Kaizen, Improv, and Writing

Now that I have had ample time to recover the strength and dexterity in the hand I broke last month, I am feeling back in a writing frame again, and thought it would be best to just jump right in with some subjects that might not make any sense together. First and foremost, we will talk about the ancient Japanese art of kaizen. (Full disclosure: it's not an ancient art.)

From Japanese, kaizen translates into virtuous change, but might be more commonly known in business circles as the practice of continuous improvement. The corporate world applied kaizen vigorously once it realizes how well it worked for Japanese businesses, and it became the norm for every business community - the constant, non-stop drive to improve a situation. While this has been applied in many different ways in Wall Street, my use of this is a little more mundane. I have the belief that if today can end with things better than they were when I woke up, then I have done well. Therefore, my goal to do well in life should be to make sure that the world is better at 10 p.m. than it was at 6 a.m. in some special way. Maybe it's because I finished my spring cleaning, or because I put in some time helping my community, or just made a few people happy - whatever the case is, by applying kaizen, things improve.

Of course, this leading into improv might sound like improv is shorthand for improvement. Nope, just a coincidence. Improv is improvisation, and in this case, improvisational comedy. I took a big old step forward and went to my first improv class yesterday. It was a variety of people, and I'm pretty sure they all had much more experience than I did. However, it wasn't a contest, it was a class, and I was there to learn. Therefore, I gladly embraced my role as least-experienced performer in the room, and I learned things. I performed. I made a fool of myself voluntarily. I did some things wrong, I did some things right. I laughed, I learned, and had a great time. And when I walked away for the evening, my creative mind tumbled about with wild, fantastical thoughts about all the possible things improv could do. And in my back pocket, I now knew that I was a little closer to developing some capacity to use such tools. I got home better than I was when I left. Kaizen.

The natural landing point for all of this is, of course, how this applies to writing. No, it might not seem like a natural fit, but it very much is. Anything we do to flex our creative muscles will invariably show up in our writing, even if we don't write a word. If we learn a little game that gets us out of our self-conscious space and into a more open, creative state of mind, our writing flows that much more freely. If we watch people completely immerse themselves in a character or an idea, it can inspire us to emulate what those people do and start living in a space other than our own. If we can see the wild amounts of creativity all around us and bring even a piece of that into ourselves, we're the better for it.

Ultimately, it's all about that Japanese business practice of kaizen, but targeted toward just being a more open, creative, accepting individual. The more we practice this, the more we can create and give to the world as our gift of writing. And yes, in the long-run, things do improve. 

Kaizen - look it up, then live it out.     

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, it's true. Today I turn another year older. There's no big bonus for my new age - it's not a milestone age like turning 21 or 30 or 50 - so no big thing there. I don't even think I gain any bonus senior discounts. However, while I do gain tons of adoration from my many friends, there's one thing I always give myself time for on my birthday. It is a great time to do a little self-inventory, and a part of that for me as a writer is to look over everything I have written (in a broader sense). This type of recognition is strictly for my own personal satisfaction; to see how many miles I put under my shoes as a writer. I don't compare them year-to-year to see if I am slowing down or speeding up. As a writer (and as a person in general), the only important part is moving forward.

So, what are my tallies as a writer for the past 366 days? Well, I attended 63 workshops in one form or another - that works out to a little more than one a week, mostly in the evening, about 120 hours of writing practice and inspiration. If you look at that kind of activity over the past 15 years of workshopping (I've done it for longer than that, but 15 keeps the math simple), that's 1,800 hours of workshopping - discussions, dissections, challenging and being challenged by other writers, listening to some great works and some that I discovered weren't all that great, and the occasional drinks afterward, pizza-related gatherings, and so forth. If you want to be a writer, chalking up the workshop hours is important.

