hey doodle doodle

I have been doodling nearly non-stop for the past two days. I did stop to sleep, eat, and go for a walk, but that's how I wanted to spend my last few days of vacation.

Why?

A couple of reasons: 

• I've decided to start querying again for kid writing, and it's a skill that's nice to have in my pocket, if I get better at it;
• Practice makes ...well, not perfect. There's no such thing as perfect. But it makes better. I'm still trying to figure out how to do it on a computer, and I've been able to experiment with a few new things that I figure everyone else in the world already knows about (putting things into photos, anyone?); and
• Most importantly, my brain never stops. Doodles, like writing a lot of the time, are a way for me to process ideas. I've been working with words a lot lately, and I wanted a break to work with images.

If you are a writer, I would encourage you to try doodling. You might think, "Oh, I'm not any good at it." You don't have to be. There's something about the act of drawing and trying to capture what you see that is very similar to describing like you do in writing. There's also something about the act of moving your hand with a pencil or a pen or a stylus in it that loosens up any ideas that may be stuck in your head. It's great for getting a stream-of-consciousness going when the creek's run dry.

And if nothing else, you get to have a good laugh, which is also a worthwhile goal.

Give it a try. And please please PLEASE share any doodles you might come up with. I am not kidding when I say it's one of my favorite art forms!