INSPIRED

by Deborah Elliott-Upton

To know is nothing at all; to imagine is everything. — Anatole France

An acquaintance is who neither a writer nor an avid reader asked me how I get inspired to write everyday.

“I don’t always,” I answered.

“But, you do write everyday, right?”

“Do you go to work everyday? Are you always inspired to do that?”

“The paycheck helps,” he said with a laugh.

“Absolutely,” I said. “But, to feel you’ve completed something at the end of the day helps, too.”

An award-winning copywriter once told me that not everything she writes is an inspired work and may not even be very good, but it is the best she can do at the time and that is a good feeling.

Not every word any writer creates is golden. Not every idea finds fruitage. Not every story written is sold, much less read by the masses. That doesn’t mean we don’t keep trying. It’s like panning for gold: gold in them thar hills doesn’t mean someone will strike it rich. It only means they might if they try.

It reminds me of the opening segments of the old “Mission Impossible” TV series: “Mr. Phelps, if you decide to accept this mission …”

The mission must be attempted and only time will tell if the stories we compose are worth someone’s time to read.

A few times, I have been surprised when someone reading this column decides one may the best I’ve written so far. I can’t always tell from this end of the computer. Sometimes, what I think will be well-received isn’t, and vice-versa. Still, I write. Every week. I’m accepting the mission. I’m attempting the mission. Even the comments aren’t a true indicator whether the column is “good” or not. A newspaper man said, “One letter to the editor is equal to 100,000 readers that agreed with the letter writer.” I would love to think each of our comments were representative of 100,000 readers. Hmm, until we’re told differently, let’s go with that. That might mean short fiction readership is also on the incline.

My idea of why people – like you and me – take the time out f our busy lives to read blogs is because we care about the subject. Media and publishing companies have been telling us for some time that the population is slowly reading less and less. That may be true, but I don’t think it’s something we can’t reverse. Are they taking into account what we are reading online?

The idea of relaxation isn’t what it used to be. Who do you know that swings in a hammock on a summer’s day on a regular basis? Who takes a walk just to walk and enjoy nature with a friend? I know plenty of power-walkers and while they are surely getting a great workout, mostly they don’t look relaxed or even very happy. The best thing I heard this week was a young father talking about reading “Treasure Island” to his sons. Reading the story — not watching the movie. While I am a major fan of movies and TV, nothing beats reading a good story to remove us from the humdrum of the workday and the fast-pace of the world. Relaxing in a completely mental arena where our imagination is scurried away to another time or place and situations we may never experience any other way can be exhilarating and freeing. I love being a pirate, a spy and a murderess – but only part-time please. I have other things to do, too.

I’m not always inspired to write, but I am always happy to read. I would hope that something I write would inspire others to want to read to themselves and also to someone else. Now that would be inspired.