I thought this was an interesting writing exercise and a short time ago I actually did undergo a somewhat moderately difficult health problem which led to me devising a Cure Plan and revising my normal Cure Protocols. Whereas I am not fully cured (I am only half-way through my Cure Period) I’m pretty darn close.
So this was an interesting writing exercise to me, and some of you readers may very well wish to try it for yourself.
As to the more general point about Death: as far as I am personally concerned Death is an old friend to me and has often been very good for my writings (as well as my other Work). For one thing he reminds me constantly that I am mortal and but a man, and he also reminds me that in this world at least I have far less than an infinite amount of time to accomplish everything I need to achieve before I die.
Death is a good friend to me. And an excellent impetus to Work.
By the way, we all have at best only a few years upon this Earth before we slip our mortal coil. I learned that as a kid and am shocked I have lived this long. But I’m under no illusions I am in any way special. No one is, so don’t fool yourself. Do, or do not, but either way, your time is very limited.
If you delude yourself otherwise then you do so to your immense personal disadvantage.
Wanted: Grim Reaper As Writing Coach
Jan O’Hara on Sep 15 2014 | Filed under: Health, Inspirations, Writing life
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The Grim Reaper by Trish Steel [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Last month, through pure serendipity, I stumbled across an intellectual exercise which I’d like to recommend to all my fellow writers. I believe it will be of particular benefit to those of you who a) are overwhelmed with life and yearn for a reset button b) wish to clear away the cobwebs of smugness and complacency, or c) like me, write genre fiction that others might call “quiet” or, in a cruel moment, “escapist schlock”.
The procedure is as follows: