Just a thought – about being a writer
I have always dreamed of being a writer. From about age seven or eight I wanted to be a writer. Over the years I have achieved a significant body of work, some of it published, much of it languishing in books, folders or on the hard drive of my computer.
Sidelined
At an early age I also realised – I’m not sure how – that writing was not a terribly lucrative career choice unless one was very talented or knew the right people. I didn’t fit into either category, and so I was sidetracked for 35 years in a classroom. While I achieved a great deal as a teacher, there was always the deep seated desire to do more writing than just setting aside an hour or two here and there, and a few days in the holidays. At times it was frustrating, because teaching is such an exhausting vocation it left little energy for the creative demands of writing. I still do not know how I managed to average over a hour of writing per day over the last decade of my teaching career. Discipline I guess, mixed with a dollop of passion.
A huge chasm
Now that I’ve retired I can write more or less full time. I have now discovered an interesting fact about being a writer. There is a huge chasm between the dream (call it a fantasy if you wish) of being a writer and the reality of being a writer. Elizabeth George, author of the Inspector Lynley series, says that “Lots of people want to have written: they don’t want to write. In other words, they want to see their name on the front cover of a book with their grinning picture on the back.” They are not prepared to give what it takes to finish a novel, for example. They are in love with the “idea” of being a writer. They want the kudos without the hard work that goes with achieving that recognition.
An image problem
I guess I still have an image problem. I think I might still harbour an idealised image of what a writer’s life is like. Day by day, week after week and as each month goes by I am beginning to have that image modified, clarified. Being a writer is hard work. The head aches, the neck is stiff, the backside gets numb and sometimes the words will just not come. All in a day’s work. And yes – it is hard work. My idealised version is far from the reality I am now experiencing.
Despite the dawning of reality I am still going to write. To me, it is like breathing. It is just something I have to do to stay alive.
Good writing.
I can write a book like that
Ever read a book, get to the end, throw the book down and say to whoever is within earshot, “I could write a book like that”?
I have, many times. And I guess many people reading this have said the same thing. Good authors make writing seem easy. There’s the secret. Good writing seems easy but is very hard to do. That is why so many people say they could write a book but so few actually start. Of those that start, very few actually finish. Of those that finish, even fewer edit and rewrite their book to publishable standard. Even fewer send the manuscript off to publishers and of those that do get to that stage, few are published.
It certainly takes a great deal of commitment, effort and discipline to get to the point where a manuscript can be sent to a publisher. I should know; I’ve written three novels for children. So far I have been unable to find a publisher; any keen publishers out there looking for new talent? Use my contact form.
So if you’ve ever said that you could write a book, whether that be a novel, a volume of poetry, a non-fiction book about your hobby or whatever, what is stopping you?
If the task seems daunting, break it into smaller chunks. Can you write 500 words a day? (This article is about 350 words long and it took me just over half an hour to write.) At 500 words per day – say, an hour per of writing per day, you could have a 250 page, 100,000 word novel written in about 200 days, or six to seven months.
Even the longest journey is completed one step at a time, and the longest novel is written one word at a time. Take it step by step. You can do it.
Good writing.
Further reading:
Writing as therapy
No Comments »12th December, 2007; Category: The Writer's Life
I have been through some very tough times in my life.
I’m not going to bore you with the details here. Most people experience times when the whole world seems to come crashing down around them. Some people seem to get more than their fair share of knocks, yet they survive. They get on with life. Some even have the courage to use the calamity to motivate them to make life even better. I salute them.
One constant I have discovered is that writing can assist the person going through tough times, whether that be an illness, bereavement, lost of employment or abuse of some form. Mind you, I didn’t discover this for myself. A few moments ago I did a Google search which turned up over four million references under the search term “writing as therapy.”
What are some ways that writing can bring an easing of the pain, the hurts, the disappointments and the frustrations of life?
Journalling
Keeping a journal or diary of your feelings and what you are experiencing is an excellent way of helping you through the dark times. I had a prolonged period of clinical depression a few years ago. Although it was a struggle to record my feelings and the events of that time, I believe it was a significant part of my healing process. The strength of a journal is that it is private; no-one else need read what you have written – unless you choose to show them. A journal can also be very useful years later when reflecting on your experiences; you can see how far you’ve come and the progress you’ve made.
