The Catholic Writers Guild

By Larry Peterson

I have been posting blogs on the CWG site on the first Tuesday of the month since June of 2011. That is three and a half years ago, and 42 blogs later (or so I thought). I arrived at 42 blogs by using simple math: 12 months in a year X 3.5 years = 42. But the computer says I posted 51. I do not understand this because the “new” math has always confused me, so who am I to argue with “new” math. Heck, I was never even good at “old” math. Anyway, when I started I was supposed to write about “writing” stuff. Scanning back over the blog archives I think I did that seven times. That means that I have failed miserably at my designated assignment by ignoring it 44 times.

I have made New Year’s Resolutions my whole life. I have also failed keeping them every time. My New Year’s resolution going into 2015 was to stay on point and focus on a regimented and organized plan of action each day. No matter what, I was going to avoid Facebook and Twitter and emails until the actual work I had intended on doing (WRITING) was done for the day. Four days in to the new year and, once again, I have failed miserably at even attempting to stay disciplined, focused and on point with this New Year’s Resolution thing. Over and out.

You might ask if I have a point to this rambling, undisciplined exercise of dumping words on a page with no seeming destination for them. Well YES, I do, (I think). The point is I don’t care anymore. I am what I am, sort of like a Popeye the Sailor who does not like spinach. That’s me. I am not a writing teacher nor do I feel qualified to be one. But I am a writer because I do write, almost every day. So I will continue to write stuff in my own way.

When I am writing essays and such for my blog and other places, I usually write a bunch of stuff and when I go back to check it, it is usually all jumbled up and out of order. (You should have seen what this looked like about an hour ago.) That is when I straighten everything out, sort of like untangling those Christmas lights every year prior to stringing them on the tree and the house. For some reason they always look pretty good after you have finished.

A book is a bit more complicated. When I write a book it is akin to my building something, like a house. I have the overall idea inside my head, a beginning and a (possible) end, and a protagonist and a antagonist. All the materials for this book are loaded on a truck and dumped at a building site, which is my paper or computer screen or whatever else I am scribbling on at the moment. The truck leaves this huge pile of stuff all mixed together: plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, drywall, studs, insulation, paint, cabinets, sinks, lighting fixtures, etc. These are my thoughts and ideas. I begin to separate and slowly build. My blueprints are my notes, which are always being revised and updated. I make many changes as I go along, including changing the main structure if I feel like it. I have heard that kind of moxie is something also called “poetic license”. I can outline after the fact and synopsize after the “house” is finished.

There you have it. I do not care anymore about things that only clog me up and stifle who I am. I will write and submit and do it the BEST way I know how. You cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Well, maybe a few because this dog will listen and consider different options. I have started off the year of 2015 by actually writing a blog about writing for the CWG. Maybe next year I’ll try it again. As far as next month’s blog, who knows what that will bring. HAPPY NEW YEAR.