A modern translation of ancient Roman philosopher Seneca says, “If a man knows not what harbor he seeks, any wind is the right wind." More recently, George Harrison sang, “If you don’t know where you’re goin’, any road will take you there.”
Some people translate these thoughts into, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what to do. DO SOMETHING!”
A better rendition, however, would be, “Stop wandering, ya ferret! GO SOMEWHERE!”
As artists, we often answer, “No, you don’t understand. Goals are unimportant. I just want to write.”
Be assured that’s okay ... as long as you live in a refrigerator box down by the swamp and have no aspirations of your words ever being read.
However, if you want to be a “writer”—someone recognized for conducting useful endeavors, someone whose job it is to write—it is imperative to establish your direction before setting sail, to choose your destination before heading out.
Embarking on a new career, particularly writing, requires many attributes like skill and desire, fueled by patience, dedication, and perseverance. However, no amount of ability, “want-to,” or “stick-to-it-iveness” can make you successful if you have no idea where you’re going or why.
That, then, is the mission of this blog, to help establish our writing destination, to choose our most effective vehicle, to provide the fuel and endurance of the journey.
In other words, to find the right wind.
The Write Wind.
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