The Writing Process

For anyone who writes and actually thinks about it, there is a very personal process that is travelled . . .

As many of my close friends and perhaps not so close acquaintances are aware, I have been asked [and accepted] the task of writing a book about the history of the Kansas School for the Deaf. This was well over a year ago, and I am finally at a point of actually putting pencil to paper.

This is not to say that the writing process didn't start many months ago, because it really did. Too often, there are those who think if you don't see the tangible proof of the 'fruits of labor' nothing has happened. I have personally found that the start of the process happens in the churnings inside my head. This can go on for a very long time. The trick is to know when it's gone on long enough and recognize that the ideas are ready to 'be birthed'.

It's exciting to be at that point, because often you can't write fast enough to get the ideas committed to paper. I do know that this is not going to be a matter of a few weeks or months, but at least two solid years of research and writing before sending material off to a yet-to-be-discovered publisher.

What's reassuring to me, is the task is very personal and very fulfilling - so whether anyone is interested in reading the book when I'm finished is not the point. Some of us write for others and some of us write for ourselves. This has a bit of both, perhaps, but I do recognize that it's going to be a journey and labor of love for me.

Being connected . . .

It's amazing how many avenues for "connection" are available to any person with access to a computer. I'm finding that the time a person can spend in front of the screen is a bit daunting at best.

I've recently joined LinkedIn and Facebook: one for business connections, the other for fun [much to the chagrin of the younger generation!].

Like anything else, if you're going to make it worth your while to become part of "an organizaation" it takes responsibility to keep up-to-date and active with what's happening. A person gets very little out of something by just sitting on the sidelines watching.

Hence the challenge to check on the status of the groups. I still belong to three service organizations . . . though I'm finding it challenging to attend meetings on a regular basis - time and gas, both. It makes me wonder about the groups a person joins online and if this is just a fad or another option, or is this the movement of the future . . .

Personally, I'm more comfortable with face-to-face, but there is something about being able to tell your side without interruption [and sometimes, no comments because you've been so tardy with entries, like this one!]

So, hello to anyone who might still be checking my blog! I do plan to keep it going, if for no other reason than it gives me an outlet for writing!