Only those who write or create, the scholar
and the artist; can truly understand the pain of such undertakings. I often
feel that my head is cluttered, full of words and pictures. They block my
thoughts and they distress me, until I find a release. Then and only then, can
I say that my head is empty. I seek to empty my mind, to place the words onto
paper or into a computer. The pictures I must transfer to a camera. I quite
literally feel that they are inside the camera when I shoot and shifted from my
brain. When my head is finally empty of words and pictures, then can I have
peace.
Those times when motivation is absent but not
the inspiration, are difficult. I have a need to work but I lack the will. I
can spend hours staring at a screen and achieve nothing. Writer's block is
something of a joke to those who do not write and often perceived as being
unique to the writers of fiction. Both are erroneous perceptions. It isn't
always a joke and it is certainly not unique to creators of fiction. Something
very similar is known to artists but whether it has a name, I have no idea. Yet
this phenomenon is in direct contrast to those times when I can write for hours
without a break.
My pursuits, my hobbies exist as two forms of
expression. First and most important is the writing, which can either be scholarly
or journalistic. Although there is an art to that endeavour; to writing itself,
it is not primarily an artistic pursuit. The writing of poetry as a purely
poetic expression is rare and fiction is not my forte. I have enjoyed some
modest success with regards the writing, having work appear in anthologies and magazines.
I host two independent blogs on the Internet.
The second form of expression is photography.
Originally the photography was a supplement to the writing, used as a method to
illustrate articles and reviews. This remains the primary focus but my interest
in the art of photography has grown over the years, to become a separate and
pleasurable hobby. My main areas or interest are mythological, historical and
portraiture. Although the images are in my head, I do not always have the
technical skill to achieve art to the standards I desire. I am primarily a
wordsmith and not truly an artist.
As a hobby the photography is far more
enjoyable than that of the writing. Although the final creation of a picture
can be hard work, the actual process of creation is still pleasurable. Writing
is not truly pleasurable, it is hard work. I derive a sense of achievement from
the creation of a photograph but that sense of achievement that I derive from a
finished piece of writing is far greater.
No one really enjoys writing. We enjoy the
sense of achievement when the ordeal of creation is over. Writing is not for pleasure
alone but it is a method of satiation. It is a mode of satisfaction, a
fulfilment of the need to express oneself and because of this; it is so deeply
personal that every word can cause pain. This pain cannot be experienced or
understood fully, by those who do not create. We who create stand naked and
alone, misunderstood, lost and apart from the world.
Chattering Magpie on Deviant Art
Chattering Magpie on Google Blogspot
Chattering Magpie on Wordpress
Chattering Magpie on Tumblr
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