I Should Just Keep This To Myself.
Posted: Sunday, November 30, 2008
by Tex Norman
The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can't ignore it, top it; if you can't top it, laugh at it; if you can't laugh at it, it's probably deserved. J. Russel Lynes
I have written several books. This is no big deal, because it is publish on demand stuff, through Lulu.com and anyone can bet a book published through them. I even paid the extra money so I would have my novel The Wewoka Switch listed on Amazon and other on-line book sellers. I writing a book both fulfilling and very frustrating. Writing a book takes time, it gives me a structure in which I can know what I am doing every time I sit down to write. Writing a book gives me the room to explore my ideas, or to get out what I am trying to communicate.
Why write? Why bother at all?
Writing only leads to more writing.
Sidonie Gabrielle Colette
Daniel Boorstin, a former librarian of Congress admitted that he would get up at 5 am every morning and write for 2 hours. Williams Stafford would get up early to write. He got up at 6 and one of his children got up then too, and it hindered. Then he got up at 5 am and still the child got up when he did. He had to get up at 4 am to have time to write while his family slept. Robert Bly just wrote a book of poetry called Morning Poems where he tried to follow Stafford 's example and wrote a poem every morning before starting his day
"I write to discover what I think. After all, the bars aren't open that early." Daniel Boorstin
Writing for SearchWarp has not only helped me clarify what I think, it has also helped me learn stuff. I also felt good about writing, at least at first, because while I have been writing daily for many years, I have not had many readers. Writing for SearchWarp meant that I have had at least some readers. To date I've had over 10,000 hits, although there is nothing to say if those are just click on, click offs, or if most of those clicks resulted in readers.
I think that I write because there is some quirk in my personal make up that needs me to write. But I can write without having any readers. I don't consider myself particularly smart, and I have a stack of rejection slips that tell me I'm not a great writer.
Sometimes the truth has to be faced. I use to act in community theater. I kept trying out for lead roles, but I weigh 260 pounds, so the Brad Pit roles are just never going to be mine, and eventually I had to face that truth. I was perfect for the donut eating Cop, or the Orderly in the mental hospital at Harvey, and that's it. The same is true about writing. I need to face the truth.
I'm never going to be famous as a writer. I'm never going to sell a book. I'm never going to be really good at this. It is still good for me to do, but why should I keep putting myself in a place where my flaws and foibles are exposed? So if this is true, if my writing is good only to me, then why put my stuff out there to be rejected, or to call attention to myself and tempt the snipers to fix their cross-hairs on my forehead?
Critics can be your most important friend. I don't read criticism of my stuff only because when it's bad, it's rough-and when it's good, it's not good enough.
Kevin Bacon
Perhaps I am too depressed, and too messed up, to write without bugging the hell out of other people. It seems to me that it just might be best for everyone, including me, to just stop, and keep my mental meanderings to myself? If I have pent up angers and I am wanting to upset other people, would it not be more responsible for me to just write my books, or journal, and not spew my written bile on others?
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Hi Tex.So is this it then? Are you giving up? You've pretty well established what you like to write about and I keep reading. I'm sure others do too. So don't worry so much about "bugging the hell out of other people" and let us decide whether or not we are bugged. After all, you're not writing to see how many hits you get.I can tell that you just pretty much banged out the article and didn't really proof read it before you submitted it. You might try proofing the next one. Just a suggestion.Ooh, I think I've probably ignored all your recommendations about how to comment responsibly. Sorry. :)DianneIf I could delete this article I would. I'm sick. I am really struggling. I may write some more, but I just can't promise to write one a week, not right now.I'm not thinking very clearly.
I agree with Dianne. If Tex stops posting his thoughts on SearchWarp, he will be greatly missed.I think we all go through periods of time where we write feverously about an issue that we care deeply about, possibly issues that we think have been greatly misunderstood by others. Then we look back and question if we've gone overboard. I know I do that. It's part of the creative process.
For the record, Tex, you are always welcome on SearchWarp!
I'm wondering what the ratio is... between those who comment positively and those who comment negatively... and I wonder why it is so ingrained in human nature to be so much more affected by the few negative comments then the many positive ones....I for one am hoping that you've gotten a good night's sleep and now you feel the urge to write some more and just can't help yourself so you post something again.... hey, you can't stop me from hoping!Dear Ms. Horst: you are right, of course. I use to teach in high school and I remember clearly one kid acting like a fluctuating butt-head just dominated my day, when 130 other kids had been fine, some polite, many just great. Sorry. I'm sick. I am not thinking clearly.
The guy that hired me, after my move to Oklahoma, just had an aneurism and is not expected to live. I'm depressed. I may need more than a night.
You're right - sometimes it takes more than a night.
Tex,Just because, at times, you write about stuff that's controversial, doesn't mean that anyone is miffed. And anyway, who cares? They don't have to read it if they don't like your work. I, for one, appreciate looking at things from a different slant. I find it refreshing and challenging. By the way, I've got some tips on marketing your books. Keep in touch. Peace.Thanks for your encouragement.
Hey Tex, You may be wondering why I have just now read your article. I got hit with a buttload of bad stuff. It started out bad and got worse. It included the death of my mother and my going BACK into huge debt to bury her. I stopped taking my medicine- writing. I am very glad to see you are still writing. Stephen King, when he started submitting his work, would keep his rejection slips impaled on a nail close to his writing desk. The nail turned into two and so on until it included a spike filled with bad news. But was it bad? Keep writing or Edgar Allan Poe is gonna come and "raven" all over you!!!Sorry about the death, the debt, and the stress in your life. I am familiar with the pressures in life crushing that which you love to do, need to do, that which you feel is part of what makes you YOU. I try to keep writing. You do that too. Peace.
If you believe in what you write, what possible difference can anyone's opinion make to you? I write mostly fiction, yet every now and then I've written some articles which are more current-events oriented, or you could even call it venting. I do all of the writing because I truly enjoy it, and I don't enjoy it because someone might like it or agree with me. If I did that I would not be writing for my pleasure but for someone's (passing) approval. I love to write, period. Regardless, the last thing I think of is the reader, for good or ill. The writing (actually, the subject or story) should take precedence over everything.Hang in there.I agree with you. Some. Partly. But not totally. In high school I wrote a story about a painter, in the act of painting a picture. I tried to capture the emotions, the struggle, and the need this man had to paint. When the artist finally completed the painting, and had it just right, perfectly meeting his own standards, he tosses the canvas into the fire place and burns it up. Why? The story was trying to say the only audience for the creation of his art was himself. He didn't do his art for anyone else. This, not caring what anyone thinks has been in my head a long time, but it is always there in the form of a debate. If I really didn't care about the reader, would I seek readers? I can write and immediately toss the manuscript in the trash. I can write, and just stick it in a journal and place it in my desk. Why post anything where someone else can read it, and comment, if you don't care what they think? The mental struggle continues. I live in my head, and sometimes I wish I got out more. Thanks for your comments, and I take it as encouragement, and thanks so much, because I needed that. I do care what you think, I am affected by your opinions, and I thank you for your kind words. Peace.
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