I have resisted the temptation

My Arvonite friends would have been proud of me today, in particular Roger.  On account of resisting the temptation to press the add to basket button on my Amazon account as the also recommends button appeared, whilst ordering from my intended shopping list.

I had my fingers, or rather my wallet, badly torched in the autumn. I was ordering a couple of screenwriting books including one on philosophy, when half way through the order the little bell on Amazon's till dinged and shouted 'buy me Sucker' as it recommended a book of writing inspiration. Clearly the warehouseman who waits patiently for my orders, decided I must be in one of my low boredom threshold moods, so he wapped me with a list of recommendations that took me to places I didn't even know existed; including Indian chants for the creative soul, I resisted.  However, I ordered said book which initially promised to inject me with enthusiasm, inspiration, writing tips and insights into good writing and also promised to swell the coffers of the author; a writer of articles, reviews, short stories and two novels!  I bought it on the basis that she must know a thing or two as she pipped me by two novels on the writing hierarchy ladder.  Little did I know, I was about to be duped.

I waited with anticipation.  This was going to be the book that laid the golden egg.  In fact, when it arrived and I read the contents, it was full of famous writers' quotes.  I had spent all that fekking money to have a list of famous peoples quotes, which I could have downloaded for free from the Internet.  I shan't name the book on the grounds that I need to hang on to my depleted greenbacks, and with the reunion looming I am not prepared to defend a law suit.  I am delighted to say that the money wasn't totally wasted, as it created some degree of hilarity in a barn in Devon as the author was savagely ripped to shreds.  The main learning point of the book was 'Don't think, just write'.  Sage advice maybe, but personally I would quite like to think and write at the same time; after all I am a woman, I can multi task and get a casserole in the oven at the same time!  The hour I spent thumbing through her book, damn I have revealed the author's gender, might have been put to better use... like writing.  Note to self... just bloomin get on and write...

It is the doing that eventually turns us into writers, not the procrastination.  The law of averages means the more we produce, the more we learn about ourselves as writers and hopefully in time, the better we will become.  What is inspiration for one, may well be the Nightmare on Elm Street for another.  

For those suffering from post traumatic stress, where maybe your centre has been thrown off kilter, there is a place of peace and creative realignment called 'Heartspring' in Wales.  Not as spartan as a monastic retreat but nonetheless a spiritual retreat.  More things to take you away from writing or more opportunities to reintroduce you to your inner voice, possibly a reconnection with your own soul.