Last week was quite busy and I never got around to answering the question posed in The Prosperous Writer by Christina Katz. Christina asked writers to discuss if they could be both passionate and keep their wits.
I write from a passionate place and edit with my wits firmly in place. That’s the perfect marriage of passion and intellect for me. I dump all the silly, gushy, overly emotional, passionate stuff on the page first. Just get it out there. Then I go back and prepare it for readers. Sometimes I find restraint has leaked in and squashed the passion that brings sizzle to the page during my initial mind and heart dump, but that’s rare. Usually, I find gems to keep in the initial work and rework things that seem melodramatic or overly flowery.
Anyway, that’s what works for me to keep my passion for my subject and my work in check. I think we each have to find our own way to balance the passion with the message in our work.
This week, Christina talked about containment in The Prosperous Writer. The question she asked writers to examine whether their inner wealth was overflowing or run dry. First, in discussing containment she talks about filling and maintaining our well of inner wealth in order to share it. What is my take on containment? Right now I wouldn’t say my inner well is overflowing, because for me giving and taking is a part of every day. I’m learning to give when it’s appropriate and to hold back when I need to for myself. I recently blogged about leaving a listserv where I felt I gave and wasn’t appreciated leading me to feel drained. I think we all need to evaluate where we’re giving and change it if the source is draining us dry and never giving back. I’ve kept a pretty good check on what works for me to keep my writing, my life, and my inner being in balance for a couple of years now. Or, at least, I like to think I have. I can positively say I notice now when my inner bank has suffered to many withdrawals. Then I set about finding a way to fill the account again. Learning to say “no” - still a struggle at times - has helped tremendously with the balance I need for my life.
If you’re interested in Christina’s newsletter, The Prosperous Writer, visit http://christinakatz.com/.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:14 pm Okay, just let me say, for the record, I would pay good money to read anything “flowery” that you wrote, mostly because I can’t imagine it… (tee hee) Love you!