Writing As A Series Of Essential Connections

I seem to be waxing poetic lately---OK, maybe I'm giving myself too much credit. But after all, poetry certainly takes its full measure of meaning as seen by the eyes of the beholder. So, I'll make the claim as my own primary beholder and leave it to others to agree or disagree.

At any rate, it has struck me that writing becomes a series of essential connections as we attempt to give birth to a story in whatever form it may take. Forgive me for taking liberties with the poetic form as I remind myself that remembering that series of connections from time to time is probably a good thing to do.

If All Else Fails, Remember The Connections....
By Bill Kirk

Just the other day
I was thinking—
You know, how when you
Start to write and
A totally novel story concept
Starts to form and
You’re thinking you can finally use
That ideal main character and serpentine plot
You crafted so many years ago and
The best opening sentence ever written Pops in your head and then…?
Nothing.
And what about that
Perfectly polished manuscript
That just got rejected for the tenth time?
And what’s up with the editor
Who’s been stringing you along
For two years, asking for revisions,
Teasing you with interest until,
“This project isn’t going to work for us after all” or
The too restrictive contract or, worse,
A book far too comfortable
On book store shelves because
It just doesn’t resonate?

That’s when it struck me.
A concept won’t be formed,
A character won’t quite fit,
An opening sentence will languish,
A story won’t be written,
A manuscript won’t be accepted,
A contract won’t be signed and
A book won’t be bought
Simply, undeniably, invariably
If…
There is no connection
Between concept and story,
Characters and plot,
Author and editor,
Publisher and booksellers or
Between the book and the readers.
Any single disconnect
Is as good as a disconnect
Between them all.
But when it all hangs together,
‘Tis indeed a thing of beauty.