Thursday, May 24, 2012

Time to Write

When isn't it time to write?

I know very successful writers that spend hours a day, every day writing. They don't always write to move their current project forward, but they write and that is admirable, and that is enviable, and that is the sign of a person committed to their craft, or profession and they write good stuff even when they're writing junk.

I know I can write good stuff, and I can write junk stuff that's not even close to good. I've actually written stuff that I'm proud of, I even finished a novel and have three more well on their way, so why is it so hard to be consistent?

I love to write, seriously, honestly, I love writing, but it's getting harder and harder to sit down in front of the keyboard and transfer thought to meaningful words on a page. Now I sound like I'm whining, right? I'm really not I'm just frustrated, I want to find the key that unlocks the secret to being a writer.

It's not merely having the time, I have more than enough of that. It's certainly not the money, since writers (unless your name ends in King or Rowling) would never dare to figure out their per hour earnings. It's not simply having a story inside you, my brain is body slamming me with stories desperately trying to escape. Maybe it just comes down to persistence and the ability to plow through and hit the keys, but if that was the case every man and his dog would be knocking out books, Yea I know Spencer Quinn and his dog do!

There is more to it that just wanting to be a writer, you need at minimum, a great work ethic, I'm great with a pick and shovel or an eighteen speed gearbox, not so good at transferring copious amounts of words onto paper... Strike One

You must have a passion, and I don't think passion is a learned quality, I look around at other writers I know and they have more passion than a Tango on Steroids, Sadly I'm more a Slow Waltz, with a Foxtrot rearing it's quickstep occasionally... Strike Two 

You must have a command of Grammar, (unless you have an editor that wears blinders) I don't know the difference between a comma splice (apparently I use that a lot!) and a run on sentence or is that, sentance? ... Strike Three

So, you're saying to yourself, three strikes you're OUT... ahhhh but I'm not, I should be according to your rules, but I'm not. "Why aren't you out?" I can hear you saying, because I'm not, and because this is my blog and because 

I want to be a writer because, I love to see the look of wonder on the persons face who has never been to the Australian outback.
I want to be a writer because, I love to see the look of fascination on a persons face that actually grew up in a functioning family.
I want to be a writer because, I love to see a tear form in the eye of someone who has no idea who I am and yet they get to feel my heart.
I want to be a writer because, I love to see a smile cross the face of someone who has never shot Christmas decorations off a Christmas Tree inside their home.
I want to be a writer because, I love to tell stories, so every now and then I'll get a spurt of energy and an inspiration and I'll write in spite of myself.













5 comments:

  1. Well, Mr. Jon Egan! Write you shall. And now you have your very own blog with no one but you to fill. I look forward to being teased into dying to read your memoir, which you will announce is being published when our interest is sufficiently piqued. You will host a giveaway contest and I will enter, hoping to win a copy, but I won't since I never win anything.

    Oh, and don't forget about sending something Swagger's way every once in a while :)

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  2. Thanks Kim,
    You did read the subtitle of this blog right? I fully intend to continue to write for Swagger this is more an experiment than anything just to see what happens :)

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  3. Oh, Jon. This is a fantastic post. I'm excited you have a new blog! And I look forward to mocking...er....I mean *reading* your posts.

    :)

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  4. Wonderful blog! Wonderful post! And your wonderful novel has to make the cut soon. Now AC/WP.

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  5. You had me at "I know I can write good stuff," and kept me there right through to the shooting of the Xmas decorations.

    Just signed up for your blog. Even though I know it will keep me away from my writing, it's worth it.

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