Friday, June 26, 2015

Stay Stoned on Your Words

Does that word "stoned" date me? Now that states are flipping the switch on legalized marijuana sales, is my word choice old? I'm not a smoker, nor do I plan on becoming one if the voting public in my current state of North Carolina decides to legalize pot, but I want to use the right terminology.

Point is, writing should make you high. If you don't find a buzz in it, give it up, baby. It won't take you where you want to go. And, frankly, where you want to go is just royal-flush nirvana, 'cause nothing else about a writer's life will make you happy.

Stay put in the smoking-room desert, the one I've been personally wandering in for a few years now. Because the publishing territory on the outskirts of your royal-flush nirvana is wild and lawless. Breath deeply of that glorious smoke, those words of yours, because when the beautiful fog lifts and you're in the territory, because you've wandered so far off in your stupor, you'll develop a crazy-ass migraine called no-one-gives-a-shit-about-your-work.

It's then you'll start writing about getting stoned when you actually don't really get stoned. But you can't feed your habit enough, and that's how you'll know you're addicted and, wow, how did that happen?

stonedonwords
Blog *not* endorsed by smokercoupons.com
Trippy cycle. Crave your story, write, get stoned, fog clears, no one gives a shit. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I've met writers who go cold turkey, set aside the ink for years, and suddenly, one day, madly crave it, and go back. I understand, but goddamn it. They should have had the strength to stay away. They went and threw sobriety away. For what? A comic essay? A memoir? A god-forsaken novella? What a freakin' shame.

What they really should stay away from is the publishing territory. Vape to your heart's content, just don't ever come down. Stay in the stoned zone. Trust me, there's nothing in the publishing territory you want. Nothing at all.




2 comments:

  1. Hi Jennifer,

    I work for the company that produces Mutual of Omaha’s Aha Moment campaign; check out www.mutualofomaha.com/aha to see what an aha moment is and the incredible stories we’ve filmed over the last several years. When I came across your website, I couldn't help but think you might have an aha moment to share.

    For the 6th year, we’re taking our 34-foot Airstream mobile film studio on the road again for the 2015 Aha Moment Tour, visiting 20 cities across America to capture inspirational, life-changing aha moments from folks all over the country. We are headed to Portland, OR on July 30th and 31st, and would love to invite you to share an aha moment, and how your life has changed since. It can be about your work, your family or other life experiences. You would just have to step into the Airstream studio for a few minutes and tell your story on film to our tour producer Jessica Henry. Your video will then be posted to www.mutualofomaha.com/aha, where you will be able to share it with your friends and family via email, Facebook and Twitter!

    On July 30th and 31st from 10am to 6pm, we will be parked at The International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, 400 SW Kingston Avenue, Portland, OR 97205. Here is a map link to the location: https://goo.gl/maps/28du7

    We’d love to have you. Please let me know as soon as possible and I can reserve your time slot.

    Many thanks!

    Olivia Lasky
    tour@ahamoment.com

    Follow the Tour:
    twitter.com/myahamoment
    facebook.com/myahamoment
    instagram.com/myahamoment
    youtube.com/myahamoment
    --
    ahamoment.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do I have an aha moment to share? I've got dozens. I'll DM you.

      Thanks for stopping by. jf

      Delete

Brave soul to make a comment. Wink.