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From: Jim Abbott
Date: 10/21/01
Time: 11:08:19 AM
Remote Name: 166.90.232.151
For what my opinion is worth, as far as creative writing is concerned, all I can say is that when I began carrying around pen and paper, writing down my thoughts, ideas, feelings and opinions throughout the day, that's when I found myself becoming "creative." In other words, write, write, and write. Write down everything. You get a particularly inspired sounding line or a paragraph for a song or a poem in your head; write it down. Even if you can't go anywhere else with it. Write it down and keep it. Don't throw it away. In a week, a month, even a year, things might finally click and you'll know exactly what to do with it. Maybe it's only a catchy title, whatever, write it down and keep it. My hero, Bruce Springsteen, has written and recorded hundreds of songs, and has many, many more that have never been released. He also has notebooks full of lyrics, half finished songs. He doesn't throw anything away. While listening to some of his unrealesed, bootleg works, you'll hear a certain line or phrasing that eventually turned up on another song. In time, he discovered what he wanted to do with the words. Also, expand your mind, read the great poets. Listen to the great songwriters. Comtemplate about life itself. Don't take anything at face value. Always ask why. Try to look beneth the surface, and write down what it is that YOU find, not what others tell you. by the way, thanks for the idea about writting poems aimed at a younger audience. I had never thought about that. I'm gonna give it a shot.