I have written 71 short stories of wildly varying quality since my last birthday, and it is no small feat to do so. Some were assignments of barely 300 words, the largest about twenty pages. Most are first drafts; ideas that just needed to be put somewhere other than my brain. Some are psychological purges, others just playful romps. However, they all carry their own value and they've made a difference on my adventure as a writer. I have reached that point where someone can bring up a weird idea or concept, and I will immediately think about how it can become a story. A thought recently (like three minutes ago) bounced into my head - "The Last Lighthouse on Earth" - and now I want to throw down some ideas for just what would make that a great little story, character sketch, or whatever.

I've taken on a few editing projects and helped fellow authors get published since last February, which I secretly love. A part of it is that I find a quiet thrill when the author pays for my editing with an envelope stuffed with cash. However, I really get the most enjoyment from putting some polishing on someone else's work. It gives me a chance to see it up close, study its little details, and borrow some of those concepts to hone my own craft. (After all, all writers are scavengers.) In that regard, it's not work, it's a soothing meditation about getting writing just perfect.

And lastly, I have written 77 blog posts since the last birthday popped up. Full confession: I do this in part for myself. Don't get me wrong - I have fans who love my writing and they are a big reason why I write, but they're not the only reason. As I have mentioned before, everything I write is a part of building up my writing process, exercising my writing muscles, and exploring a little deeper into the chaotic, crazed mind of my inner creativity to pull out the occasional nugget of sanity. You just get the luxury (or burden) of reading it.

So, I am another year older, a little bit wiser, and my keyboard is a little more beaten up (yes, I wear out keyboards). And looking back on the past year, I can honestly say that I don't have any real writing-related regrets. The only one that might count is recently breaking my hand, but only because it really stomped on the quality of my typing for the past few weeks.

Anyway - Happy Birthday to Me! (And it's National Random Acts of Kindness Day, so there's that too.)       

A Sonnet For My Love (of writing)

For Valentine's Day, I can think of no better theme than something along the lines of poetry - particularly, the sonnet. As far as writing goes, no form of poem is quite as intertwined with romance as the sonnet. Sure, limericks are fun and to the point, haiku have a beautiful simplicity, and sometimes a simple, "Roses are red..." poem is enough to make the point. However, when it comes to showing one's romantic interest without coming off too obsessive, the sonnet hits that sweet spot to win over someone's heart. And when it comes to sonnets, nobody could drop a rhyme quite like William Shakespeare.

Now, before we get into W.S. and his involvement with the sonnet, let's set some ground rules for what actually makes a sonnet. This structure of poetry has been around for at least 800 years in their current form and possibly more if other cultures are considered, but they really took off when they hit Europe, and someone realized this was the right size for a romantic poem. At that point, the royal courts all wanted to have the magical formula for the perfect sonnet.

I won't dive into more about kings and princes using poetry to romance their interests - let's just accept that as read and figure out what a sonnet is. In general, it's a 14-line poem, made up of three four-line stanzas and a two-line closer, and the typical rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG (the first and third lines rhymed with each other, the second and fourth rhymed, the fifth and seventh, etc., then the two closing lines rhymed with each other). Rhyme schemes have varied, and the meter can be played with in many ways, but that's the basic layout. As to the content, the sonnet needs to start off as a question, problem, or situation, discussed over the first 6-8 lines, then resolving itself in the final lines. Some forms have the feature of a six-line dilemma, a two-line "turn" that shifts the problem toward resolution, then a six-line solution. Whew - that's a lot of work to get a date.

Now, interestingly enough, sonnets don't actually have to do about romance, just like a haiku doesn't have to be about nature and a limerick doesn't have to be about a guy from Nantucket. This is interesting because, getting back to our friend Mr. Shakespeare, he is quite well-known for writing over 150 sonnets, yet his big collection was not necessarily just packed full of romance. Check out Sonnet 130 for an example. If Shakespeare put this in a Valentine's Day card, he might've spent the night on the couch.

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.
   And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
   As any she belied with false compare.

Now, this isn't romantic by any stretch, but damn does it paint a vivid picture of this lady to whom he is bonded to. This isn't the "lady on a pedestal" style of sonnets that people write to praise their love, but rather a very effective descriptive tool for shaping out someone as dramatically human. It's a sonnet made for capturing a person and his tie to her, for better or worse.

