Day 3: The Writing Process

"Pen Poised"

 

Wednesday (5/18)

 

 As I sit here, on this third full day of my artist’s retreat at Fowler, I consider the phrase that plagues most would-be phenoms: “the struggling artist.”  Being a great artist is not an easy feat- which is why there are so few of us.  People often mistakenly think that if they just work hard enough, they will reach greatness- sold on the ridiculous notion that hard work pays off.  And though it will probably fall on deaf ears(eyes)- not recognizing this astonishingly charitable act on my part- I’m going to give you a glimpse at my creative process.

 

After my morning bath(still too cold to try to shower with the hose outside), I eat a lite breakfast(one hard-boiled egg, an apple, a piece of bread with peanut butter and honey on it, a handful of pistachios and a Hershey’s miniature- Special Dark) to help feed the mind.  Exercising my focus and discipline, I wash the knife used for the peanut butter and then tidy up every single corner of the shack, replenish all the wood in the cabin and on the deck and stoke the fire before I sit down- prepared to write.

 

The weather is conducive to a long stretch of inspired writing(or another daytime nap) and with that, my juices begin to flow and the words leap from pen to page.  Time passes quickly and ten minutes later, I’ve got a complete list of all my trip’s expenses to date.  Itemized and in chronological order; it is succinct, clear and to the point- bordering on brilliant.  Riding this wave of creative genius, I pen the perfect synopsis of everything left to do to the exterior of my house back in L.A. and the guesstimated associated costs.  Of course I can’t be certain but instinctively, I feel as though something special is happening in this moment- it’s a sixth sense that we great artists have.

 

Throughout the morning, I stay hydrated with green tea, water and then multiple glasses of wine.  Constantly nourishing my mind, I graze on just about everything that I brought in the way of edible supplies.  I realize that by now, you novices are scratching your heads and asking, “How does it come so easy for him?”  The truth is, it is a God-given gift.  By late morning, I take a break from all the genius surging through my fingertips and decide to slow my pace.  After all, I only wanted to outline one book during this trip- not a whole series.

 

I would like to be able to share my full day’s writing experience with you all but as I alluded to earlier- it’s probably incomprehensible to most of you anyway.  And so, at this moment- before I get back to my very important work out here in the dunes, I leave you with a couple posed questions and one last contemplative thought to help with any half-hearted writing exercise that you might attempt:

 

“What is the story that I want to tell?” and “Who the hell cares?”

 

And finally, “Try harder or hardly try?”  A true great artist knows the answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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