It seems that September is well underway. After an incredibly busy week, I’m finally able to announce this month’s newsletter giveaway. I think that you will find this prize to be a bit different from the last two giveaways: a free pen with The Writer’s Scrap Bin logo.
In August, I posted an image of some business cards and a pen which I designed and had produced via Vistaprint on The Writer’s Scrap Bin Facebook page. I decided it would be appropriate to spread word of Vistaprint’s excellent work and rewarding my loyal newsletter readers at the same time by offering my readers a chance to get one of the pens for free.
By “free” I mean that my readers will not pay anything. Instead, I will pay Vistaprint full price to make the pens and have them sent to winners of the giveaway. My readers will be charged nothing and no information will be used inappropriately.
Would you like a Writer’s Scrap Bin pen produced by Vistaprint? Sign up for my newsletter, The Scrapbook, using the link provided in the blog’s menu and you will receive instructions for the giveaway in the September issue.
Want to design and buy cool pens, business cards, and other products like the ones I’ve shown you? Follow this link to Vistaprint and be sure to follow @Vistaprint on Twitter.
Have suggestions for the next monthly giveaway? Leave your thoughts in the comments or contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com.
Good day, my fellow writers! It’s Friday once again. You know, in October we’ll be having a Friday the 13th. I don’t know why people fear that day (I know historically why but it’s just a silly superstition to me). Still, I love the name for the irrational fear of Friday the 13th: triskaidekaphobia. Quite the mouthful, isn’t it?
Speaking of fear, today’s writing prompt deals with exactly that: our fears. We all have our unique fears, from things which only send a shiver down our spines to phobias which render us catatonic. Take a look at the Wikipedia list of phobias; there’s a clinical term for the fear of almost everything. I’m personally arachnophobic (very afraid of spiders), ophidiophobic (very afraid of snakes), and somewhat sociophobic. (I’m nowhere near the worst when it comes to any of these but my fears are definitely not within the normal range.)
With all of these phobias, fear seems to be a rich vein of writing material. After all, most readers love a good thriller or Gothic horror story; that’s why Poe sold out in the first place. This prompt will encourage you to mine this vein and go deep into your own psyche.
I’ve done a fear-based prompt with “A Box-Shaped Mystery” before. However, this time I want you dig deeper down beyond the superficial definition of your fear and your reaction to it; I want you look for the source of this phobia.
First, write down your worst fear. I’m not talking about any mild fear you have. What would render you beyond words and actions if you encountered it? Try and make it as close to a phobia as you get, something you know is irrational but you’re afraid of it anyway. Then take a few minutes and meditate on your fear. How do you react when you encounter it? Why do you react that way? Is there something from your past which could explain your fear, or do you not have a clue as to why you’re so scared of it? Spend about five to ten minutes jotting down answers to these questions and then walk away for a few minutes.
When you come back from your short break, look over your notes. Now, use your notes and your continued reaction to the thought of your fear to write a scene, short story, poem, short personal essay, whatever. Really dive into your emotions, tap into that fear and let it flow out of your pen/pencil/finger tips as they hit the keys. Don’t worry about any stylistic aspects or even character/plot/setting development; allow your stream of consciousness to flow onto your paper or monitor.
I know that this prompt may be difficult for people. I have a hard time tapping into things like my fears, and I imagine that others will have a hard time as well. Exploring the source of it will be even more difficult. Nevertheless, such exploration will both help us grow as people and allow us to access a new level of emotional connection in our work.
What did you discover in this exercise, either about your writing or yourself? Did you gain any insight from this prompt that you didn’t get from “A Box-Shaped Mystery”? Write anything worth sharing? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
If you search for writing advice on the Internet, a few common pieces of advice appear in almost every list. Read a lot and write a lot are two, and those are both wise and self-explanatory. Another one, however, can be debated: write what you know. You can interpret this advice in many ways, some more practical and useful than others. But, overall, should you write what you know?
On the one hand, if you write what you know, you minimize the amount of inaccuracies spotted in your work. Of course, there will always be people who try and argue with how your writing represents certain things; it’s more a matter of perspective and personal experience at that point. However, some facts–such as how long it would take to drive from Point A to Point B or where the sun rises and sets–aren’t disputable and you have to make sure your depictions are accurate. In that way, it makes sense to just write what you know.
