William Power

I was talking to a dear friend of mine tonight who is tackling the task of writing her first novel. She is an avid reader and she is also very artistic in many other ways but has never written anything. The book she is writing is a YA fiction and I gotta say that I think she has a best seller on her hands. Sshhh--don`t tell anyone I said that; I`m the only friend of hers who has read the partial manuscript.  We walk together in the evening oftentimes and as we walked she said to me, "I`m stuck, I can`t quite get my plot going in this next chapter." Now, I know my friend very well and she is, as am I, a perfectionist to the 'T' and won`t cut herself a break. I asked her if it was because it wasn`t perfect enough. As we walked and I asked her that question, she stopped...put her hands on her hips--you know,like she was fixin to cuss me out--and then smiled and began walking again. She knew I had a point. My point was this: You have to re-write to get to the creative perfection you want.  I remember reading Anne Lamott`s book "Bird by Bird" and the second or third chapter is entitled "Shitty first drafts"--I know, I hope I can write that here, but that is typical Anne Lamott, if your a fan you know what I mean--and in this chapter she addresses the need for writing, re-writing, and re-writing our...

In the darkness of despair, The selfish want more than their share. You have yours but where is mine? By themselves in space and time.   A love is more than they can bear, Alone again with none to share. If only they could own the sky; Would this fill the hole inside?   Want is never satisfied. Want will keep the pain inside. Want will drive the mind insane. Want will fill a soul with pain.   Yes, selfishness and want you see, Will fill the heart and yet not be, The way to life, to be set free; Again I say, but can you see?  ...

I`m stuck in here! I cannot move or think… My feet won`t walk… I can see but it`s only me.   I can`t get out! It`s dark and cold and I can`t feel words… Pain crawls around inside… There’s nowhere to hide!   I`m trapped in here! Can anyone see what I see? Or is it just me? Everything is heavy and moving slow--can I go?   I`m chained and I can`t move! I have tried so many times to escape… Why can`t I go? Hello!!   I`m stuck in here! Trapped in thoughts that won`t stop, Trapped in a mind of my own that’s blown, Trapped in a fear that is only in here…   I really can’t get out! I can see inside but not without. I can’t feel anything you say… Hey!!   They can`t see me! I can see them--can I flee? I`m tired--someone help me! I`m stuck in here…   I will just wait cuz I know my fate, I will just close my eyes and stop, I will just curl up and cry… Do you know why?   …I`m stuck in here!!  ...

Hello fellow wielders of the pen, or key board as it were, I wanted to to take Monica Brinkman`s advice and say a few words here on the site. First off, I love the site. I think it has a great potential for authors, writers, and readers to intermingle, network, and just share things with one another. I like the feel of this site; meaning, it has a general friendliness that is not often found on the internet in other writing communities. And finally, I have been welcomed by members here--to include Monica--with open arms.  So, what about my title of "why do we write?" Well, I wanted to share my personal thoughts about those of us who choose to expose our innermost thoughts, our souls, our neurosis or personal baggage to the world; frankly, I have no damn clue why we do this *smiling*. It seems to be innate, we are born with this--this desire somehow to tell the world a story. We are consumed by it, we are obsessed with it, and in most cases we are even willing to lose it all to be read.    I started writing at a very young age. Then came the sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll *laughing*. Yes, I had a chance to go to college and pursue my dreams--but noooooo--I had to travel down some other paths in life--some of which were occupied by goats! But I digress. I eventually came back to the reality that other adults from my generation had actually made sound decisions, had families, and were responsible...