Writing Priorities - What comes First?

Credited to E Langford 

Writing for the first of each month, I guess it was highly likely at some stage I’d reference the classic puzzle, ‘What comes first, the chicken or the egg?’ The phrase could be translated for writers as what comes first, the fully formed entity or the embryonic idea. It follows on from my recent posts that have asked what comes first in driving your writing, such as the desire to write or the desire for success.

In these posts I mentioned that I wrote myself a ‘commission’ when I was exploring freelance writing in 2002, and this has driven me to revisit it. The original document dedicated my writing to God in response to the exciting opportunities that opened up before me. The commission offered these gifts back to God while also acting as a check and balance as I considered what to say in the public domain. Although the principles are still true, when I read the document, I felt it wasn’t right for where I am now.

As I did so, the puzzle above came to mind, but in the form, ‘What should come first, the writing or the commission?’ Previously people approached me to write on their behalf and I had good contacts with local media. Although I am still writing, it’s not consistent and definitely lacking focus. Despite setting up social media groups and blogs to publicise my writing, I’ve been very hesitant to put things out there. That’s partly due to the lack of feedback but also a lack of confidence. Therefore, I felt a new commission needed to be an encouragement to write from within my experience and emotions to discover that elusive unique voice as a poet and reflective writer. I also wanted to reflect the unheard experience of others as well as provide some light-hearted content to raise a smile.

This conclusion answers a slightly rephrased version of the queries posed, as ‘What comes first the passion or opportunity?’ There’s a well-known comment that to making the most of any opportunity is down to 20% inspiration and 80% perspiration. Having a plan and an encouragement is great, but I really need to get on with it. 

Credited to E Langford

I find it much easier to write poems when inspired by a word or phrase and the effort to reshape that first draft never seems as hard than when I ‘try’ work with a random topic. One such example, in a timely reference to the first of November, I was once triggered to write a poem about All Saints’ Day. All day I had seen social media posts from friends and family sharing their children’s Halloween exploits and costumes. Praying about how to avoid responding with grumpy replies, a poem formed instead, provided below. While not perfect it encouraged people to replicate the positive actions of ‘Saints’ rather than the gruesome celebration of evil.

The inspiration/perspiration split implies that the inspiration comes first. Where it comes from is important. ‘Inspire’ can translate as ‘breath’, linking to the author's voice, mentioned earlier, but also as ‘spirit’ or ‘of God’. If ‘perspiration’ also links to my input, it is a challenge to consider how much of my writing is prompted by God or by my own desire.

How do you decide what comes first in your writing, do you have a distinct voice and how does God inspire you?

 All Saints Day

Greetings on All Saints Day
following All Hallows Eve,
when evil tries to say
follow me and don't believe
that good will have its way.

Be kind and helpful today
be light and bright and brave
Be the shoulder for another's dismay
and drive darkness to its grave.
Let goodness and mercy play.

©Elaine Langford Nov 2018 [edit 2023]

 

Elaine Langford is a sporadic writer, between long periods of thinking about eggs and chickens. She is getting closer to adding posts to her Wordpress blogs,“Faith Thinking”, and “Poetry Puddles”, and on behalf of her rescue cat. Acting on inspiration or re-writing a new commission is challenged by an energy-limiting condition, a confusing neurodivergent mix of dyslexia, ADHD and Autism, and trying not to be too grumpy or spend too long working out how to use Excel to create an image for a blog.