Naomi and Lynda

Hello, Naomi. We’ve never met. My name is Satori. Your mom, “Lynda, with a "y” and I work out at the same gym. One day, in the locker room, I was scribbling edits to a piece I was writing when your mom came over and asked, “Are you a teacher or a writer? I always see you writing.” I told her, "I’m a lot of things and writer is one of them." She looked at me and said, “If I had another life, I would be a writer.”

Now, Naomi, I’m the curious and straightforward type, so I asked Lynda with a "y" why she needed a whole other life to be a writer? I could see no reason, no obstacle or barrier to her writing in the life she already has. I write everywhere. I write on the elliptical machines in the gym, I write in the locker room, in my car… well I don’t write in my car, Naomi that would be dangerous. What I do is record the thoughts and ideas rushing to get out of my head into my digital recorder. I write everywhere, on napkins in a restaurant, I beg for scrap paper in Kroger’s at the cash register, I write on the palm of my hand if I have to, because you never know when the words or an idea may start to march across your mind. Be prepared for the flood of words, but sometimes you can’t capture them all. Not to worry, if they're compelling enough they'll come back to haunt you.

Write Now

Well your mom never really answered the question about why she doesn’t write right now in the life she already has. Instead her face lit up telling me about you, Naomi. Boy is she proud of you! She shared that you want to be a writer. Yes! She told me about a story you wrote when you were just a wee little girl. Was it a bird in your story, a mouse or was it a butterfly? I don’t remember exactly, but I do remember it flew all over the world. That’s what you’re able to do Naomi. You’re able to fly all over the world whenever you read or write and when you use your imagination.

Your beautiful mom, Lynda with a “y” told me you wrote your own version of the Anne Frank story. That tells me, Naomi that you’re inspired by the courage and integrity of another young girl and that you can recognize the value in these human qualities. Not only that, Naomi, it tells me you’re able to take what inspires you and tell your own story about it. That’s amazing! Do you realize how amazing that is?

Write Love

Your mom loves you, OMG! She talks about you all the time. In fact, I knew your name three whole days before I knew her name. Lynda tells me that sometimes you get frustrated with your writing when it doesn’t come out “right” the first time. Let me share something with you, my young friend. Trust me when I tell you, very few, if any, writers get it “right” the first time. There is always at least a second draft, at least. That is, if you want your writing to be satisfying. The point is to get it out of our heads the first time and then the fun really begins! We get to paint with words, we get to expand our ideas, we get to correct the misspelled words and grammatical errors, but most importantly we get to play with our ideas because now their on the page and not stuck in our heads! Capice? Google that word if you don’t already know what it means, okay. Hint: It's Italian. That’s another thing, Naomi learn as many words as possible, make up words, words are your tools and your box of colors. The more colors you have… need I say more?

Bored?

Lynda with a “y” tells me that sometimes you get “bored” with your writing. That is perfectly natural. It's expected. It’s a blessing to get bored, Naomi. Boredom means it’s time to put that piece of writing away for a day, a week, even a month and go run, jump, play or write something else. I guarantee when you come back to that boring piece of writing with fresh eyes, you’ll be surprised how it’s no longer boring to read. In other words, don’t throw your words away, keep them, you may be able to use them in another story.

Writers Write

Bottom line, Naomi, writers write. That’s what we do. We write on paper napkins, we write on walls, we write in our heads, we write messages in the sky. Why? Because our heads are too small to contain all the ideas we want to express. We write because we love it, Naomi, because we can and because we have to. Write because you like it, love it, Naomi. Write when you feel like it, write when you don’t, when you’re angry, happy, sad and joyful and even write about being bored with writing. Don’t worry about it coming out “right” or “wrong” you can always make it just the way you want to afterwards. Just get it on the page.

Write About Your Dreams

Naomi, encourage your mom to write, right now, in this life. Let her know she can live her dreams, write about them, expand the possibilities of her life. Right now. Encourage your mom, beautiful Lynda with a “y” to write her own inspiring version of the Anne Frank story and ask her to share it with you. How about you and her write a story together? When you do, I’ll proudly post it on my blog, okay?

From one writer to another, “Write, on! Right, on!”