Writers of pedestrian and other “literary” fiction would probably agree with this advice. After all, they shape the seemingly-mundane into tension and heart-wrenching emotion, and they often draw upon their own lives for authenticity. (Some may still cast characters and experiences that they don’t have first-hand knowledge of, so even that opinion isn’t guaranteed.)
Fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative fiction writers would beg to differ. None of them have been in space or fought dragons or the like, and yet many speculative fiction works are just as well-written as fiction based on personal experience. These genres prove that imagination and passion fuel writing.
What, then, should writers do? Write what we know, or write what we dream?
Many, if not most, of us can’t write interesting stories or poems straight from our lives (although they could make for interesting personal essays). Sometimes we can’t write about the compelling parts of our lives for litigious or emotional self-preservation reasons. I come from a small town in Northern California, typical backwoods, rural America where it can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. I’m bored living here, can’t imagine anyone would want to read about my experiences unless I add some imagination to it. The parts I think would interest people are either too personal or too close to libel for me to write about until I’m long gone from the area.
We can’t delve too far into imaginative journeys, though. To err is to human, and readers are hardly divine when it comes to forgiving mistakes. For that reason, we have to put research into our works as well. We shouldn’t be writing a story about an alien invasion in Russia without researching the climate and socio-political dynamics of the region first.
Most importantly, we should channel what we know into everything we write. Our individual walks through life contribute something to our writing which readers will not find in other works. No matter what we write, there’s always something we can connect to and enhance because some experiences are universal (although not experienced the same way by everybody). Emotions read the same no matter what the genre; familial relationships and friendships have similar dynamics no matter the characters’ backgrounds; we all have our unique histories, personalities, and reactions which can add depth to our characters, whether they’re on a mission to Mars or moving to a new apartment.
What do you think? Should you write what you know or what you dream? Should writers strive for a balance of the two? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Because I apparently don’t already have enough to do, I submitted two more book reviews to the OnlineBookClub.org, which were published within the past week. I can’t copy the reviews here for exclusivity reasons, but I will provided a couple sentences for each book to give you an idea about what they are as well as the links to OBC reviews. Today’s OBC reviews are for Edge of Infinity by Larry Don Garcia and Who Told You That You Were Naked? by William E. Combs.
Edge of Infinity is a first-encounter story unlike most science fiction novels. Unlike The Origin of F.O.R.C.E., which I reviewed on this blog, Edge of Infinity places the first official encounter between humans and aliens not in the past but centuries in the future. Not only does the “first encounter” not take place until the year 8515, but the typical invasion has been replaced by an invitation to join an intergalactic organization called the Order of the Enlightened. But what does membership mean for Earth? And what further alien encounters will the Order cause?
Who Told You That You Were Naked?: A Refreshing Reexamination of the Garden of Eden is, as the title states, a new look at the age-old tale of Adam and Eve’s fall from Grace and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. A book full of textual analysis and personal anecdotes, Combs’s work will appeal to Christians and those who have an intellectual curiosity for religion.
One of the books is highly cerebral and the other is highly religious, so not every reader will take to Edge of Infinity and Who Told You That Your Were Naked. Still, I suggest giving each a look if you’re curious about theories of our origins and possible interpretations of religious texts.
If you haven’t done so already, I also suggested signing up for the OnlineBookClub.org, either as a reader/reviewer or as a writer looking to have your works reviewed (you can’t review but you can still read the books in the latter case).
A writer needs to write to be a writer, right? The obvious answer is “yes” but, as I’ve pointed out in a previous post, we don’t all have endless hours each day to dedicate to writing. Unfortunately, the average writer’s life involves much more than the pursuit of word counts, and yet we encounter all of these success stories in which writers claim to produce 20+ pages each day. Who can keep up with that sort of volume? More importantly, should all writers aim that high?
I read an interesting article on this matter on the website for Author magazine. In it, James Thayer outlines different examples of successful writers, some of whom compose(d) ridiculous amounts of pages each work day, others who are/were about as slow as a tortoise, and still others who fall/fell somewhere in between. Thayer points out that Ezra Pound produced eight books and a hundred magazine articles in just six years, Stephen King writes about 2,000 words a day, and that it took J.R.R. Tolkien eleven years to write The Lord of the Rings trilogy (which, at the time, was one long book).
Clearly, every writer works at his/her own pace. But how do you decide your own pace? Slow and steady like Tolkien, frenzied and frightening like Pound, or some middle ground like King?
