A Writer's Notebook, Day Eight-Hundred-And--Forty

 I have been writing fewer poems for some time now, but I am feeling different about this, at least right now.  For a long time, I have aimed to keep myself busy writing poems at an increasing rate, and that has been very positive.  For one thing, it has resulted in my having a large catalog of work to pull from, and even the poems that did not come out well provided me more practice at my art.  Beyond this, I also recognize that it helped to get me to the point where I know I can always write a poem.  It is easy to sit back and wait for inspiration, but I trained myself to see writing as an action I am more in control of.  I feel good writing a lot, to be honest, and it gives me a sense that I am progressing and learning as an artist.

Right now, though, I am writing far less than in the past, and am not pushing myself to increase my output.  My focus is I on pushing the work farther, and I am doing that on a smaller scale.  It is hard, at times, to recognize the progress I am making, to know whether I am getting anywhere or just spinning my wheels, but I have recognize the direction I want to move, and that is enough to guide me, to feel I am doing the work that is necessary, even when it is at a reduced rate.

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