Word Recycling

Did any of you all write in high school? I did. I wrote snippets of stories, poems, rhymes, things to make people laugh. I did so much of these things that I filled little notebooks with words and doodles of words, things that I know now are called typography art (who knew?) But it’s looking back on these things that really trips me out. I think I was talented.

That sounds awful, let me try again. I am always critical of my work. I have phases. I write; I feel like I like what I’m writing is good enough to continue. I chug through it. I finish it. I think about it. I hate it. I am an idiot for writing it. Ew! awful, just awful. And repeat (always repeat).

But when I look back on my writing from high school, I like it. I really like it. I am pissy I never finished stories. I remember how proud I felt at feeling like a “real” writer, even if I just started things that went no where, even if I never showed them to anyone. And now, looking back, my only regrets are that I wish I had finished because I like now what I wrote then.

Is it a time thing? Had enough days passed (maaaany days) that what was once horrible becomes shiny and new again? Could that happen now? Is that the last part of my hideous cycle of writing—the falling in love again? Maybe, but I have decided that the least I can do is learn from this phenomenon and move on to bigger and better things.

So here’s what I’m taking away:

Save everything. All my scraps from high school are printed out or originally written on notebook paper. Why is this important? Because computers are awesome but inherently evil. Do not trust them. Sly devils.

Second gem-like knowledge: What you wrote before can be harvested for new genius. What you thought was crap before may look better or, dare I say it, good today, and you’ll want it. Maybe you can rip yourself off with finesse and tweak what was done before into something beautiful today.

What about you? Do you have evidence of your former rock-star writing? Or have you read works of your own recently that you had from long ago? Was it any good? Can you use it now? I’m interested. Let me know in the comments or drop me an email.


P.S.
Thanks for all the love from my last posts about some of my favorite blogs. I got a lot of responses both on here and through emails, and I truly (TRULY) appreciate it. Also I am more chatty on Twitter so be sure to follow me!