New Writer - Hanging in There

Michael Boatman
Jul 10, 2017 · 4 min read

I’m a new writer. More accurately, I’m a wannabe writer. (MSWord tells me “wannabe” is not a word. I get that warning quite a bit as I write. Google tells me it’s a Spice Girls hit song. I don’t know who they are. I’m old and out of touch.) I will disclose two things: First, I use to write 2 to 3 presentations per week and give speeches. I didn’t write for it to be read. I wrote just to organize what I was going to say. And second, I have always made up simple stories for my kids and to just amuse myself when at work. I’ve tried writing these down at times, but usually I became frustrated or bored and give up. However, for the past couple months I have been turning over an idea in my head and developed it more than usual. So, when I had some vacation time, I thought I would try writing it down. I quickly became aware that writing fiction is damn hard.

I have always respected writers, for their clever ideas, interesting twists, and novel solutions. But now I have an additional admiration for writers. It’s their work ethic. I mean, gosh, you guys and gals have to dig deep to keep the story flowing and interesting and all kinds of other stuff, and some of you get up early to write, even before you go to your regular job, and how hard is that when you’d rather be sitting before your computer in some coffee shop, or your back porch, or even your old rickety desk in a cramp room, immortalizing the prose you’ve worked so hard to say just right - I’m chasing rabbits. I find it too easy to click on that icon that opens my favorite game. “I’ll come back to writing in a few minutes. I just have to clear my head.” A few hours later….

So, yeah, I’m a new writer. I started writing on an idea that was interesting enough to capture my attention and decided to give writing another try. Two weeks later here’s what I’ve discovered about myself and writing.

One. I’ve learned that writing is hard. Okay, I’ve already covered that. But “if you like what you’re doing….”

Two. I came to realize as long as my stories stayed in my head, they didn’t have to make sense. I could change characters, plots, even genres on the fly without concerning myself with being consistent with what I had already developed. But now, as I write the story, the new ideas I come up with can mean huge changes to what I’ve already painstakingly put to paper, well, computer actually. My daughter, who is a writer and very wise, tells me to just “keep going and get the story out, then go back and make your changes.” I can’t do that. Not because it starts some itching in my brain if it’s not fixed immediately, okay, maybe a little itch. It’s because if I don’t make the changes right away, I forget them quickly. I mean like five minutes later. I’m old. My brain leaks.

Three. I learned I should have paid more attention in English class, on composition…and grammar…and spelling…and vocabulary…and I think there’s something called syntax that fits in there somewhere.

Four. I’ve learned I like the word “just” just to much. As I review my script, I look for that word and just delete it. It meaning of the sentence always seems to work out fine. Also, I use a lot of contractions. I write the way I talk. Maybe it’s a sign that I’m verbally lazy.

Five. I’m learning too much about myself. Hence, writing is sort of my therapy. My wife tells me that’s not a good thing for me to explore. She doesn’t think I have the internal fortitude to stare into the eyes of what is my abyss and survive. And she doesn’t intend to spend our retirement years taking care of a drooling, mindless, muttering old coot.

Six. One other thing I’ve learned is I’m constantly fighting the voice in my head to just quit. Why quit? Well, just look back at the first five points. Add to that King Solomon’s wisdom, “there’s nothing new under the sun.” I don’t know if he really wrote that but it sounds like him and it makes me look well-read to quote someone in history. I read quite a bit and I know every idea in my story is a variant of something I’ve read before. “Isn’t that fraud? Aren’t I just stealing?” Intellectually, I know that’s not true. Every invention was built upon the work of other people. I read many books that are just variations of the same basic story. It’s why I pick those books. My wise daughter tells me, just “tell the story you’re way and it will be yours.” So, I’m fighting the voices. And winning so far.

Seven. But the main thing I’ve discovered is that I’m driven to get this story out of me. I think maybe there is something inside a person that drives them to write. At least that’s my experience. I’ve got to get this out of me, not necessarily to publish, but just for my sake. I’ve never really had that inner drive before, unless you include sex. My wife is rolling her eyes. “Old coot.”

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