Inspiring Minds Want to Know...

I've heard that writing is the loneliest profession in the world. It's a solitary experience that can rarely be shared with others. Sure, you can attend conferences with other like-minded writers. You can even collaborate with another writer on a project. But ultimately, it comes down to you and your blank page (or screen).

There are days when the words come fast and furious. There are other days when the words come at a trickle. Then there are days when you say, "Forget it. I just don't feel like writing." And if you're not a disciplined writer (and I'm not), it's easy to just push the notebook aside, close up the laptop and break out with a book, magazine, CD or watch TV. (Now, I must admit that I consider time spent reading Writer's Digest or The Writer as time spent on my writing. Which is not exactly true.)

If you ask any disciplined (published) writer how they do it, I'd bet the one thing they would all say is this: WRITE. Victoria Christopher Murray says that you have to write every day - even if it's only a word or a sentence. And I try, I really do. But then there are those days when you don't - or can't - find the words no matter how hard you try. That's usually when I say, "Forget it," and I grab a magazine or watch a movie. But sometimes, this can actually be a good thing!

I find, from time to time, that the words from another medium - a movie, a television program, a song - can really get my juices flowing. Sometimes it can be a quote that I'll come across. But often, I'll be watching a movie and there's this one line that will hit me like someone slapped me upside my head and I find myself scrambling for a piece of paper and a pen to write it down. Once I get it down, that usually pushes me to find my current project and get back to work.

Here are a few of my favorite "Get back to work!" moments:

My hubby and I were watching Finding Forrester when the ever-so-lovely Sean Connery delivered this line to his protege (played by Rob Brown): "No thinking. That comes later. You write your first draft with your heart. And you rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is to write, not to think." I had to stop the movie and rewind it about 5 times to get that one down. I also adopted it as my signature line in my emails. (Whenever I get down about my writing, I have friends who throw this back in my face. Thanks!)

The movie Music of the Heart is another inspirational favorite. Meryl Streep makes you believe that anyone can do anything they set their mind to. She pushes children into believing in themselves even when others make fun of them or tell them they can't do it. Plus, the concert at the end is simply wonderful.

There's a line in Notting Hill that always makes me swoon: "I'm just a girl... standing in front of a boy... asking him to love her." It might sound corny, but when you think about it (especially in the context of the film), there is so much depth and passion. I always want my writing to be written simply but with that kind of depth and passion.

Aaron Sorkin is a writing genius. He wrote A Few Good Men and created one of my all-time favorite shows, The West Wing. The first season was arguably the most brilliant, as in the episode "The Crackpots and These Women." There were two wonderful monologues that did me in. The first was uttered by the delightful Bradley Whitford (as Josh Lyman): "I want to be a comfort to my friends in tragedy and I want to be able to celebrate with them in triumph. And for all the times in between, I just want to be able to look them in the eye. I want to be with my friends, my family, and these women." Then there's the closing speech by the brilliant Martin Sheen (as President Bartlet): "What'll be the next thing that challenges us... that makes us work harder and go farther? You know, when smallpox was eradicated, it was considered the single greatest humanitarian achievement of this century. Surely, we can do it again. As we did in the time when our eyes looked toward the heavens, and with outstretched fingers, we touched the face of God." I had to remind myself to breathe after it was over. (Yes, a lot of it had to do with delivery, but you can deliver if there's nothing there in the first place.)

Finally (but it's definitely not the last), there's a song by Kurt Carr entitled, No One Else. Like no other song it definitely reminds me why I'm doing what I do:

No one else can preach your sermon.
No one else can sing your song.
No one else can do what God has chosen you to do.
Your gift was given from above;
A blessing from the Father's love.
So use your gift to the glory of God.

I hope you're inspired to do what you've been called to do. I know I am.

In Him,
Donna

P.S. Feel free to share some of your inspirations!