The Writer’s Life: Thinking

by Randy Murray on April 4, 2012

Thinking is hard work.

I’m not talking about the randomized stream of consciousness that some call thought. I’m talking about considered, ordered thinking.

That’s exceptionally hard to do.

Frankly, I can only do that on paper or at the keyboard.

As a writer I am practiced at making notes, but also at the art of emptying my head of ideas. Ideas and thought are different things. I get ideas all the time, but to test them, to understand them, I have to write them down. An idea might start with “A man walks into a bar,” but thought asks, “what happens next?”

And then, “Does that make sense?”

Or “Why this bar?”

Thinking on paper is a way to make sure ideas aren’t crazy, or sometimes, making sure that they’re crazy enough. Thinking on paper or on whatever I put the words on, is my way of marking my territory as a writer.

I am a lone wolf. I watch.

And I think.

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