Poem
Poem
Prose
Poem
Prose
Prose
Me an Author?
By Leonard Metz, Army
Writing Type: Prose
Are you nuts? I don’t have much formal education, and sometimes I can’t even think straight. How am I supposed to write about something that other people would want to read?
Have you heard it said, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step?” Try to keep that in mind when you start to put your thoughts into words and your words on paper. Once you have done that, you have started to write. Don’t set a goal of so many words, or even worry about how your words will sound when put together. As you write, more thoughts will come to you. Sometimes, before you realize it, you have a good start.
Before I start to write anything, I like to let my thoughts wander. Perhaps I’m walking or relaxing in my recliner and enjoying “easy listening” music, when hopefully, I’ll get some ideas. Then I write my thoughts out in longhand, type them and make changes as I type.
I may let them “set” for a couple of days before I retype them, sometimes three or four times, before my wife reads my work and suggests using a different word or phrase, here or there.
If your handwriting is hard to read and your words on paper don’t make much sense, don’t worry about it! With practice, your handwriting will improve. Soon, putting your thoughts into words and your words on paper will get easier.
Can’t write because your hands or fingers won’t work? Or your eyesight is blurry and fading fast? Sometimes it’s necessary to admit we need help. Maybe a heartfelt talk with our God above is enough to give us some assistance. You may think you “know” that it won’t work for you, so why even try? Let’s just say, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
Perhaps there is someone you can talk to and ask for help. If someone helps you, whether you improve or not, let them know you appreciate what they did for you. Sometimes, helping you is therapy for them.