I sit on a couch reading on my Kindle, occasionally putting
it down, sipping peppermint tea, and watching angry clouds racing above
wind-tormented trees. “Bird by Bird” and “Views from a Window Seat” invited me
to be in the company of wise writers, listening to their stories and thoughts.
I had been thirsty for the words of Anne Lamott and Jeannine Atkins, reading
one book right after another. Their words swirl in my head. Educating,
enjoyable, touching words. Yet, a doubt creeps up unexpectedly. Would their
words help me - a rather novice writer, or any other adult just starting out on
their writing journey?
Anne Lamott and Jeannine Atkins say that the most important
thing in writing is to just sit down and write. They share that even when faced
with struggles, worries, fears, doubts, failures, mistakes and disappointment,
they keep a pencil on a paper and the fingers on a keyboard, writing daily, for
longer periods of time, letting the words pour out without qualification,
restrictions and selections. Only later will the process of weeding and
nourishing begin. From their experience they know that eventually the right
words will come.
They tell the truth.
Their truth.
After hours, days, months, weeks, years, and decades of
writing, having revised, edited, published and learned from the experiences
they are convinced that sentences will flow forming coherent texts conveying
soul-touching ideas and living images. This is what happens when they write.
The beginner truth is different. The words do not come just
by sitting and writing.
It is easy to say ‘write what you see’ or ‘write with full
honesty’ but this advice doesn’t help the beginner. The problem in the first
place is that the beginner does not know how to make the lifeless come alive or
what words to use to express inner thoughts. Adding a list of adjectives or
witty verbs isn’t enough. Every beginner would love the characters whisper to
them and lead the story but it’s more probable that for them characters feel
like flat lifeless paper dolls. The beginner may know about the plot mountain,
character development, signposts, literary devices, text structure, themes,
genres, nifty craft moves, and fancy words but it’s not enough. They can write
for hours but only bland words, hazy vision and scrambled texts appear on the
paper or screen.
To write great it’s not enough to have just daily hours of
writing.
First there has to be an unbearable need to write. Not a
thought like “everybody writes, so will I” but an unexplainable need to live life
through written words, almost “I can’t live without writing” feeling. Passion
drives the writing more than the word count.
Second writers need keen eyes and sharp ears, a sense of
sound and taste of letters. Not a long list of vocabulary or fast thesaurus
flipping skills, rather an ability to choose and match words that start
breathing on their own. The goal is to create texts that stir emotions and
become permanently part of reader’s thought matrix.
Third the writers need high tolerance for pain. Not in a
sense that they can write gross scenes without flinching, but rather
willingness to dig deep to the soul, share what matters to them most and be
ready that others may reject what is precious to them.
Considering writing from this point of view beginner would quit
writing before starting. I searched for reasoning that would help to overcome
the “I am not a writer. It’s too late to start. I will never be as good as real
writers.”
I don’t know whether one is born a writer or grows into one.
I know that all the experienced writers were beginners once.
I also know that learning to write well is useful not just
for writers. Anyone can benefit from writing, whether they use the writing to share
or gain something publicly, or write privately to remember and sort
experiences, feelings and thoughts.
I believe that with practice and following
rules, advice and examples everyone can learn to write reasonably well and
engagingly.
The only way to learn and become better at writing is to
write.
Maybe out of the writing practice and experience the passion
will grow.
Not everyone has to become great and famous. That is not the
reason to write.
Maybe beginners need a little hope that they will get past
the “blah” and experience some joy from the words they have put on the paper.
Without trying they will never find out what they are
capable of.
I take another sip of tea and reach for my writer’s
notebook. I know that I will return to both books but now it’s my turn to
write. First some quotes and then my slice.
“We can accept, and some days even treasure, who we are, but
sometimes we should tramp into new territory and aim for different notes,
volumes, and rhythms.”
Jeannine Atkins
“I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because
you are afraid.”
Anne Lamott
“The trick is to keep a spirit of play.”
Jeannine Atkins
“ It (writing) is a matter of persistence and faith and hard
work. So you might as well just go ahead and get started.”
Anne Lamott
