Thinking and writing (part 2)

An unexpected moment

One morning I looked out the window and saw a yellow leaf, seemingly unattached yet suspended from a tree in my backyard. It spun like a spiral mobile in the slight breeze, held in place as if by magic.

I wondered how the leaf could remain connected by such a slender thread. I grabbed my phone to take a photo. I clicked, then tried a close-up, then perpendicular and horizontal shots. I imagined an artistic blur of motion, but failed, completely, to capture its gentle turns and perky twists.

What does this have to do with writing?

I consider myself to be a careful writer and finicky editor. However when I’m in a rush, I may lose the opportunity for a new angle or perspective in an article, or a case for a proposal, or even a memo to a team. A few minutes of thinking might improve my writing.

To be fair, it’s easy to miss such possibilities when we’re in a rush and focused on prescribed funder guidelines or organizational writing requirements. Perhaps those who create such formats might explore the value of thinking and creatively writing, in our own words, about things that matter to our communities and our world.

I believe we can improve our writing and increase reader interest by taking a moment to imagine how the sights and sounds around us may inspire new ideas and points of view – and fun words – that can add interest and understanding to our documents.

The leaf

In the time it took to draft this article, the pretty yellow leaf continued to twirl, sometimes slowly, sometimes in an apparent frenzy. By the time I finished, it was gone.

Then, the next morning, I received this Bliss Cartoon of the Day (highly recommended). It’s a very different take on an image of a leaf and a tree, offering more reason to stop and think about what we see and how it fits in what we write.