odespinner

Today’s reflective post addresses my compulsion to write.  In a writing workshop some time ago run by a local journalist he stressed the importance of creating content. To some extent it doesn’t really matter at the outset whether it’s any good or not. Once you have it on the page, you can begin the secondary task of whipping it into shape.

Obviously, as you may have noticed, I don’t spend much time editing my blog posts. My philosophy essays are a different matter, although I probably don’t spend enough time on them to be awarded top marks. The writers I admire (like Julian Barnes, Marin Amis, David Park, Val McDermid, A.S. Byatt) most likely create multiple drafts of their work before even giving it to proofreaders, editors and loved ones to read.

Such dedicated professionalism is beyond a mere mortal like me. But I definitely have the writing bug, if not the inspired genius of those who actually get paid for their efforts.