Poetry
Distilling your thoughts and feelings into a few succinct words is an excellent way of crystallizing those feelings. It is a very powerful and compelling method of dealing with hurts and other emotions. Don’t get too hung up about making it all rhyme – unless that really turns you on; just let it all come out in the words.
Articles
Magazines editors are often keen to receive articles detailing your experiences in coping with illness. Do your research and find out more about your condition and incorporate this into your article. A word of warning however: do your homework and find a magazine suitable for you article, not just any publication. For example, do not submit an article on coping with the loss of a baby to a magazine that deals only with treating diabetes – unless you can make a very strong connection between the two.
Letters
Letter writing is almost a lost art these days, but my guess is that most people still get a thrill out of receiving a letter from a friend or relative. It would be great to see the art of letter writing enjoy a renaissance. Highly doubtful in our new world of hurry, emails, instant messaging and people who are time poor. Despite this, you can buck the trend and write a letter to a trusted friend or relative detailing what you are going through. I did this a few years ago and it was very useful. My brother could not give me any suggestions which would help, but just the act of sharing my concerns and deepest feelings with him was part of the healing process.
Lists
Get two pieces of paper and make two lists. On the first list, write down all the things you hate about your life, all the bad things that have happened, all the frustrations in your life, all the disappointments and what getting you down. On the second piece of paper, list all the good things that have happened to you, all the positive things about your life, all of your achievements and the people you love and those who love you.
Now burn or shred the first list, but keep rereading and adding to the second list. It’s a bit like the suggestion in that old hymn we used to sing in church, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one.”
Send cards
No matter what your condition, I can guarantee you there is often someone you know who is worse off. Well, maybe not. Whatever your situation, you will undoubtedly know someone who is struggling or ill just like you. Maybe not the same condition but that doesn’t matter. Get – or better yet – make some “Get well” cards. Write a longish note of encouragement inside the card. Don’t just put “Thinking of you. Get better soon.” That just makes me want to… no I won’t go on. Add a little gift if you know what the person will appreciate.
Song writing
This is not something I have ever done, despite loving music. I do not have the skills necessary to write a song, but I did once write the words of a song that has been published. If you are musical, or someone close to you can help you, writing a cheerful, uplifting song may be just the therapy you need. It’s worth considering.
Good health – and
Good writing.
Further reading:
And now for a group writing project…
Robert is one of my regular commenters here on this blog.
And I’m one of the frequent readers (and occasional commenters) on his blog called Middle Zone Musings.
Every month Robert runs a group writing project. I must apologize to him for never having contributed to one of his world-famous challenges. So this month I thought I’d give it a go. What’s more I’ll even give the project a “kick” start by promoting it here. Go ahead – have a go.
All the details can be found on his post called “What I learned from…the world of sports.”
Good writing.
A pleasant writing surprise
I had a pleasant surprise relating to my writing last week.
An editor of a magazine sent me an email requesting that I submit an article for one of the magazines she edits. I didn’t have to go through the normal process of sending a query or submitting an article on spec and that makes it a pleasurable experience. What is more – she actually specified several topics she wanted me to consider writing about. That took out the frustration of not knowing what to write about.
After a few hours of thought I set to work and the words flowed quickly. They actually flowed a little too well, and before I knew it I had way too many words. Nearly 600 words when the limit was strictly 450 words. My wife thought that this was typical of me. “Your writing is too flowery,” she says. “Too many unnecessary words.”
So I set to and did some ruthless pruning. Much to my wife’s surprise I soon had the word count down to 447 words.
Writing Hint: when an editor specifies a maximum (or minimum) word count, you ignore that figure at your peril. That is a sure way to get rejected.
Anyway, the article was soon on its electronic way to the editor. Now – I wonder if there are any more editors out there lining up to send me similar emails??? I doubt it, though this would be nice. Truth is, the editor in this case is a friend. Never mind – it is nice to get a break like this from time to time.
Now – back to getting stories, poems and articles sent off to all those editors too busy to send me invitational emails.
Good writing.