Catching up to Clementine almost done. And Just Write write write.

Tomorrow I’ll post the last of the "catching up posts" to Clementine/Clemmie. Again, I’m writing a draft directly to the blog – just as I do when I am writing a novel or short story or essay…it is how I Begin. I want you all to see how you can do this. Just sit down and begin to write. Don’t worry about how it sounds. Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation – just write. I already know that within Clementine are things I’d have to fix. Maybe things with voice, some grammar, perhaps some dialect I want to take out or tweak (I only like a touch of dialect in the final product -just enough to get the idea across). As well, I’ve had POV from Clementine -both as an old woman and as a young girl, and I’ve had POV from the grandma and from the mother – whomever is talking to me then is who comes out – I’m just doing whatever comes to mind and letting it flow, letting it come without self-editing. Who knows what the finished product will be?

 

As for copyright as some of you have asked – yes, I take a risk putting my words here, but let me explain it this way. I am prolific, I write and write and write some more. I have hundreds of thousands of words contained within essays, stories, and novels in my word doc files. I have this blog where my thoughts are printed where anyone all over the world can see them if they stumble here or come on purpose, I have the "grog" GOT YOG? with three other writers, I have a website – all places where I write my words. I have links to things I’ve published on line. All these things could in essence be "stolen." And I also know, that by writing Clementine right onto my blog, that if I ever decided I wanted to write her as a novel to publish, there would be "first rights" issues or whatever and I’d not be able to publish her. But, I made the decision to write this Novel Draft Directly Onto Blog as an example to all of you who want to write and are "afraid" – by "afraid" I mean, maybe afraid to get started, maybe afraid you’ll write something "bad" or that "sounds stupid" — when it is just you and the page, who else will read it? Here, I am writing a draft, without editing, putting myself out there with all the warts and all directly onto this blog where all of you can see it, a very first rough draft, just as it comes out of me and directly onto the post — if I can do that, surely you can sit by youself with the blank screen and type away – where no one else but you and the page and the ghosts in the room will see it. If that means I "sacrifice" Clementine by having her on my blog, then that’s okay – as I said, I have so much more written and so much more I can write. I guess I’m "lucky" in that regard, that there are always words and they seem to barf out of me quickly and easily – doesn’t mean they are always perfect or even all that good, but they do appear and appear and appear — and they could for you, too, just by your sitting down and Beginning. No matter how bad it sounds to you, you must shut out those voices – if indeed you really do want to write. If it makes you happy, then who cares what goes from there? If the writing is what makes you feel whole and alive, then do not let it languish in your marrow, but pull it out of the marrow of your bones, bleed it from your veins, breathe it out of your lungs. Write.

 

Since tomorrow ends the "catching up" of Clementine to where I left off, then I will be writing new stuff soon. I’m going to attempt to keep the posts shorter, its hard when I get going, but just because I end up writing too much, I guess that doesn’t mean I can’t divide it in two. In fact, that is what I’ll do with tomorrow’s post – I’ll divide it in two short posts – one tomorrow and one Monday. Yes.

 

Thank you for all your comments and for stopping by. I know I don’t get by your places often, but I do try to blogwalk when I can. I have my new laptop now, and it is faster than the old granny laptop from before, so I noticed yesterday that visiting was much more pleasant! This will help as well.

 

All good to you all. And, again – don’t be afraid to let the words just come. Practice helps -I promise you it does. The more you write, the more confident you get (the more you read, as well – read read and read some more). The more you write, the more you find that (cliche’d but true) Voice- your own voice and style. The more you write the more you understand what you are trying to say. The more you write, the more you find out just what it is you like to write.

 

Write. Read. And visit your local Independent Bookstore! They need you.

 

Namaste.