“Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.”
- Robert Anson Heinlein

I had this idea once before.

Maybe it was in another life. Maybe on another planet. And then, it was mostly a pun on the title. You can read it here.

That first time around, my effort was an attempt to trick myself out of the throes of despondency. I was trying to restart the writing engine. It was a serious effort, hopefully with some poetic merit.

This time, it's not just the title; I'm ripping off the entire song, Weird Al style. Parody is protected speech. Besides, I read today that the Doors were inspired by Stan Jones' "Ghost Riders in the Sky." Isn't turn about fair play?

But I'm still serious as a heart attack about content. To a man, we writers seem to be danged compulsive, blown along by the fickle yet fierce gale-force winds of inspiration. That's what this song re-boot is all about.

In deep... (source)

Riders on the Storm - No Vocals ( source )

Go ahead, sing along.

I've provided you with a Doors instrumental only version above; just click it and follow along with the lyrics below, karaoke style. Go on, no one's listening.

~Writers on the Storm - Take II~

by Duncan Cary Palmer

Writers on the storm
Writers on the storm
To pursue this task we're born
Our craft compelled to hone
Like a ball that can't be thrown, a rip that can't be sewn
Writers on the storm

There's an outline on the screen
A plot that's really clean
Take a guy and one hot girl
Give their love affair a whirl
This story's got a fighting chance, you could earn a big advance
Outline on the screen, yeah

Writers gotta love their craft
We just gotta ply our trade
Hafta pour out all the words
What obsessive, driven nerds
Hurry, fill in all the blanks, If you don't the story tanks
Gotta pen those words

Writers on the storm
Writers on the storm
To pursue our craft we're born
These skills we have to hone
Like a dream that can't be owned, or a song that's shy a tone
Writers on the storm

Writers on the storm
Writers on the storm
Writers on the storm
Writers on the storm