What I Learned From...A Whole List of Things That Impact My Writing
May 19th 2008 00:58
What Our Writing Is Made Of
Writing is a discipline that calls upon so many experiences, influences, facts, ideas, and emotions that it can be difficult to measure the effect of each of these on the literary whole. Because each of our lives, personalities, relationships, and outlooks differ so drastically, our own particular writing style, our tone, content, and insights tend quite naturally to reflect these personal values and combine to create the unique voice that is “us.”
Life Lessons Enrich Our Writing
Everyone and everything we encounter in life has a lesson in it—if we will only look for it. Sometimes that lesson will be glaringly obvious and sometimes buried a bit farther beneath the surface of our experience or our consciousness. Yet, it’s always there patiently waiting for us to discover its wisdom and apply it to our lives, increasing their richness. Only after we’ve done that can we apply that hard-won wisdom to our writing, one lesson at a time, and in that way pass it on to those for whom we write.
Some of My Own Lessons
Here are some lessons I’ve learned* during the course of my life:
School can be a place of real growth—yet not all learning happens there. Or perhaps it might be better said that “school” is everywhere.
Writing gives us the incredible privilege of speaking into the lives of other people. When our readers invite us in and attend to our words, it is we who receive the greater reward.
Children playing outside my window as I work remind me that laughter, simplicity, and chalk-pictures drawn all over the sidewalks of our lives bring a fresh, new perspective to an often inflexible grown-up world.
Television can be an insufferable distraction or a relaxing respite from overwork. At the same time, it can spark new ideas and increase knowledge. It’s up to each of us how we use it.
Recreation is an absolute necessity for a balanced life and an uninterrupted flow of inspiration. It rejuvenates us, recharges our batteries, replenishes our zeal, and renews our zest for life. Like the law of gravity, we ignore this truth to our own detriment.
Relatives shape our lives in so many ways; yet what we become is ultimately up to us. And the manner in which we use the lessons learned from our family ties determines who we will become and what we’ll have to offer those who later enter our lives.
Movies can affect us in powerful ways when artfully produced, touching our core, stirring noble emotions, and spurring us on to greater creativity. Classic movies often do this for me.
Friends help us feel better about ourselves than we think we should, building our confidence and helping us believe that we can accomplish our hearts’ desires—no matter what anyone else may think. They’re always in our corner, helping us fight the next round in the battle of life.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, colors, ages, and abilities—or disabilities. And the majority never receive the recognition they deserve. Yet, we are watching, and they profoundly affect our lives, giving us greater courage to face our own challenges and showing us that doing so is always well worth the effort.
Planes prove to us that we can do the impossible, that mankind—born without wings—can still soar high into the skies on wings powered by the science of aerodynamics, defying the laws of gravity, or by the magic of inspiration, defying the limits of mere logic.
Food of the physical, mental, and spiritual variety is necessary for health of body, mind, and spirit. Yet the single area where we seem to indulge most is the physical, though copious amounts of this type of food contribute the least of any of the three to our creativity.
Pets bring us pleasure and companionship and so often teach us the meaning of unconditional love, loyalty, and trust. Life with our pets is straightforward and uncomplicated, without the emotional complexity that so often plagues human relationships. When we bond with a beloved pet, we receive more than we give.
Trains are virtually unstoppable—as long as they remain on track. They teach us that we, too, will be unstoppable if we maintain our focus, build momentum, stay on track, and keep our eyes on the destination ahead.
Time marches incessantly forward, waiting for nothing, relentlessly passing, and quietly but powerfully leaving its mark on everything within its massive sphere of influence. It reminds us that nothing ever remains as it was, that life is dynamic, that we either grow or decay, improve or regress, move forward or backward with every passing day.
Space symbolizes freedom, the ability to move about without restraint—within as well as without. It represents our ability to break the self-imposed emotional bonds that constrain us and keep us imprisoned within their invisible yet powerful walls—and almost irresistibly beckons us to do so.
