The Sausage Machine
Okay, you must be thinking I've gone a little bit
crazy talking about sausages when I'm supposed to be a writer and
maybe I am one sandwich short of a picnic. Yet who wants to be normal
anyway? Normal is boring. Anyway I digress, back to the sausages.
I once attended a talk given by Richard Wilkins.
He used to be a businessman who lost everything and nearly gave up.
But he turned himself around and started up
Ministry of Inspiration He bounded onto the stage
wearing a pink shirt and a yellow jacket which immediately got
everyone's attention plus a few laughs. He played up to this, saying
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and you
are all smiling.” He spoke of life, garlic and sausage machines.
At the time, the reality didn't really sink in, but it's true if you
think about it.
Poor Naomi, she really has lost the plot, you're
thinking. Hang on a minute though and I'll explain.
We are writers, new and experienced alike, but all
working to improve our art. So imagine that the writer owns a sausage
machine. We also have cupboards full of ingredients just waiting to be used
in a good recipe for a story.
Once the basis for a story is borne the outline or sausage
skin is attached to the machine. And as more ideas, characters and
situations for the story are added, the fatter the sausage will be.
(Rather appropriate a phrase with our style of writing, don't you
think?) Remember, you only put garlic in, you only get garlic out,
and the cupboards will never run out of ingredients, it's just a case
of finding the right balance for your particular sausage. Every so
often run a sausage off, taste it and you'll soon realize what's
missing from your recipe. And when you think you're totally stuck,
take a step back from the machine and rummage through your cupboards.
There might be an ingredient you'd forgotten about.
After all, you're a writer and every writer has a
sausage machine!
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