If you want to write...

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"I think I’d like to write a book,” I’ve heard people say from time to time and that particular statement has always seemed to bring out two different reactions within me. I like to credit these reactions to my two inner-writers.

*If you are a writer you will most likely immediately know what I’m talking about. If you are not a writer, please understand that I am not schizophrenic.

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Writer #1, the writer who has been attempting to write a book for 6+ year is usually very adamant (and sarcastic). She’s a little bitter about the fact that years and years have never produced a complete book. Her response to our perfectly innocent “I think I’d like to write a book.” goes something like this:

Oh do you, now? Isn’t that sweet? You want to step in the nasty little quagmire of the creative world. You want to take all those wonderful little ideas you have and try to put them to paper. You want to sit down with a journal or a laptop and write the next great book… It will be marvelous. You will be famous. How cute. Well, let me tell you something. See how much you like staring at that page full of blank lines twirling or tapping your pen as though the words are supposed to literally come out of the pen rather than your brain. Or how about that stark, white space with on the com that infuriating cursor blinking at you, “Write. Write. Write. Write…” for hours? You want to do something to appease the stupid thing, but you can’t get the words to come out right. No matter what you do, they sound hollow and lifeless. You think, “Ugh. I wouldn’t read a book with that for the first line.” Any inspiration you had when you sat down got lost in the bleak, white nothingness of the blank page. Gone. Just like that. That’s when you get mad and want to just throw something. So, you get up and give up. Your story just isn’t getting told today. It may never happen. Get over it. Oh yeah… And even if you do manage to get a few pages into it, there are still no guarantees. So, Mister Writer Man if you want to write a book, you go ahead. Good luck with that. Let me know how it goes. I’ll be waiting with a box of tissues –not.

I often just want to slap that writer as she stomps off into the recesses of my imagination. She can be a nasty little beast, but she does have a point. Several, actually. Writing is not always easy. You’re not always inspired, and even if you are, that doesn’t always mean you can put that inspiration into words. Sometimes the words simply will not come. Her fatal mistake, however, is giving up –and that is why she has never finished a book. Also, and she’d NEVER tell you this, but another part of her problem is that she’s afraid. She’s afraid that her work won’t be good enough. She’s afraid that she’ll waste a good idea on a story that someone else could have written better. Sometimes, she’d afraid to even try because she knows she’ll get frustrated and give up. That is why she’s so bitter.

On the other hand (or shoulder if we go with the stereotypical “good angel”/“bad angel” image), is the second writer. Once the Writer #1 finishes her little spiel, the Writer #2 humbly approaches with her eyes sparkling. She’s the writer that simply loves writing. Sure, she’s been working on it for 6+ years, but she isn’t too put off by her lack of success. Her response to “I think I’d like to write a book.” is more like:

You want to write? That’s great! I love writing. It’s so much fun creating characters. They’re practically friends, if not like children. Oh, and that moment when inspiration strikes! There’s just nothing quite like that. Granted, you’ll sometimes be in the shower… or driving… when it happens. It’s still awesome. Sometimes, you’ll just be sitting there and you’ll come up with the perfect (and I mean perfect) piece of dialogue. It’ll be so perfect that you’ll just keep repeating it in your head –and sometimes out loud- over and over again. You’ll write it down and then create a whole scene around that one quote. It’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful! I’m so happy you’re doing this. You’re going to love it –and now we can talk about our ideas and support each other! Don’t you see? This is great!

Now, most people tend to like this writer a little better. They’ll usually talk to her more, too. She’s the writer that gets to hear about their ideas –and their fears. Fears such as “What if my idea is too stupid?” or “I’m not all that good at writing. It just doesn’t come naturally to me.” That’s when she gets serious:

Look. There are very few stupid ideas for books because if you’re interested in it, there will be someone else out there who’s interested in it too. Plus, if you don’t write it, you’ll just end up wishing you had. Your characters, two dimensional as they may be, will grow (whether you realize it or not) in your imagination and as they grow they will get louder and angrier that their story isn’t being told. You’ll fall so in love with them as time goes on that you won’t want to leave them all cooped up in your head. They’re going to start begging you to send them home so they can get on with their lives and your head is not their home. Your setting is –and both you and they know it.

Don’t be afraid to write just because writing doesn’t “come naturally” to you. Writing doesn’t always “come naturally” to even the most talented writers. We all struggle in different ways, and one thing is certain. No matter who you are or what your skill level is, you’ll get better with practice. I promise. With that guarantee out there, I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to write. What if your idea is destined to be the next great book? Even if it’s not, what if there’s someone out there who needs to read what you have to share? What if your story could change someone’s perspective –or even their life? You never know! So, if you want to write… Write! You won’t regret it, Mr. Writer! Or Mr. Author? Whichever you prefer.  I’ll be cheering you on all the way!

 

Ah… I do so love Writer #2! She’s the reason that I keep writing. Sure, she might be a bit too optimistic at times, but her passion is what makes her so great. She may get her heart broken from time to time when plotlines get tangled up or unraveled, but at the end of the day, she’s so in love with the craft that she doesn’t even care. She writes with abandon and her work is rumored to be much better than she realizes. She will be the girl that finishes a book one day. It won’t be today. It won’t be next week. It may not even be this year, but she will do it. She will accomplish her dreams –and when she does, she’ll probably even let Writer #1 share in the joy. Writer #1 could use some joy, after all.

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So, that’s what happens when someone tell me that they think they might like to write a book. While a small part of me wants to tell them that it’s really not that simple, an even greater part of me wants to hug them and welcome them and their characters to the world of the Scribblers. If I weren’t a broke, college student, I’d even present them with a welcome kit: a pen, a notebook, a pack of Post-Its (for on the go inspiration, and a mug for their choice of caffeinated drink. It’s that exciting to me.

I believe that anyone can write if they want to. All you have to do is... well… write. :)

Have you ever had an idea for a book? If so, did you pursue it?

If you didn’t pursue it, what’s holding you back?