What do I know about writing?

Writing is hard work. Writing can be fun too.

Lyndon Kessler
2 min readAug 26, 2021
Brady Rogers, Unsplash.com

On the MOHS scale of mineral hardness from 1 to 10; 1 is the softest mineral, Talc (the easy stuff). To number 10 being the hardest, a Diamond (the hard stuff). The hardest thing about writing is the writing.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed”-Ernest Hemingway

The unattended consequence of writing will become easier the more you write. It will eventually become easier. But it does take time and practice to get to the level of ‘Talc Writing’.

‘Talc Writing’ is the hardest writing there is. Talc Writing is all about the dreaded “F-Word”. Feelings. The Japanese form of Haiku poetry is all about feeling. Everything that is not feeling is stripped away. Until all that is left is feeling.

Writing is a lot like fishing. Casting bait into the water to get the attention of a fish. A well presented bait gets the fish. Wiggle the bait a little bit and the fish will bite. Set the hook so the fish can’t get away. Reel the fish in. Then let the fish go. It is always fun to catch the same fish again.

Have fun writing while fishing or writing. Fishing and writing can be the same thing.

Yeah, I know the MOHS stuff was boring. That was the bait. Now it’s time to set you free. I hope to catch you again sometime.

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Lyndon Kessler

I am a Vietnam Vet, my wife and I retired to Arizona December, 2013 after a lifetime living in California. I use Apple computers since 9/11.