing class in the future, maybe. It's in the back of my mind. :-)

Now that I have rediscovered my love for writing, what do I do with it? I'll have to mull over this question for a while. Any suggestions out there?

Sometimes I write and I wonder how other people are perceiving it, and it's an odd thing to know that my "blog friends" with whom I have never met, but with whom I have forged a cyber relationship with are reading this. How am I being perceived? Does it really matter what they think? Yes and no, I guess. Just like real life, you don't want to be rejected or perceived a certain way because of one facet of your persona that people see, and so I wonder. My current posts have been spiritual and reflective in nature, but in no way am I a bible thumper in real life. And the other stuff going on in my life? I guess the funny interaction with my roommate the other day didn't really feel significant enough to blog about. And so, I realized that my lighter side is not conveyed, but that's just not my writing voice.

Hmm...dunno where I was going with that train of thought, except that there's a lot going on in real life and to write in "this voice" is really what flows from within. Anything else would just not be an authentic reflection of my writing self.

I remember a friend's advice when I was getting frustrating with my fundraising goal during my half marathon training. They said, "why are you really doing it? Don't worry about the money." I guess in a way I really get that now. Nothing can ever take away the wonderful experience, and so what if I didn't meet the goal? It's not like it would financially set me back at all. What I gained (and am still gleaning) from the experience is awesome beyond words. It's lifted my spirit up in so many ways, helped put me in great physical shape, and mentally it's been rewarding to know that I had the ability to focus and commit to the event the way I did.

I'm applying this advice to my blog as well. Why am I really doing it? It's really not for you readers. I'm not posting to get comments or feedback. While I love getting comments and know people are reading it, I realize that I'm writing for the joy and pure love of it now. And so I'm not going to concern myself with the reader's perceptions.

Another awakening has happened today. A realization that the abundance in my heart can only be channeled in so many ways, and I am fortunate to have this blog be one of those outlets.

I SO look forward to recording all of these insights coming to me. I've got tons of thoughts and tons of reflections just waiting to be posted.

Love ya,
Rambling Muse