The Write Stuff

    I've discovered something recently that I thought I would share with you. Those of you who have ever struggled to capture your thoughts in written word will probably recognize most of what I have to say, while those who have never attempted to write outside of a school assignment may gain a little insight.
     Writing is hard work. When I was younger, it seemed as if stories and papers flowed effortlessly from my fingers, a magic that worked simply by wishing it to be so. Now, as I have had the opportunity to re-read some of my youthful works, I discover that while the writing might have seemed easy, it could have stood a great deal of editing. Much of it I now find juvenile. Perhaps that is the hallmark of a mature writer, the ability to recognize that a first or second draft does not have the polish, the flair, the presentation that a carefully worked, well reviewed and edited final draft can have. Do I still have moments when the creative juices flow and the story crafts itself on the screen as fast as my fumble fingers can type? Yes indeed, I do. However, those moments are few and far between and usually occur late at night when I should be sleeping. When I set down with the intention of writing, I no longer have access to the ease that once was there. Maybe I'm just out of practice?
     I, use, too many, commas! I wonder if it's because so often in our daily conversations that we speak in great run-on sentences and my writing merely reflects that? Or is it simply that I learned to love the comma and my mind subconsciously structures sentences so that they must be included? I don't know. I have made great efforts in editing to decrease the comma content of my writings, but still find one or two in nearly every sentence. At this rate I will wear out the comma key faster than I will the period!
     Thirdly, characters do not always speak. I have often heard writers say that" the story practically writes itself," that "the characters tell me what to write." I hereby cry hogwash and hooey hokum. I have been working with some of the characters in my stories for over 15 years, and while I have a general idea of how they might phrase something, especially in a peculiar situation, there are often great parts of recorded conversation that are not so clear. No matter how often I reread my manuscript, I find myself revising a word here, a sentence there, so that the characters voice becomes clearer and truer.
     Point number next, character development is hard. I have never been one to write much beyond a few pages, so I have managed to avoid this task for the most part. I've found that developing the characters in a story is much like getting to know a group of people. First impressions are easy, and often vague. As you spend more time with them, you begin to notice complexities, subtleties and nuances that make them distinct from every other ex-soldier turned farmer you might have met in the past. Finding a way to convey those distinctions in the written word in a way that is both insightful and retains the reader's interest, that's hard.
     All that being said, I still really enjoy writing. It allows me to spend time with people I really like, and people that I (mostly) have control over, which appeals to my OCD tendencies. I have the privilege of seeing them grow and develop as people, almost like watching children, but with less whining and dirty diapers!
     I am coming to the conclusion that I will probably never make it as a published author, or a professional writer. Yes, I will continue my feeble efforts as a blogger, and as a novelist. Someday, maybe, it will all come together. In the meantime, please bear with me as I learn and grow.

Penguin's Ponderings

    You'll notice there is a new picture at the top. While I've got your attention, I invite you to stay tuned for a Father's Day pondering posting to follow!