I don’t even know where to start today.  There are so many things I’d like to write about but I don’t want to have too many topics in one blog.  I think that weighs it down for me.  Besides, I can be verbose on one topic and if I included too many, y’all would get bored. 

First off, though, I’d like to send out my condolences to Mister Rogers’ family.  I can’t imagine a world without him in it.  I know he’s been ridiculed over the years but I think that he was truly one of the good and gentle spirits in this world and I can tell you that I loved to watch him when I was a kid.

RIP Fred Rogers

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MuSe made an important point.  Crafting can be defined as art.  I’ve seen some quilts that are absolutely amazing and are works of art.  I think, too, that crafts are often defined as “folk art.”.  It is.  It is the art of the home, the heart, the family.

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twiddle38 also made a great point, and, thusly, the main topic of today’s blog.  He said that he didn’t think he had the patience for crafting but that, perhaps, writing is like that.

I think writing is a craft.  It takes work, it takes patience, it takes practice in order to get it right.  Just like with stitching a quilt, if your lines are off, you pull them out and start over.  With writing, if something is not working, you re-write, re-write, and re-write again.  That’s why we call them drafts.  They are the practice for the “real” thing.

From what I’ve read, people seem to think that writing should come naturally.  I wonder why that is.  Does art come naturally?  Can most people pick up a paintbrush and paint a masterpiece without studying and practicing?  Can a world class runner run and win without daily practice?

Writing requires practice.  Writing requires dedication just like any other “craft.”  Yes, some people can pick up a pen (or a keyboard) and produce amazing pieces but that is rare.  Most people do have to re-write (sometimes many times over) to make it work.

We don’t give enough credit to writing as a craft.  It is important and we should cherish it more.