
Sometimes there is a person in one of my creative writing classes who is obviously very talented. I can bring to mind one in particular. You could sense people holding their breath as she read, and often her hands shook. The writing process opened her up. She said she had wanted to write for years. She was so excited about writing that she straight away wanted to write a book. I said to her, slow down. Just practice writing for a while. Learn what this is all about.
In Japan becoming an itamae of sushi requires years of on-the-job training and apprenticeship. After five years spent working with a master or teacher itamae, the apprentice is given his first important task, the preparation of the sushi rice.
Writing, like becoming a Sushi Chef, is a life’s work and takes a lot of practice. The process is slow, and at the start you are not sure what you are making.
Futomaki (“thick roll” – rice on inside, nori on the outside)
Uramaki (“inside-out roll” – rice on outside, nori on the inside)
Temaki (“hand roll” – cone-shaped roll)
That’s how it was for me. I thought I could jump in and write a book in 6 months. In fact, it’s taken me 20 years to write a publishable manuscript: ‘My Year With Sammy’, the story of a difficult yet sensitive child, published by Ginninderra Press last year.
So cut yourself some slack before you head off on a writing marathon.
Writing is like learning to prepare the rice for sushi: the apprenticeship is long, and in the beginning you are not sure whether a Futomaki, a Uramaki or a Temaki will be the end result.
Reblogged this on Still Another Writer's Blog and commented:
Or a Nagasaki or Hiroshima! (Bad joke, I know!) 😇
LikeLike
we all enjoy a joke. bad or good, some of us don’t care. thanks so much for reblogging my post. much appreciated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are quite the wordsmith. I like your work and a bit of wordplay. Makes the day a bit more interesting. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
so good to read that my words have made your day a bit more interesting. excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gregory Bateson might comment that adding “excellent” is a communication of different “logical type” from the rest of the message, similar to his logical categories of learning: http://www.vordenker.de/vgo/logical-categories-of-learning.pdf
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, excellent was a misplaced comment on my part. i should have written: that’s excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is OK. It helped my Idea Hamster spin a little faster and contributed indirectly to me writing this: https://stillanotherwritersblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/05/damnit-or-we-are-all-just-little-factories/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for stopping by! Today, I’m glad I found your blog. I am newbie and recently finding time for myself and my thoughts, thus trying to write. So I guess I will be a constant visitor. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
good to hear from you. i hope you enjoy my Sunday (Australian time) weekly posts. tomorrow the topic is ‘Passions’. happy blogging journey to you.
LikeLike
Thank you! Looking forward to it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Call me wind because I am ablolutesy blown away.
LikeLiked by 1 person