Image retrieved from Dreams of QaiMajIn truth, no one can solve that riddle for you. Ask a hundred writers and you’ll get a hundred different answers. Ask people who don’t write? You can forget about that right now; they aren’t familiar enough with the process and certainly aren’t familiar enough with your process to help you make a decision.
For some writers, it may be best to not set a word or page goal at all. Some people don’t operate well under pressure while others need it to thrive. If you don’t do well with pressure–think back to timed tests in compulsory school–then you shouldn’t even bother setting that sort of goal. It may sound counterproductive and lazy, but sometimes a deadline or threshold isn’t needed.
If you do work better under some pressure and want to set yourself a goal, pay attention to how quickly you write. How many words or pages can you crank out in an hour? Two? An entire afternoon? Once you’ve figured out your pace, match it with the average amount of free time you can make in your schedule each day. Your rate multiplied by that time will get you your ideal goal.
You can even change your goal depending on the day of the week or the season. New commitments pop up all the time, making it unrealistic to try and maintain a constant writing schedule 365 days a year. Most people say a consistent schedule forms a habit, which in turn makes it easier for you to ensure you write each day. We all know that life doesn’t let much go as planned, so you have to be flexible.
While swimming through the sea of word counts and deadlines, don’t lose track of why you started this process: for the love of writing. Writing, like life, is full of trial-and-error. You can’t be too upset if you don’t make your goal a few days or you don’t write that bestseller in three months. It takes a while to learn your process; I’m still learning the best methods for my writing. Be patient and, while you shouldn’t let yourself get away with too much, cut yourself some slack every now and then.
Trigger Warning: The graphic novel reviewed here contains depictions of violence, drug abuse, abusive relationships, references to rape, and the looming threat of neo-Nazism. If you have had any experience with these issues or otherwise wish to avoid such content, proceed with caution.
Today I’m reviewing another illustrated work. Unlike The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm, this book is a graphic novel composed of four comic books. The subject matter is very adult and perfectly fits the tastes of readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic stories. Namely, this review will focus on Toxic Romance: A Post-Apocalyptic Love Story, written and illustrated by Benjamin Parkour and inked by War.
2099 CE, Post-Apocalyptic Manhattan. Marcus has lived a rough life filled with toxic romances and comedy. He pops handful after handful of painkillers to dull the misery, but he doesn’t need your pity. What he needs—what he thinks he needs—is Faith, the girl he saved and lost all those years ago in high school. Little does he know, their reunion will bring back more than just bittersweet memories.
Image retrieved from Toxic Screen PlaysMarcus soon finds himself on a mission to save the young woman he loves from her forced marriage, her abusive husband, and her husband’s menacing allies, all of whom are bent on creating a genetically-superior race of humans beginning with Faith. He must team up with the Pit Bull of Manhattan, sharpen his fighting skills, and gather all the anger and blind courage in him to make it past the slew of neo-Nazis separating him from his toxic romance. But can he do it? Can Marcus save Faith? Will they escape alive? Most importantly, will Faith let herself be rescued?
Romance, action, the revival of the Nazis, and a morally-questionable Urban Messiah abound in this gripping graphic novel. No more than fourteen pages each, these comic books pack many punches in a very short span. Accompanying the brief, crisp text are gorgeous illustrations worthy of any big-scale comic book franchise.
Parkour’s work reminds me quite a bit of the Original Sins comic book series featuring the notorious John Constantine, which is my all-time favorite comic book (frankly, the only comic book series I wanted to read up until this point). Marcus is a no-bullshit drug addict with a vigilante sense of justice, the sort of character any Constantine fan would appreciate. The moral makeup of the graphic novel is not cut-and-dry, either; while Marcus and his anti-Nazi ally seem to clearly be in the right, there are no pure heroes here, only antiheroes.
Fast-paced with a compelling plot, Toxic Romance makes for a very quick read that leaves you wanting more. Parkour creates a seamless transition between past and present, although the action scenes sometimes become so jumbled that I lost track of who is saying what. Parkour releases most of the background for Marcus and Faith through dialogue, although I never felt as though exposition slowed down the story. The writer manages to slip details about the characters’ past into their conversations in natural ways, from catching up on missed time to sarcastic remarks, which is a very difficult feat for even the most seasoned veteran. Parkour put a lot of thought and creative energy not only into this world but the characters as well, and that is one of the main reasons I was so enamored with these comic books.
