Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A Day in the Life of a Writer—Dr. Seuss Style



Every writer has a unique process. However, there are some experiences that are intrinsic for all writers, whether you’re a plotter or pantser—whether you write about butterflies and rainbows or plagues and cancer.

This I 8 Wednesday is inspired by titles of Dr. Seuss books.

Shall we begin?

I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!
Uninspired. Winter doldrums have set in. Sunshine not expected for weeks. Ideas, where are you? Characters, come forth!

Great Day for Up
Ah ha, there you are! What, what’s that you say? Throws back covers. Oh, now you’re talking. Must make a mad dash to the computer to get all this down.

What Was I Scared Of?
Fingers fly over the keyboard faster than insect wings. The plot is alive. The characters are alive. I’m ALIVE!

Hunches in Bunches
Gut feeling strikes. I’ll add this scene here. Perhaps I should tone down the loudmouth bass character. Time to crank up this scene with some Red Bull excitement.

The Shape of Me and Other Stuff 
It’s all coming together. I’m infusing. I’m injecting. Words are raining on the page. Somehow, some way this all came from me. This mystery….this genius…and well, the other stuff.

The Big Brag
Tackled five thousand words in an hour. I’m a word wrangler, a novel hero. Move over Gillian Flynn (ha, I’m laughing at myself on this one). Step back Baldacci. Elizabeth Berg, you’ve got nothing on me (except say the Dutch definition of your name meaning mountain).

I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
It’s all so clear. The characters are lighting up the page with firework intensity. I close my eyes and the plot marches on. I can write with my eyes shut. I can brainstorm with my eyes shut. I can even read…with my eyes shut!

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think
Who was that freakshow pounding away at my keyboard and what is this drivel they’ve left behind? I’m sunk. Done in. I’ve somehow just ridden a roller coaster of epic proportions and this is all I have to show for it? Oh, me. Oh, my. But then there’s always tomorrow. I can get up and do it all again.

Your turn. Yep, there were just too many fun titles to play with so now you get to inject your addition to a day in the life of a writer—Dr. Seuss style. Pick one of these five titles and tell me how they exemplify the writer experience…Oh, the Places You’ll Go, If I Ran the Zoo, And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street, I Wish That I Had Duck Feet, or Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?

*photo by stock.XCHNG







10 comments:

  1. So creative, Wendy! Love it!

    If I Ran the Zoo...
    These characters are like animals in a zoo, clamoring to get out of my head and onto the page. Do I have the patience--and sanity--to talk to each one, see what they're all about, tell their stories with accuracy...and brilliancy?

    That's the best I've got at 7:30 in the morning. ;)

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    1. Makes me think of We Bought a Zoo--loved that movie! And yeah, my characters are animals too. Wild through and through.

      You did just fine for 7:30!

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  2. That is so spot on, especially the last one.

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    1. I've always had an affinity for the phrase spot on, so thanks for using it here and now!

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  3. Ahh, this is so fun!!! That last one--OH the Thinks You Can Think--soo been there recently. :)

    I'll pick Oh the Place You'll Go--because I truly never imagined the places (mostly figuratively) this writing dream would take me. Amazing friendships. Excitement. Prickly waiting seasons. So much newness...

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    1. Just pinned a great Seuss quote today that refers to all the places we go when we read. Is a gift to be able to read--may I never forget it!

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  4. Very creative! I really like the last one. Sometimes I'm amazed at where a story takes me.

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    1. I'll admit to times when I sit back and say out loud to myself, "Where did that come. No, seriously, where in the world did that come from?"

      Those are some of my favorite writing sessions.

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  5. if i ran the zoo - no matter what is going on in my life or how hectic it seems, doesn't matter. i can always throw up 50,000 words in two days. that's just normal talk around here! i'm the boss... :D

    cute post, new follower, hi!!

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    1. Hey Tammy, Welcome! So glad you're here!

      And I love your zoo keeping. If I were keeper I'd invite adverbs to stay and have a party with the fetching verbs. Why not, they've been put down for so long and in so many ways...don't they deserve at least one party? ;-)

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