Or: Why I am not a Writer
Sept 3, 2022, Sat — Two full hours left before I am Colorado bound. Let’s time my blog post to see how fast (or slow) I get this thing done. It is 11:07AM.
Blank. That’s my mind.
I am so glad I found painting in this lifetime. My first career desire, starting at age 10, was to be a writer. Authors transported me out of my world in such exciting ways that my deep admiration for them made me want to follow in their footsteps. And as I got older and knew I would work for Gaia, this made more sense than ever. Indeed, as a hydrogeologist, I was four times published by the time I was 27.
Even in high school, while I took all college prep courses, I did take one elective senior year to aid in being a writer. I took a semester of typing. Did that ever prove practical. And one of my first big purchases in my twenties was an electric typewriter. The Cadillac at that time, the IBM Selectrex. It even had correcting tape. What a machine! I love the hum of it, and its oily smelling keys. It must’ve weighed 45 pounds.
About Good Fiction
But to actually write fiction, fiction that changes lives, is a talent I never came close to acquiring. I’m sure writing classes would have helped. However, look at me with art. I did not take classes in that and the talent is there. But the talent for writing good fiction is not there. AND I discovered in the trying (I started one novel, and wrote binders full of micro fiction), that it is a depressing art form. Because you have to deeply empathize with each of your characters to be a good writer.
Good and evil and boring, you’ve got to completely drop in. And situations, whether they be horrific, romantic, or entangled, you need to fully feel and embody. Whereas an actor can choose roles and stories, a writer has to be able to access the whole of it. AND be capable of “killing your darlings”, a line I think Stephen King made famous. I have huge empathy for the writers who are chain smokers and alcoholics.
So, it worked out well that I was a crappy writer. Especially when I discovered I could paint!
Okay, enough of that, I’m Colorado Bound! But I’ll be blogging, so stay tuned. A warm invitation to sign up for my newsletter and follow me on FB.
Oh, shoot, I had to log back in to tell you the time! It is now 11:37AM. Ahh, exactly 30 minutes, not bad 🙂
