While It’s Fresh
On Write Anyway, I had readers write about Christmas (or other recent holiday experiences if they didn’t celebrate Christmas) yesterday. I didn’t want them to write about ones from years past; I wanted them to write about yesterday while it was still fresh in their minds.
I was reminded of something Mr. Scribe reminds me of all the time – and is completely justified in doing so because I have a thick head sometimes – and that is the value of writing down experiences while they are fresh.
In Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott talks about she is like the crazy old cat lady except with note cards. She has stacks of them all over the place with memorable moments on them.
I have the name thing with ideas on random pieces of paper all over my desk and tucked away in various places.
What am I getting at?
The reason these ideas and memories are written down on various scraps and sheets is because they were written while the information is fresh. Perfect situations don’t always give you perfect writing conditions.
It’s good to get things written down when they are fresh, though, because time muddles memories. Will you remember the snap of twigs and brush on the mountain climb if you wait to write about it until you get home from your vacation? Will you remember how wonderful the random cool breeze felt so incredibly refreshing that you closed your eyes and savoured it each time it happened?
You might remember a few details, but probably not all of them.
Remember to write down memories when they are as fresh as possible. This will help you tap into them easier when you come back to use the experience in your writing.
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