Image retrieved from Toxic Screen PlaysParkour also takes the reader on a rather dizzying whirlwind of events. The action scenes are so frequent and quick that I became a bit disoriented. Most of the time, this effect works in Parkour’s favor. After all, the comic books center on a post-apocalyptic world in which demented viewpoints, violence, and unexpected twists can take both the characters and the reader by surprise; it only makes sense that the reader be left as confused and frustrated as Marcus. Still, the disorientation occasionally forced me to re-read pages in order to ensure that I knew exactly what was going on.
For the most part, the illustrations and text are skillfully balanced and complement each other nicely. However, I ran into an issue with a few of the darker-colored illustrations which grew annoying after the first couple encounters. Some of the darker illustrations bleed over the text, causing some letters and even whole worlds to be all but invisible to the reader. If I stopped and focused, I would be able to make out the covered words. Nevertheless, doing so slowed down my reading a little and, as I am prone to migraine attacks and eyestrain, started to give me headaches. I love the illustrations, mind you, but I think that Parkour and the rest of the team should go back and fix those areas so that all the text can easily be read.
I also noticed a few proofreading errors such as misspellings, as I have frequently seen with small-scale publications lately. They do not detract from the overall quality of the graphic novel and do not occur often, but they are still present.
As far as comic books and short graphic novels go, Toxic Romance by Benjamin Parkour is top-notch, especially for a small-scale publication. While it is very violent and heavy on drug addiction and physical/sexual abuse, Parkour handles these subjects in a way which did not make me uncomfortable. They are crucial to the story line and character development and, although openly depicted, are not overly-explicit. I also find the neo-Nazi and Eugenics angle to be very appropriate for the current political climate in the United States (although I’m certain my conservative readers will disagree, which they are welcome to so long as they remain civil and polite). For me, socio-political commentary always enhances the value of a book, and I think that Parkour uses it very aptly in his work.
Aside from Original Sins and a graphic novelization of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight, I have never been one for comic books or graphic novels. With Toxic Romance, however, I am eager to see where the story goes and hope that Parkour and his team will continue to release issues about Marcus, Faith, and the fight against Neo-Nazism in a post-apocalyptic world.
If you would like to learn more about Parkour and his work, you can follow this link to his website. The website also has free PDF copies of each comic book in Toxic Romance, so please take the time to read them and leave your thoughts on the graphic novel in the comments below.
Do you know any books I should read? Would you like your work reviewed on this blog? Contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or look me up on Fiverr.
For this Friday Fun-Day, I’ve decided to post a more serious topic alongside the weekly writing prompt. Mainly, I want to talk about my experiences with self-employment and use my mistakes thus far as a horrible warning for those who are looking to work for themselves. Mind you, the experience has been great for me; I’m making some money, meeting new people, and getting to read some interesting books and short stories I otherwise wouldn’t have come across. Still, I’ve made enough mistakes these past 3-5 months to share nuggets of wisdom with my readers.
You can’t take self-employment lightly. Even if it’s just a side gig, there’s a lot to it: pricing, customer service, taxes, schedules, just to name a few. There are many materials across the web and in print about this subject, but none of them can fully prepare you for the reality. Some things you have to learn first-hand.
I don’t have any big “this mistake could’ve ruined my financial life and career” stories. Instead, I have a few smaller, more general pieces of advice that I think can help others looking to start self-employment:
Find the appropriate platform to promote your services. When talking about side jobs for struggling writers, I mentioned Fiverr, Freelancer.com, and Upwork. I’ve heard that more options exist, but I’ve only tried these. It took trying each one for me to realize that Fiverr is the best option for me. Because customers come to me primarily, I’ve been able to get many more orders at better prices. Fiverr is also more understanding when people make mistakes, usually removing gigs rather than users unless there’s a clear scam, trolling, or abuse. Freelancer.com never yielded any jobs; Upwork gave me one good connection, one unprofessional experience, and multiple scam attempts before I made a mistake and they deactivated my account. You can’t take my word for it, though. Fiverr works best for my freelancing efforts but that won’t be true for everyone. You just have to try each one on for size. Heck, you may find that your best option is to use as many as you can handle.
