Comments on: Writing Lessons From a Baby Seahorse

By: nicki

nicki — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 01:34:01 +0000

I'd have to whole heartily agree with everything you said...
Except feeding it everyday. This, I suspect is different for everyone, but for me, I HAVE to make a schedule so I can take care of my responsibilities. It's taken several years, but I've finally found a system so that I can take care of my home and my family and also be able to sooth the writing beast inside me.
Although I do THINK about my story daily, jot down potential ideas if they come, I don't sit behind my computer everyday, because, if I did, the rest of my life would fall apart. So I do believe that part of advice can be altered depending on the person.
But I do love that you encourage people to research and devote themselves to the art for I believe that those two things make the strongest writers.

By: Fae Rowen

Fae Rowen — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:40:53 +0000

I love writing lessons from real life, Susan. Thank you.

Your seahorses are beautiful. Have you ever been to the seahorse farm on the Big Island (Hawaii)? It's near the airport. They started the farm because wild caught seahorses have such a low survival rate in aquariums. Worth the visit!

By: marsharwest

marsharwest — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 16:39:45 +0000

Lovely post, Susan an wonderful pictures! I can't imagine taking care of sea horses they way you do. Getting attached and losing them fast? Well, not for me. At least with pups, if we're lucky we get to keep them a really long time before going through that gut searing agony of loss. Great analogy to writing. Thanks for sharing. I will.

By: LauraDrake

LauraDrake — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 09:53:08 +0000

In reply to Susan Spann. What? They live in the ocean off So Cal? How did I never know that?!

By: littlemissw

littlemissw — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 08:16:42 +0000

This is beautiful and, for me, very well timed. I'm sorry about your loss and I'm grateful for your insight.

By: debherbert2013

debherbert2013 — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 06:36:51 +0000

Your seahorses are beautiful! I didn't even know they could live in an aquarium. They sound as magical as writing! Thanks for a lovely post, Susan.

By: Susan Spann

Susan Spann — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:41:46 +0000

In reply to Brianna Soloski. Thanks Brianna - I'm really glad you liked them - both the post and the analogies.

By: Susan Spann

Susan Spann — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:41:17 +0000

In reply to Kathryn Craft. Thank you Kathryn! I'm delighted you like the photos on Facebook ,and also that you enjoyed the post!

By: Susan Spann

Susan Spann — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:40:49 +0000

In reply to Jenny Hansen. I remember that! Her death was hard, but it's the price we pay for loving creatures with short little lives but amazing things to show us. I would love to see seahorses on a reef in the wild. They lived wild under my great-grandmother's pier on Balboa Island when I was growing up, many years ago, but it's been decades since I saw them alive in the wild.

By: Susan Spann

Susan Spann — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:39:30 +0000

In reply to Holly Robinson. They do seem unusually magical, I think. And for me, writing has always been a messy endeavor, so the analogy seemed to fit like a glove. I'm so glad you liked it, too.