So, if you ever want to give a wild shot at something, try writing a sonnet about someone. Let them inspire you, then just write about them in that ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme. They never have to read it, so never let that hold you back. But flex that creative muscle, and see what happens. You might really create a winning piece. And, as Shakespeare might've once said, "Chicks dig sonnets."         

The Rites of Spring

On February 2nd, we got to see a lot of footage of a groundhog telling us when spring would arrive. It's very cute and entertaining, but hardly scientific and wildly misleading. Furthermore, a lot of people have their own way of determining when spring is arriving. In meteorological terms, it's March 1st every year because it's easier to remember. Other people say it's after they see the first robin of the year. Some people place it at Easter. And all those people who've been corrupted by science and believe in what the shills from Big Calendar say, it's March 20th this year. However, they're all wrong since spring officially arrives when pitchers and catchers arrive at spring training, which started yesterday. Therefore, spring is here. Don't be fooled by the thermometer, or vernal equinoxes, or Big Calendar or those snowstorms heading toward Chicago - it's spring and we should enjoy it.

Now, as I see the pitchers and catchers for the Cubs starting to warm up and get into shape (aside from the Dodgers, the other 28 teams don't technically start spring training until next week), it means time to start the spring habits. This again differs wildly for people. For some, it means spring cleaning. For others, time to change the smoke detector batteries and get out the lawn gear (maybe after those snowstorms pass through). For me as a writer, it means time to get into some new habits, and spring is the perfect time for them.

Plenty of people might say they decided what new habits they would get into at the beginning of the year, kind of like a new resolution thing. Well, first, how's that working for you? But seriously, everyone has the time they dedicate for starting new things, and I choose the freshness of the coming spring to put me into motion. Yes, I may still be wearing layers and shoveling my driveway as I do them, but it doesn't mean they are any less valid. Here are the things I am dedicating as a writer to put into gear, and some things I will definitely check off the list:

• Write a poem of no less than 200 words
• Do some big rewriting of some old but publishable ideas
• Finish the groundwork for two other books that need to hit the next drafting stage
• Do my first draft on a new project

Those are the things I have on the list that relate to writing, and they speak for themselves. They are missions I have set out to do because they will settle my inner writer's tensions and anxieties, which will therefore free up some energies for the actual creative process. And on that note, I offer the reminder that anything that relieves tension or anxiety will free up energies, so I offer a few bonus things that will help me be creative even though they are not directly writing-related:

• Finally go to that improv class (nothing exercises the creative muscles like improv)
• Get the back rim to my off-road bike repaired (cycling puts me at ease)
• Spread my mother's ashes (this, while very freeing, is actually also a baseball thing. #IYKYK)

And now that spring is officially here, I have every reason to get myself in motion and begin all those things that come with the renewal and awakening of springtime. As a writer, I have a lot to do, and as a creative, I have habits to build, both to be done in this new season. Amidst the warmer temperatures, the budding leaves, and the longer days, I can sum up my feelings about springtime's rebirth in two simple words: PLAY BALL!     

Pyramids and Snakes

If there's one thing my dear, departed friend Ranaa taught me about Egypt, it's this: Pyramids are big. Even the little ones - pretty big. Now, to be fair, it doesn't take a native of Cairo to understand that little fact about pyramids. However, it is one of those things that she said you couldn't really appreciate it until you are there experiencing it for yourself. Only then do you realize the grandeur and complexity of something that some might write off as just a large pile of stones. Nope. It's a pyramid of surprising mathematical intricacy, and it's big.

Now, here's what got me thinking about this. There are two structures you can follow when you are writing - the snake pattern or the pyramid pattern. Since I have already given a little update about my feelings on pyramids, let me discuss how a snake is actually different than a pyramid, Just to mention the obvious, snakes are nowhere near the same size, but they are lengthy and they tend to travel much faster than pyramids do. This gives them a totally different set of uses. Snakes can go places, do things, and actively adventure about, poisoning or crushing things, then invariably eating them. Pyramids can do none of these things (except for maybe crushing someone, but it would be incidental). However, pyramids are far better landmarks than snakes, and do draw more tourists every year. 