Automobiles represent convenience, mobility, “shorter” distances between people and between people and places. They narrow the gap that nature has placed in our path and help us to use the freedom of space to our greatest advantage. Our psychological “automobiles” are any of the things that minimize the relational “gaps” between people—things like understanding, respect, courtesy, love, and forgiveness.
Technology teaches us the vastness of human potential, promising not only future discoveries by the geniuses of the world for the improvement of our lives but also the virtually limitless nature of our own personal discoveries, our own as yet unrealized possibilities. It also connects us to people, products, information, and services in ways we’ve never connected before, enriching us in the process.
Mountains remind us that, though life isn’t always easy, it’s beautiful, glorious, majestic, and wholly worthwhile; and as long as we keep on climbing, we always have a chance of reaching the top.
Keep learning...climbing...and writing!
Jeanne
This post is my entry to the Middle Zone Musings What I Learned From…Mashing It Up! group writing project.
* Just to clarify: The 18 areas in which I've discussed my lessons learned were not chosen by me, but were the 18 fascinating topics Robert Hruzek dreamed up especially for this WILF mashup.
Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? Care to share any lessons you've learned along the way? We'd love to hear them!
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Comment by Brad Shorr
Comment by Joanna Young
Joanna
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
You are too kind!
Isn't it amazing, though, the things we can learn from simple (and complex) everyday things when we really look at them and give them a bit of thought? Lessons are all around us just waiting to be learned--which goes back to my first lesson: "School" is everywhere!
Thanks for stopping by to read and comment!
Jeanne
Comment by Lillie Ammann
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
That's just me, I guess! Can't pass up a challenge! Really got into this one, though! It was great focusing on each item/topic and discovering the lessons in it!
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Jeanne
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Just couldn't resist!
Looking forward to reading everyone else's entries, too--as soon as I can steal a few moments from work! I'm really missing not being able to visit as many blogs as I'd like lately, due to my busy schedule! So, please forgive my absence. It isn't that I haven't wanted to! (Haven't even been updating my own blog nearly as often as I'd like, lately!)
Thanks for dropping by!
Jeanne
Comment by dcr
I don't agree with that notion. (I was first published at 18/19.) More experience, of course, is helpful and gives you more breadth as a writer, but the most important thing is just paying attention to the things around you. Back in high school, I took a creative writing class and I remember that one of the exercises the teacher had was to stare at the wall for a couple minutes, then we had to describe what we saw. Some people would remember seeing a wall; others of us would have seen the colors of the bricks, the textures, the cracks and so on.
A lot of imagination is just seeing the things right in front of you that others miss.
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Great to see you! Glad to see that this post has brought back memories! (What a young age for first publication!)
It is so true that "experience" is all around us. We have only to closely examine the things we encounter every day to learn volumes about the world, about life, about other people, and about ourselves from a single object! I truly believe that it could take one individual years to learn what another--truly observant--person can learn in a few days or a few hours.
Your teacher was so right. It reminds me of the beginning drawing class I started in college but unfortunately had to drop, due to an over-zealous course load.
Our instructor had us just look at things, studying them to see what they looked like when viewed from different angles, etc., in preparation for drawing them as they actually appear. He placed myriad miscellaneous items on a long, low table for us to observe so we could draw the item or items of our choice.
Needless to say, everyone's drawing styles and interpretations of these objects were so different! Believe it or not, one of the drawings I was most proud of was my rendition of a dented metal garbage can. It looked so...real! What a shame that I had to drop that class!
Thanks for sharing your insights--and helping me wax nostalgic!
Jeanne
P.S. Could just be that the people you speak of who remembered seeing a wall were the "big picture" people, whereas the others were the detail-oriented folks--which could also explain some of the stylistic differences I noted in my classmates' drawings. Some consisted of bold, sweeping outlines depicting the overall shapes of objects with little detail; and others, like mine, had every line carefully and exactingly executed, with even the smallest details drawn in--the very same way I write!
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
I wish you wouldn't keep linking to keywords in your comments here at Writer's Notes. (I assume you are the same commenter who has linked to several other German keyword phrases in your comments here--comments which I've deleted because of the way you've attempted to sneak your keywords in, assuming I wouldn't understand them, because they're in German.)
