A new mini-series in which I explore how we start writing.
We start writing seriously when we finally accept that there is nothing we would rather do, than sit all day and craft a story. Or explain something that is dear to our hearts. Or cut a swathe through old literature with a bright new perspective.
Writing – or communicating with others – has to be what motivates us to leave aside the laundry, work late at night, ignore the telephone and neglect to cook complicated meals. In short, it has to be something of an obsession. If it is not, we will fail to prioritise it enough, give it our love, our thought, our energy, tears and precious time.
For every writer out there who does write and who is struggling to make it, there will be many dozens who say, “Yes, I would love to write, and I would be good at it, too. I have a great story to tell….” but who will look askance when it is suggested that they could put pen to paper, or fingers to the keyboard. “Yes, of course I would love to, but once I got started, I would never stop, and I have too much else to do!” Then, no matter how good our story, no matter how perfect our writing style or how witty our voice, nothing can happen. We write when we sit down to write, and nothing else will do. Simple.
Actually….not so simple. As soon as we sit down to write, a dozen or twenty other things that we “ought to be doing” will pop into our heads for a look see how we wasted five hours today. Everyone, is seems, has something better to do than write. Perhaps it is a very British obsession, this idea that we should be occupied with something ‘more worthwhile’. Sooner or later, most writers have to consider how they will handle the critic in their heads that suggests they “should” be doing something else more sensible, practical or lucrative. That voice, which talks such convincing common sense, may come from our family members, from disillusioned parents who only want the best for us; from our spouse who is worried about the monthly payments; from our colleagues who think we should stop taking all this creative stuff so seriously; from other writers who see nothing but difficulty and disillusionment coming our way, and from ourselves, when we are unused to doing something as frivolous as actually writing a book from start to finish.
(To be continued)
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February 25, 2016
Writerly ambitions
Fran Macilvey 'Trapped: My Life with Cerebral Palsy', Fran Macilvey, Path To Publication, The Rights & Wrongs of Writing 0 Comments
Before you agree with the voices of reason and common sense and sadly pack away your writerly ambitions, consider why you enjoy writing. How does this particular form of creative expression make you feel? Happy, energised and worthwhile? If so, perhaps we should be taking these feelings seriously and pick up a pen, switch on the computer…start now. Anything will do, you know. Just start with a monologue, a picture of a flower, the exploration of your dream or a letter to God. Start.
If we have something that pesters our dreams or drives us, secretly we will probably know all about it. There will indeed be times when writing is definitely the most worthwhile thing we can do, just now. It certainly feels a million times better than frustration and regret, wondering what we might have achieved if only we had had the courage to take that first step. It is never too late to begin, but there are times when it is simply easier to take the hint: Think how much energy it takes, to keep shoving our passions aside.
We don’t have to write our magnum opus all at once. We can come back to it, take it on little excursions as our next pet project. The best way to give your ideas room to breathe is to start small, and do at least a little writing every day. Decide to write for at least half an hour a day – about anything! – and soon, our doodles stretch themselves into something more substantial. Sketch out a few ideas, start with a few headings….be creative.
Call yourself a writer. Start to see yourself as one, and put that down on your passport application. Insert ‘writer’ as your occupation on the census, or on that application for a loan. Introduce yourself at parties and functions with, “I’m a writer” and you will start to feel a shift that makes it true. No-one is going to laugh in your face or say, “What, you? A writer?? I remember when you were just making it out of college. Your only ambition then was to get laid!” When you utter the words, “I am a writer” people will nod, look interested and ask you what you write about. Then, you can have an interesting conversation and maybe learn something that you will find useful. Saying, “I’m a writer” feels an awful lot better than, “I’m just a housewife” or “I’m unemployed”, don’t you think? (With apologies to all home makers, home economists and people looking for work.)
To be continued.
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