What does this have to do with writing? Well, three are two styles of informative writing: pyramid style and snake style. Snake style is a piece that remains narrow and well-defined, following a very specific path forward. This is a very efficient way for pushing forth a specific idea and getting your reader to the destination you want them to reach. Pyramid style, conversely, starts at a core point and builds upon it, the underlying points reinforcing further statements that build toward a critical juncture when the entire mass builds to a ultimate idea.

The weaknesses of these have to be mentioned as well. Snake style is narrow, so it follows a very specific set of ideas, one leading to the next. If at some point the reader loses the thread or doesn't appreciate a point, they are lost. The whole point of informative writing is to explain a broader concept such as a philosophy or a mindset, so at no point are you allowed to lose the reader. This problem doesn't eliminated the structure as a useful tool, but it places a very high demand that each point clearly needs to the next.

Pyramids do not suffer from this fault, since the building process is massive. Once the first point is made, the second point makes constant reference to the supporting ideas beneath it. This goes level by level, but each point is more tightly defined, making a narrower, more defining statement until the final conclusion is reached. However, this style travels nowhere. It dwells in the same place, staying firmly planted in one place. Pyramids don't wander around, and nor should the writing, otherwise it loses its effectiveness.

Snakes are best for informative writing about adventures, travels, and explorations of life. Pyramids should be explanations of life, concepts, and more abstract things that are constant and absolute. The next time you read an essay, a self-help book, or anything involving philosophy, examine the structure and ask what form it's taking. Then do the same with your writing.

And at some point, see the pyramids. I've heard they're impressive. And big.          

Writing and Good Deeds

I have been doing a lot of family research lately, and coming across a lot of road blocks in finding information about my ancestors. Granted, some of those roadblocks are in the form of a paywall, but more often than not the problem is that the information just isn't available. Either the physical record was lost to the ages, or it was never digitized along with apparently every other piece of paper in existence, or nobody cared to write down the details. Whatever the case may be, the information vanishes into the cosmos, never to be seen again. What happened to my great-aunt Olivia? We may never know. Did I have a great-uncle Southard? Well, good question and very little evidence that I will ever discover the answer. Even with the grand power of the internet, there are limits.

Now, while many of these official records have vanished, a number of unofficial records remain intact - in some cases the original is still in my possession. Nobody knew that my great-uncle's son Elijah had a twin sister until I found that little piece of paper that talked about her birth, her death the following day, and the funeral arrangements. Someone took the time to write down the service they wanted for this infant, and someone took the time to put that paper into the pages of the family Bible. My great-uncle's daughter may have only lived for one day in 1899, but thanks to that sheet of paper, she is still known here in 2025.

I hope you can see where this is going. You see, I am a firm believer that no good deed is ever forgotten. And to be quite honest, I believe that we often do not understand what a good deed is when we do it. However, when we do things with intention and from a position of upright principles, they are usually considered good things, and they have repercussions on down the road. We might never see our deeds bear fruit, but that's not what life is about - in my opinion anyway. I am a believer in that old adage of planting olive trees even though I will never last long enough to enjoy their shade. As writers, we have a grand tool to do this very task - we commit our thoughts and ideas to the written word.

Now, I often get pushback from people who insist they have nothing significant to write about; they have no story to tell. Well, tell that to my great-uncle's daughter who lived for one day. She barely had a story, much less an important one, but that one piece of paper makes her memorable. Our existence is what makes us worth writing about. The fact that other people circle around us makes them worth writing about. 

In summary, when someone says, "My story isn't important," I give them a polite response that goes along these lines: "When you say your story isn't important, you are focusing on the word, 'story.' Try focusing on the word, 'your,' because that's the important part. It's yours, and that alone makes it a story worth writing."

So, if you are looking for some good deeds to do, you can plant those olive trees (which I found out require a surprising amount of maintenance), or you can write about people. Write down those stories, those details. Memorialize them. Give them a chance to live forever. That's a pretty good deed.