Time - A Writer's Greatest Strength

By Melissa - Tuesday, March 05, 2013

More accurately, time spent doing nothing. 


One of my favourite quotes, if I may - "Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted." (John Lennon)

While it may seem to the rest of the world that we (writers) are letting Time slip by without accomplishing anything (read: procrastinating), the conversations that we have going around us (instead of writing), the hours on end that we spend browsing through social networks and sites, the many moons we let slide whilst staring at images; it is not done without a thought and for no reason.

In fact, that is what we do: We look. We search. We hunt.

What is it that we look, search and hunt for? Inspiration... ONE image, word, colour, emotion; to chart the course, set in motion and soon enough, watch as that spark burst into a kaleidoscope of flames, and therein lies… What I call, a stroke of genius.

Some of my best work while I was in college (diploma) and university (degree) were done at the eleventh hour. Not because I wanted to (Alright alright, I procrastinated just a little because I wanted to have some fun before getting into the humdrum cycle), but mostly because Inspiration hadn’t made her grand entrance just yet.

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that you can't rush Inspiration.

She’s a coy one. You need to gently coax her, tease her a little, tend to her every need - all without rushing her - before she engulfs you with passion, a passion so deep that it renders you powerless and unable to do anything else (not eat, sleep or stand) until you give in to what she wants: Write, and not stop till you feel completely spent and breathless. Other times, she lingers around you like a sweet scent; dancing alluringly, waiting for you to lean in and inhale deeply, and then… She whispers in your ears, softly, bewitching you - mind, body and soul.

I can't speak for all writers, but for most that I have spoken to, the lot of us are all in the same boat regarding this. 

And, this post was inspired by this quote...



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