Writing is hard. All by itself with no bells and whistles, when it’s just your thoughts pulsing through your mind, filtered through your heart, and fighting to get out of your fingers as articulately as possible – it’s hard.
But we, we are living in the age of bells and whistles. In a day and time when being published, being read, is easier than ever – the task itself has become harder.
The responsibilities of writing have been weighed down with drudgery. Writers aren’t simply creatives anymore. We are publicists, agents, assistants, marketers, back-scratchers, promoters, tech gurus, networkers, platform-builders . . .
And it is exhausting.
We spend so much time wearing these various hats that we squeeze out any concentrated time or will for doing the real work of writing.
And for all of the “Write to God alone” and “hurry less” and “get back to the basics” keynote speeches and articles – the truth is, while that may be sound and true advice – it’s not the full picture. More is required of writers in the 21st Century. That is the reality.
There is a distinct line that is crossed from passive reader to active writer. You no longer browse your newsfeed and inbox willing to stumble upon inspiration. No, you hunt it down like a trained dog, sniffing, searching for power, for the prize. You scan looking for something new and real and raw to share, to pin, to tweet.
Facebook becomes work. Twitter becomes work. Networking, no matter how genuine and pure of heart, becomes mundane and wearying. Where we used to read slowly, drinking in the words and wisdom of our fellow sojourners, now we speed read, we scroll, we scan H2 headings and either close the article or deem it worthy enough, deep enough, to throw on the “share” pile.
We stop drinking deep. We sip. We sip from a buffet of wisdom. We acknowledge the time and expertise it takes God to mature and ripen a human’s heart by wine-tasting our way through a crate of souls. Swish. Sip. Clean the palette. Swish. Sip.
We stop gorging ourselves on the good, filling our bellies full of truth and life. We nibble. We order a plate of grace appetizers and skip the meal. We become so full on the bite-sized that we leave no room for the gourmet.
And eventually we lose our appetite all together.
So we attend conferences that remind us to connect. To refocus. To slow.
Or we don’t. Because we can’t afford fancy conferences. But we can afford Netflix. So we unplug and veg out, waiting for our muse and our appetite to return.
Or maybe that’s just me.
Oh i love this post. It’s so so true. I’m so guilty of going almost frantically through blogs, twitter feed, etc, just trying to network and read other people’s blogs and gain inspiration. Some days I just have to step back from it all and refocus.
Aprille recently posted..Beauty in the Mess… Edition 10.25.12
I would say that’s what the weekend is for but I tend to do more writing on the weekend. :)
It just depends on the weekend…I think I tend to write more during the week or in the evenings and the weekend is more for family, but not always. Just depends.
Aprille recently posted..Beauty in the Mess… Edition 10.25.12
I totally hear you on this… I have also been challenging myself to read bigger and deeper and slower rather than the snack, snack channel-hopping that I do. Haven’t managed it yet, though… :-)
tanya marlow recently posted..My troubled marriage
I used to read books. Before I had ever heard of a blog I was a voracious reader of books, reading three at all times. Now I’m so tired from the sipping and nibbling that I barely or never read books. This is not okay.
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
THAT has become necessary reminder. And like you, I m i s s books.
Let’s chase a few, yes?
Robin Dance recently posted..Perfect timing: re-discovering a word of encouragement if you’re facing a mountain
Ah, Facebook is my drug of choice when the muse seems hard to find. That’s when I need to choose to keep writing, to keep searching, to keep trying out drafts… even if they don’t turn out how I’d like.
ed cyzewski recently posted..Women in Ministry Series: The Unseen Servants Among Us
Jessica,
It would seem we are living life this way as well. Let us sip and nibble. Let us divide our interest into as many parts as possible. We should not look under rocks just at them before we turn a corner and bump into a new pursuit. Information is at our finger tips so no need to really learn anything we can look it up. We are developing our lives into Cliff Notes. A little of this before we move on to a little of that.
Instead of a journey we have side trips here and there. We need to start savoring stuff; sitting with it; looking under the rock; holding the rock; toting it around; exposing it to different light and taking its measure to know the ins and outs; to really know and not just be surface scratchers.
Let us live our journey with a longing to relish it as we go; to dive deep; to visit long; to learn how to ponder and to not chase every leaf that blows by.
I followed my friend Tanya Marlow over here. Thanks Tanya.
I am not a writer, but I experienced the exact same thing with my small handmade/vintage business. I don’t even remember the last time I did anything creative or read a book. I really don’t even have time to make the stuff I sell because I’m so busy trying to use social media as a marketing tool….that doesn’t really seem to work. It’s really kind of stupid. Sigh.
It’s not just you…thanks for writing what I have been feeling all week!…(and I have only been blogging for a few months!)…
Melissa recently posted..6 Fun Reasons to Read A Year of Biblical Womanhood:
Amen…
Mozi Esmes Mom recently posted..In His Hands: United States
We sip and nibble….and then we grow FAT because we are sitting for hours a day in front of the computer… Ask me how I know. (And I’m just a little blogger who only posts a few times a week!)
It is so hard to find a balance. I’ve limited online time then I squeeze too much into that time and miss out when I skim-read. Some days, when sunset rolls around and I realize I have spent literally four, five, six hours at the computer, I am filled with guilt that I am choosing to focus on that instead of being fully present with my kids.
All this to say, even with my small-time blog world, I understand…
Michelle ~ Blogging from the Boonies recently posted..Giveaway Winner!
not just you… I am currently doing the exact same thing (netflix) and running a bit dry in the inspiration department. Glad to see I’m not alone and to be reminded of what it is I’m really looking to devour…
karen recently posted..Mom, can I start a blog? :: 31 days of messy parenting {day 26}