BW Gibson

Publishing

The Engagement Diary

I would be remiss if I didn’t catch you all up on some of the conversations I’ve been having with fellow writers and poets. The predominant topic of conversation has constellated around expressionism and the subjective aberration of emotions in order to spark moods and/or ideas. I believe documenting these sparks in a journal is the key to engaging your mind with the creative writing process. To render a subsequent cache of the current mind’s fleeting stream of thoughts, phrases and original ideas is worth its weight in gold. There are certain excerpts from my Extra Innings books that were scribbled down in my journal long before they ever appeared on the pages of The Diamond Thieves, Race of the Gemini or A Hero Among Thieves. Likewise, I’ll do the same with my next novel: Sheldon’s Falls.

Where I have found the most value in this practice of documenting original ideas is in my songwriting and poetry. Thoughts, phrases and ideas may spark from conversations with friends, images seen throughout some of my travels, or perhaps while I’m on a casual walk, etc. In fact, I get most of my ideas while sitting on a plane or at an airport waiting for a plane – but that’s just me.

The concept of the “engagement diary” exists when you find a particular idea or emotion that truly captures your attention above the rest. This is typically one involving a broader scope and, therefore, begs for more development. Once documented in their journal, the writer and/or poet should then leave additional space so when they have time to revisit this particular idea they can continue writing more. This is exactly the practice that fostered my initial developments of The Extra Innings Trilogy. I began with concept of identical twins; including what they looked like, personality traits, hobbies, emotional struggles (considering they were facing puberty), etc and developed the story’s plot(s) from there. In order to do so, I really needed to get engaged with concept of these characters, revisiting them day after day and, in the end, these journal notes made formulating the story much less governed and restricted by in the moment calculations and head-scratching writer’s block as many writers I’ve spoken with find to be their primary struggle.

As oxymoronic as this may sound, writing should feel like an engaged freedom. The writer should feel comprehensively involved in the telling of the story while, at the same time, experiencing a sense of liberty with their prose. Having this journaled inventory of thoughts, phrases and ideas has certainly helped to furnish this sense of liberty and engagement in my writing, for whenever I get stuck in a writer’s rut and don’t how how to proceed, I have a backlog of original ideas to revisit to help get things moving again. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

May 20, 2015 by Brian

Publishing

Discovering Your Creative Self

Over the past few years I’ve studied a handful of experienced writers: Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Washington Irving, Zora Neale Hurston and Laura Ingalls Wilder. My area of focus was pros particularly their exceptionally creative prose. To me, prose demonstrates the strength of the author to effectively bring forth their imagination into narrative. One of my favorites is Washington Irving’s way of describing the coming of autumn in New York State with the following from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: “The small birds were taking their farewell banquets.” This is beautifully and creatively written and you can actually picture it in your head. Here’s a great line from Wilder’s “The Long Winter” that really depicts what the families in that community endured during that historically severe winter of 1880-1881 in South Dakota: “The cold and the dark had come again. The nails in the roof were white with frost, the windowpanes were gray. Scraping a peephole only showed the blank, whirling whiteness against the other side of the glass. The stout house quivered and shook; the wind roared and howled.” Nicholas Sparks produced a great imagery in this particular line from The Lucky One: “A few magnolias were scattered here and there and made the sidewalks swell beneath their building roots.” I can totally picture this sidewalk which helps me relate to better to the story being told via Sparks’s effective imagery. And last, my favorite first line of all: “Marley was dead, to begin with.” – Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol. What a striking way to begin a story! I love it! These great authors have all inspired me to do one thing: Discover my Creative Self. I’ll be blogging more about ways to find inspiration in your every day encounters and events and how to bring those inspirations to life in the form of prose.

March 12, 2015 by Brian

Publishing

Tip 1: The Key to Creative Writing

Creative Writing is one of the most fulfilling elements in my life. The objective of my blog is to connect with writers and poets in a way that encourages and inspires them to take your creative thoughts and inspirations to the next level. Taking your writing to the next level can sometimes be a real challenge. It’s known as writer’s block and fear is its commanding officer. I, myself, often struggle with writer’s block, sometimes even within the first sentence of a new project. Although it’s common do not allow the frustration of these moments to trap you into feeling like a victim. Rise above the victimization. Step away from the computer or piece of paper. Take a deep breath and refocus your thoughts on what inspired you in the first place. When it’s all said and done you will produce a piece of work you can feel proud of.

My efforts to encourage and inspire you will be delivered via tips and ideas – they are by no means a set of rules because when rules are introduced into creative writing and/or poetry then your writing turns into a restrained effort driven by conscious principles. The minute this occurs your writing should be laid to rest.

Tip 1:

Let your creativity flow free with the mysterious meandering of your mind. Capturing the tone of your mind’s images and emotions are the key to creative writing.

January 19, 2015 by Brian

Publishing

Winter Poem from Extra Innings: A Hero Among Thieves

Here’s one of the poems Billy (a main character from my “Extra Innings” trilogy) wrote while he was stationed with the USAF in South Korea (during the Korean War/Korean Conflict: February 1953). I thought it was relevant considering the frigid winter weather we’ve been having here in Northeast Ohio (single digits).

“Beautiful Waste”

When twilight comes in winter

A dreamland of blue is cast by the pale moon’s light.

Across the shimmering valley of silver

Silhouetted trees are at peace in the quilted hills of white.

Like childhood’s cozy bedtime

Nothing stirs and all is quiet.

So I pray “Oh night, live long and bear no fruit that breaks the dawn

For when there’s sun this all becomes a stage for men to die.”

January 8, 2015 by Brian

Publishing

“Windsong” Poem & Lyrics by B.W. Gibson

The last few days of my senior year in college I did considerable amount of reflecting over the previous four years. I had some great times at SSU and UMASS Amherst and made some wonderful friends, most of which I am blessed to still be in close touch with today. During that period of reflecting I wrote the following poem which, soon after, I put to melody. It’s called “Windsong.” I particularly enjoy singing the chorus lyrics because I truly think they sum up a person’s feelings about good memories.

I hope these lyrics inspire you to reflect on the good memories of your past and encourage you to reach out and connect again with old friends.

“WINDSONG”

Verse 1

So this turning point of ours has reached its mile … leading out into the next.

What if our circumstances hadn’t been the right … place and time … would we still be friends today?

Verse 2

Treasured thoughts and memories will provide me … with the oils to paint your pictures.

I’ll hang them on my wall and take a look … when I need your smile … to lift me up again.

CHORUS:

I wish someone had told me … (just) how quickly time can fly.

Rarely do we notice … what we finally realize … and I hope it was all worth every minute.

Verse 3

I’ll keep our crazy sense of humor on my mind (yeah)