Stewing on the Writing Process

I just came from a talk given by Jane Yolen titled: "Loving the Lyric Line", at the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota. It was in the middle of the day. It was free. I could take an hour off from my studio. Why not go? She is a lovely reader of poetry, her own and others. She even sang a poem she had written to music in the third grade which shows how connected children's authors are to their childhood selves, even at seventy. When asked about her writing habits, (having published over 300 books- what is her secret?), she simply said: BIC, which stands for Butt in Chair. Beginning after tea and breakfast in the morning, she sits with her laptop and writes everyday, the stories and characters pouring forth. All of the workshops and books on writing state the same thing- Butt in chair-- meet the pen and paper everyday and they will meet you. 

But, I was recently in the company of another prolific and profound writer of poems, stories, and novels while I was in Portland and when I asked if she was working on anything, she smiled and said she did not "work" on things. In fact, she said, she rarely sat down to write on a regular basis. Mostly she just lives her life and when something arrives that needs to be written down, it pours out and that is that. Back to life. 

A friend of mine who has published many books just wrote to me and said she is stuck. Utterly stopped up and fears she may never write again. I have none of the same fears for her. I know stories will come to her-- she is a beautiful storyteller. But it all seems to be in the process. One's own. Everyone has to find their own writing process and learn to trust it. 

Since I have mostly been a translator of stories through pictures, I try on many different hats when it comes to the writing process. Sometimes for many weeks I arrive early every morning to write for three hours, then all will stop. Sometimes months go by and all I have written is a daily journal entry everyday or every scattered days. I can become quite filled with angst at this point, but I tell myself to breath and notice what I am doing or not doing. It is me learning my process. I think I am a "pour forth" kind of writer with a lot of life in-between. I think my process is like a pot on the back burner. I have cut the potatoes and dropped them in the pot. Other ideas come in the form of carrots and garlic, tomatoes and parsley. It simmers on the back burner for days, months, even years! And suddenly it is ready and pours forth. I have no idea how it will taste, but hopefully I will have pen and bowl ready to catch the waterfall! With spring springing, I have high hopes that my winter stews are almost done!