If you want to advertise last minute offers on trips to Spain on your blog, that's your right. But, I'd rather you didn't advertise them on mine if you don't mind. (The same goes for mountainbikes and credit offers.)
I have nothing against you personally, but my blog isn't here to advertise your keywords.
I wouldn't even mind your very general comments--if they weren't always linked to keyword phrases. (I have to admit, though, that it's hard to believe you're being honest when you claim to like my posts, when you use this keyword-linking technique with every comment.)
Jeanne
Comment by tlcorbin
Coffee Quip
A Global Citizen
Paranormal Paranormal
Is Why
Alaska Chronicle
Sleezer's World
Raven
Comment by Mother Earth
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
So, I see you've learned something from the same things I've learned from! But, it must have been Robert who found your list, because these are the 18 topics he posted for his "What I Learned From..." (WILF) group writing project this month. You and he must be on the same wavelength.
Thanks for stopping by!
Jeanne
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
I've been so incredibly busy lately that, believe it or not, I still haven't managed to check out the other submissions yet! But, I hope to get to it as soon as my work eases up a bit. Have to get busy on a project that's due by the end of the day, but wanted to reply to your and Raven's comments first, so you wouldn't think you were being ignored.
I just know that, when I manage to check out the other entries, I'll be just as fascinated as you are by the variety of approaches! That's one thing that makes these projects so interesting--along with learning so many valuable life lessons!
Thanks so much for the visit--and the comment!
Jeanne
Comment by Mother Earth
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Thanks for stopping back by! Sorry I was unable to reply sooner. I've been busy, busy, busy!
Thanks for your understanding! Replying to comments is very important to me, which is why I've posted the "You Comment, iReply" logo in my sidebar.
I'll get around to reading those WILF posts, yet!
Take care!
Jeanne
Comment by dcr
Good point about the "big picture" notion. It'd be interesting to see what ever became of my other classmates in that writing class, and if any of them ended up in literary or journalistic careers.
It's been so long, though, I don't even remember who else was in that class with me. I used to remember all my class schedules and classmates from previous years, but after graduation, all that seems to fade away. Oddly, I can remember my sixth grade homeroom number, but none of my homeroom numbers from other years.
Comment by Yvonne Russell
What a great list! You always offer something of value here, and looking at this list, I can see where some of that inspiration comes from.
Thanks
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
It really is fascinating to notice the differences between big-picture people and more detailed types. I guess the world needs both kinds--though ideally we learn to become more balanced over time, acquiring more of the traits of our non-dominant tendency.
The human memory is an amazing thing. Its ability to discriminate between the things that are more critical to remember (or the ones that made a strong impression upon us when they occurred) and the ones that aren't critical (or didn't impress us much at the time) is what prevents brain overload. Imagine if we could remember everything. We'd probably go crazy!
It can be frustrating at times, though, when we really want to remember something and can't.
Thanks for stopping back to continue the conversation! Sorry I haven't been by dcrBlogs, lately. My writing schedule has been absolutely horrendous!
Jeanne
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
While I may be able to take credit for the lessons learned from the items on this list, I'm afraid I can't take credit for the list itself. This 18-item list was conceived by Robert Hruzek himself for his WILF project, "What I Learned From...Mashing It Up!"
So glad you've enjoyed the insights I've gleaned from the items on Robert's list, though! And really appreciate your very kind words!
As I did to Dan (dcr) in my comment above, I'd like to apologize to you for not visiting Grow Your Writing Business lately. (Really miss the Writers Cafe!) My schedule has been incredibly busy, and I just haven't had time to make the rounds!
Thanks so much for dropping by!
Jeanne
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
The ability to see the extraordinary within the ordinary is definitely helpful to the writer or other creative person! I wonder, though, whether more people couldn't acquire or develop this ability if they took the time to really observe the world around them and ponder its meaning.
Perhaps the reason the best artists do this so well is because they put the time, energy, attention, and effort into seeking what there is to be discovered in the mundane.
The world is a fascinating place and has so many lessons to teach us--if we will only look for them!
Thanks for the visit!
Jeanne