Word your gig postings appropriately. One of the biggest problems I’ve had on Fiverr has been writing the descriptions for each gig. If you’re not careful, one word or phrase can be misinterpreted as breaking a rule and be removed. Fortunately, Fiverr only removes them. Other similar sites aren’t so lenient. You must also make sure to read the site’s rules for gig postings carefully as well as the rules for any other website you may mention within the gig posting. Some don’t actually allow the service you’re offering or otherwise don’t want to be associated with certain gigs. If you’re not sure about your posting, save a draft and ask the website customer service or admin to look it over. They don’t want to spend time removing gigs any more than we want our gigs removed, so they’ll most likely not have a problem with letting you know about any issues.
Price your gigs fairly. I’m not only talking about fair prices for your customers; the prices have to work for you, too. I’ve been horrible about underselling my skills. Two different customers have suggested that I raise my prices. When your customers, without consulting each other, tell you that, you should probably listen. You can’t gouge your clients but you can’t rip yourself off, either. Your time and effort are valuable. If your skills are worth paying for, they’re worth paying a fair price.
Image retrieved from surelyjobs.com
Set a schedule. It’s so easy for your personal life to invade your work life and vice versa, even more so when you’re self-employed. Setting a schedule helps to separate these aspects a little better. The line still blurs but at least you can tell your loved ones that you have to work and then you can tell yourself that you’re off the clock with minimal guilt. I’m still working on this lesson, along with fair pricing. Modern culture, at least in the U.S., encourages people to take their work home with them and essentially become workaholics. Writers and other freelancers know this all too well, especially since we usually love our work. For our mental health, we have to force the separation. Writers often have to separate regular work from writing as well, and that’s what I’m most struggling with right now.
Remember it’s a learning process. As a perfectionist, I have a hard time accepting this fact. Self-employment is a matter of trial and error. You learn something new every day and you can’t beat yourself up for every tiny mistake. Learn from it and move on. Don’t stop the process at your own experiences, either; search out resources talking about self-employment and learn some tricks from seasoned veterans. It may seem like a lot of extra work but you’ll be glad you did it.
Writing and self-employment can be very similar. They can both take over other aspects of your life and require a lot of trial-and-error before you feel comfortable with your work. You have to remain resilient and never give up. You know what they say: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
What are your experiences with self-employment, both as a writer and in other areas? Any advice I forgot to mention? Leave your thoughts in the comments so others may benefit from your wisdom.
Hello writers! Join me in ushering in a long-awaited Friday and an even more welcomed weekend. For my American readers, it’s Labor Day weekend, another long weekend which normally calls for celebration. Instead of all the drinking and salutes to the last days of summer, might I suggest a writing prompt? Today’s prompt involves visual stimulation and a famous painting.
Yesterday I gave you my thoughts on the tightly-knit nature of writing and other forms of art. Now I want to put that relationship into action. In particular, I want to focus on writing and painting.
One of the oldest tricks in the book, as far as jump-starting one’s writing goes, is to immerse oneself in art. Usually this includes visiting a museum or something of the like. For this prompt, you only need access to your favorite painting (the Internet is a wonderful thing).
Find an image of your favorite painting. Meditate on it for about five minutes; write notes, jot down whatever thoughts come to mind. Don’t put too much conscious thought into it. Just let the painting wash over you.
After five minutes, take a short break. Five minutes, ten, whatever you want or need, so long as you remember to come back to your notes. When you come back, get the image of the painting out of your sight and focus on your notes. Using your notes as a springboard, write a scene, short story, or poem inspired by the painting.
I haven’t done this exercise in this exact form but I have written pieces based on other art forms, from a painting to a statue and even an old photograph. Here’s one from about six years ago, based on Van Gogh’s The Starry Night:
SWEET DREAMS
Each inch of sight,
a smooth stroke
painted by gentle angels,
or perhaps a mad man
with perfectionist behaviors
and a steady hand;
All blues and greens
and blacks and browns
and muted yellows;
No screaming kids
or barking dogs
or yelling teens
or roaring motorcycles,
Just silence,
not even a whisper of wind;
Neither hot
nor cold,
Perfectly warm
and perfectly cool.
If only I could remain asleep.
The Starry Night by Van Gogh, retrieved from Wallpapers Wide
As I’ve said before, I’m no poet. Nevertheless, you can see the sort of work that can come from an exercise like this.
Don’t take this prompt too seriously. Just have fun with it. That’s why these are called “Friday Fun-Day” writing prompts, after all.
What did you get from this exercise? Care to share your piece or an excerpt? Share your work and experiences in the comments below.
