The image above is “The School of Athens” (Scuola di Athene) a fresco by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) which is part of the four Raphael Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello) in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.

The four Raphael Rooms are the Sala di Costantino (“Hall of Constantine”), the Stanza di Eliodoro (“Room of Heliodorus”), the Stanza della Segnatura (“Room of the Signatura”) and the Stanza dell’Incendio del Borgo (“The Room of the Fire in the Borgo”).

The room Raphael began first was the Stanza della Segnatura, and “The School of Athens” was the third wall to be completed. Depicting Philosophy, “The School of Athens” is regarded as Raphael’s masterpiece.

Raphael was not specific on the identity of the philosophers and many speculated that he painted the faces of some of his contemporaries.

The philosophers (above) include Plato or Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle or Giuliano da Sangallo located in the center. The figure sprawled on the steps is identified as either Diogenes of Sinope or Socrates.

The man leaning on the cube is either Heraclitus or Michelangelo and the man to the left is either Parmenides or Nicomachus.

I have stood in front of this fresco several times now and contemplated many things. I have read and researched and digested opinions, theories, and speculations.

Pratechett is correct, thinking about how you think about things gives you a certainty, that influences everything you do. I have seen the certainty of my thoughts appear unbidden in my writing.

What things have you analyzed? How has it impacted your writing?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I hope that today you can find some time to have some fun, whether it is reading or writing or something else.

Enjoy the day.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I remember when I first read this quote, I thought “Yo! Yo-Yo, what’cha doin’ in my head?” Well, except for the music part. Don’t get me wrong, I love music and I love listening to him play. He really has a way of connecting with his listeners.

However, I want to explore “why people do what they do” through my writing. I really want to get into a character’s head and see the world from a different perspective, walk a mile in their shoes. I want to connect with the reader. And sometimes I listen to music as I write.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Month of Fear culminates with Halloween and heralds the start of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Fear seemed like a great topic.

Alan Greenspan’s words are revealing. Humans make financial decisions based on fear. Alan, being a number cruncher, has the data to prove it. Can we extrapolate this to other human behaviors? We work because we fear the negative consequences of not having a job and thus money.

Hmmm. Are our character’s motivations dictated by what they fear?

What does your main character fear? How does their fear influence their actions?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Old Ben was a smart fellow. A teacher told me I didn’t have enough life experience to write. Easy problem to fix. I lived. Now the time has come for me to write and I have so many stories to tell.

Do you fall into one camp more than the other?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Fountain of Youth, Time Travel, I am Master of the Universe. As I writer I can be anyone at any age and do anything.  Ok, that sounds a little creepy, but I think you catch my drift.

How do you tap into your imagination to access the Fountain of Youth?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Life has presented me with challenges lately in finding time to write. I adapted. I have written in hospital rooms, doctor’s offices, cafeterias, odd offices, my car, and even a coffee shop. My hopes are of writing at my desk in the loft, but this experience has opened the possibilities.

Where does your writing routine take you?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Have you noticed those living a perfect life often fall victim to self-destruction? Deprived of daily struggle, denied the necessity of reaching for a goal, cheated of the battle to survive, the human spark dies.

Consider your favorite stories, are they filled with smiling, happy people? Or are they filled with strife, conflict and the unwavering desires of the underdog?

How do you write the perfectly imperfect?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I hope today you can take a moment and breathe. Clear your mind, unplug from distractions, hassles, noise and most importunately, silence the voice of doubt that rattles around in your mind.

Breathe deeply. See clearly. Hear nature. Feel your heartbeat.

Allow your ear to write. Let your ear read and guide your true voice.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I consider myself a self-sufficient individual. Setting my own goals and achieving them seem to be a part of my DNA. While I enjoy seeing what others are doing and the progress they are making. Feedback and critiques are a welcome and needed aspect of improvement. However, I am not sure of the level of motivation I derive from these interactions.

What about you? Is the companionship of writers integral to your writing process and goals?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer