The Hardships of Writing

I suppose the easiest way to put it is: It is no small feat to write.

Every year many put pencil to paper or fingers to keyboard to tell their story. My Creative Writing teacher back in high school used to say "Everyone has a story to tell" which I wholeheartedly believe.

But the nuances of writing are such that sometimes its just plain hard to get the words out. Maybe its writer's block. Maybe its fear. And sometimes those two can be the same. I'm personally not ashamed to admit I've been sitting on a series since I was 13 years old. And I'm terrified to write them.

I suspect I'm not the only one who feels that way sometimes. I'm sure even the greatest authors felt some tinge of fear as they picked up the quill or typewriter to punch out a manuscript. Today's world has made it easy to publish, but no less daunting to put yourself out there.

The desire to write isn't one undertaken for money or notoriety, though its understandable to entertain thoughts of such things. To dream of the big house and fancy cars. Of having your novel or short story put up on the silver screen. These are all acceptable daydreams.

But the reality is we write to write.

We write to inform and inspire. We write to express and educate. But to write to make money...well...if that happens, that's a bonus.

I have had the pleasure of mentoring a young man in the art of telling a story. As I write a chapter, I look at the care and precision I put into each paragraph. Each line of dialogue. And watching him bang out an issue in a day reminds me of my youth. When I was thirteen and the rules just didn't matter. When form and structure flew out the window and I didn't care if it was right, just that it was out of my brain.

Now, almost 14 years later I look back and realize somewhere between there and here, I started sitting on my ideas. Letting them fester and boil. My series I so desired to share with the world stews in my brain and reforms and improves. But somehow never gets shared.

I suppose its important to find a balance between the two. And live by the rule I've been telling the kid:

Do what is best for the story.

With loving hope that you will soon be reading my stories on a Kindle ready device, I'll catch all of you later.

-Ti(M)ac-