Day 4 - 197 -- Pulling out Thoughts

Today I spent time trying to think my way through many ideas for a writing project. More ideas than can comfortably fit into a page or word limit always present themselves. The goal is not to write a book, but something shorter that makes the point. Conciseness is key. Organization of ideas can be challenging. Some examples fit several different areas, so choosing which fit where best becomes time consuming, if not overwhelming. Something that seemed straightforward had transformed into an unwieldy multi-headed beast.

When writing, I find I often organize it all and do the early writing and reorganizing in my head.  Some projects make this more difficult. I've come to understand that this difficulty rests with a lack of clear focus for the piece. Rather than include everything, a tighter goal will help to choose the parts that fit best. Sometimes the format is dictated by the type of project. Sometimes, it is wide open. The latter creates difficulties picturing the end product -- something that can help with the organization and  hence, the writing.

When wondering how to get things from my head to somewhere for others to read and understand, a few lines of lyric ran through my head. The song, a wonderful example from the early career of a Canadian icon, delves into thoughts locked away. The singer-songwriter's voice is mesmerizing. Enjoy!

If You Could Read My Mind -- Gordon Lightfoot