33 Comments
User's avatar
Noxsoma's avatar

This was very worthy and reassuring. I write like this every day. I talk the same way. Cheers.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Glad you like it. Cheers.

The Unread Shelf's avatar

The essay isn't about writing-to-discover. It's a live demonstration of it, which is harder and more convincing than explaining the idea would have been.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Glad you liked it, man.

Odd Old News's avatar

I always liked how Allen Ginsbergs put it: “the first thought you had on your mind, the first thought you thought before you thought you should have a formal thought.” Simplified, “first thought, best thought!”Though it took me years to understand just what this meant. Or I guess I should say, my interpretation. Anyhow, me and that inner editor have had some serious throw downs over the years…ha. Well said BTW.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Thanks. I’ll have to read that Ginsberg quote a few more times, I guess.

David Bowman X Wintermute's avatar

1.0 I don't support animal abuse.

2.0 I keep a serial killer list.

Tobie Saad's avatar

Mmmmmmmmm

i like hiding's avatar

timing scary

Geoff's avatar

I love this. I often sit idle trying to dream up a subject worth writing about-and worth reading, ultimately letting a day go by without a written word. This is a good reminder to just get to work.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Glad you like it, Geoff. Sometimes you just have to do the job.

Paul J Finnegan's avatar

All work and no play makes Jake a dull boy

Paul J Finnegan's avatar

Jack

Psychedelic Literature's avatar

I'll be quoting you the next time I facilitate another creative writing workshop.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Awesome, thanks!

Courtney Johnson's avatar

Reason to write. Sorting it out. I absolutely agree.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Thanks, Courtney.

DarkAelfStudios's avatar

Ok - the title and content didn’t quite match but I am writing to thank you for the title :). We are 5 episodes in on a 10 part animation series - and your title gave me pause. So I went back and reread our initial draft, the one before a thousand rewrites. Your title was right - we had lost one of the voices that had started the whole thing off. Thanks to your title, we have rediscovered it in time. PS I liked the rest of the content underneath your title, but it demonstrated the truth of the title. Before you go to far, go look at what you had right at the start. I’d kiss you, but you’re a writer.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Ha! Glad it helped, man.

Mary Vivian Pearce's avatar

Nice article

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Thanks, Mary.

LLW's avatar

My writing process.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Awesome!👏👏

WESEA's avatar

Exactly

Meda Severin's avatar

Could it be that the charge, the culturally approved dismissiveness of idioms such as "neither here nor there" keeps us away from exploration, too? "Takeaway points", heuristics and such that have a window of usefulness, past which they can become self-defeating... Writing, as I understand it, is a transition/translation state. I enjoyed this homage to (and exercise of) trust.

Deborah W. Farris's avatar

“…Then you stop, go get some coffee or do something else, and then come back to marvel at the treasure you have found inside the cave.”

This piece is full of treasures. Thanks. And thanks also for connecting. Deb

L. E. Mullin's avatar

You're welcome, Deb. Glad you liked it.

L. E. Mullin's avatar

Could be. Glad you like it, Meda.