The Persistence of Time by Salvador Dali, retrieved from WikipediaArt feeds art; that much is true. We are inspired by our predecessors, whether to mimic success or challenge them; we compete with our contemporaries, even when the competition is friendly and playful; artists of one medium look to others when their muses refuse to speak up. It doesn’t matter if the art is painting, sculpting, dancing, filming, or, yes, writing. Creative energy flows from piece to piece, medium to medium, artist to artist.
Why do creative acts beget other creative acts?
In truth, this question is loaded. I’m sure there’s some neurological explanation for why art, even outside our mediums, stimulates our creative processes, but I’m no scientist. I’d probably understand it if I read about it, but I severely doubt I’d be able to explain it to anyone. I can only express my own thoughts and beliefs on the matter.
I think the reason art feeds art is because they’re part of the same whole and can never truly be separated.
Image retrieved from eBaum’s WorldAll art has been entwined since the beginning. Visual depictions accompany storytelling; ancient vases inspire poems; plays become books and vice versa. A picture is worth a thousand words and a master writer can paint a picture with a few words. Like a spider’s intricate web, they make a rare beauty when together; remove one thread and the pattern will unravel.
This thought makes sense and does not make sense. On the one hand, we watch visual art, acting, and writing evolve together from one era to the next. They all reflect societal changes and attitudes, and pairing one with another raises us to a new level of magic. On the other hand, they are very different forms of expression. You may be excellent at one but that does not mean you will be any good at the others (trust me, I know from experience). While some writers can draw, many can’t. Some actors can write but just as many fail horribly when they pick up a pen. And certainly not all sculptors can sing.
Again, there’s probably a neurological explanation for why an artist can master one form but not another. I like to think that we all have specific purposes assigned to us in this giant quilting bee we call art; some must sew multiple squares to complete the larger product, but most of us are given one square to perfect. In the end, it’s all entwined to make a beautifully mismatched piece which no group has done before us.
Perhaps we don’t need to know why artists are inspired by works outside their field. Perhaps we only need to know that it happens and embrace it. After all, if we are inspired by all the art surrounding us, we will never lack inspiration.
What do you think? Why does creativity beget creativity? Do you have any art outside of writing which you turn to for inspiration? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
We all hit a time in our lives–multiple times, in many cases–in which we find ourselves so busy that we suddenly feel as though we can’t do anything. At least, I’ve hit that wall several times and many of my family and friends have been there at some point, too. You know that work has to be done but the very thought of it makes you want to curl up in a ball or hide. We push through it, though. So here I am, trying to push past my anxiety long enough to get some work down without a panic attack, when a poem by Robert Frost pops into my head.
As you’ve probably figured out, I’m a moderate Frost fan. I’m not a complete fanatic but a couple of my favorite poems are by him. The poem which keeps coming into my head as I struggle to work is one of my all-time favorites: “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”.
I’ve loved that poem since I memorized it for a school project in the sixth grade. I used to be able to recite it at the drop of a hat–of course, thanks to a combination of time, technology, and mental health issues, my memory isn’t quite what it used to be, but I can still drop a couple of lines before running into any problems.
Anyway, this poem, although a bit depressing, brings me an odd sort of calm, especially when I’m stressed. That’s why I wanted to share Frost’s work here:
A popular interpretation of this poem is as a contemplation of suicide. I can certainly see the basis and evidence for this interpretation. However, for my own sanity’s sake, I take a slightly more literal and much less grim approach to Frost’s writing.
I see this poem as the grievances of an overworked individual, someone who has had so much piled onto his plate that he must struggle in order to finish the work before he can get some well-deserved rest. He sees no source for aid and it’s the darkest, loneliest part of his life; this part is one of many in which my interpretation intersects with the suicide one. The two approaches differ in that I take the allure of the woods to more being a desire to stray from the already-forged path, to break from the busy, routine life and get some rest.
Really, I look at the poem this way more out of a personal attitude than as true literary analysis. This poem reminds me that we all must pull ourselves along when we are struggling to maintain. That’s why, in these times, I prefer to see it as a need for a break rather than contemplation of suicide; for me, the latter is not an option, but I understand the emotions which Frost expresses.
Now I must return to my work, for I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.
What do you think of this poem? Do you have any works or quotes that you think about when you’re feeling stressed or down? Share your thoughts in the comments.
