Do you want, or do you need to become a writer?
Published by on January 28th, 2008
I could not easily avoid stumbling into a conversation with a stranger on the train last week (yes, I do know what country I live in, but clearly she did not).
I had been previously writing with laptop on lap when a friend sat down opposite me, resulting in a brief catch-up conversation about all manner of stuff before he had to switch trains. The subject of this story, sat very near and not surprisingly having heard mention of novel writing, subsequently decided to strike up a conversation on that subject. She asked questions about my writing (TableRappers, if you are interested), then went on - thankfully not at great length - about her project.
She has been working on a novel for around 10 years and has managed to come up with around 12,000 words. I must have been unable to contain my expression as she immediately offered a string of reasons why she only had 12,000 words, ranging from inadequate computer to no computer to difficulty in using said computer(s), to feeling inhibited in writing too much on a computer for fear of losing it… and so on. I suggested she write in a notebook, and went on to briefly offer my personal, highly productive experience using that method. One can so easily lose notebooks, she suggested. I think I may have had an expression of wanting to reach the end of the line as soon as possible.
Creatives do not choose to be creative, they simple are creative, and that creativity will find an outlet. Whether writing, painting, composing, whatever, the need - the absolute craving - to create fuels ambition and action. I feel that if your sum total output after 10 years is 12,000 words, they had better be the greatest 12,000 words ever written - that is the only excuse for such a low level of productivity. These days, even with the full time job, and other projects, I manage to write 12,000 on the novel alone, in under three weeks.
I must be truthful and say that I could not have made my current progress with TableRappers much before this current time, but over the past ten years I have written a great deal more than 12,000 words! It quickly became clear in the train conversation that writing for her was a fuzzy, warm, snugly dream and not the burning infernal engine of creation exploding its way to the surface - chestburster-style. Although there are never any guarantees, it is those who are instinctively driven that have the greatest potential for success.
So if you want to write and you do not end each day beating yourself up for not writing a big bucket of words, or day-to-day life simply does not seem to get in the way of your creativity, then perhaps it is time to take a good hard look at what is truly driving you to tread the troublesome and painful path of a writer.
Title image by Chris Greene
15 Responses to “Do you want, or do you need to become a writer?”
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January 28th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Wise words indeed Mr Dixon. I myself have on several occasions attempted to put pen to paper and in later years the virtual equivalent, but all to no avail. My creative “talent” does not lie within the written word. I have, however, found that I do have a creative outlet in the form of doing what is bad for me. Just as a highly trained athlete spends many years honing his/her body with hours of training, I have abused my body in every manner imaginable. You may scoff at my feeble attempts over the years, the times I lost weight or ran for a bus, but I stand before you a complete physical wreck, over weight and short on breath. It hasn’t been easy, so many late nights, that extra glass of ale, the kebab that wasn’t quite cooked and of course we must not forget the cigarettes, my dear cigarettes, what would my hands do without you to hold. But I feel I am at long last able to proclaim to the world, I have reached my peek.
The wreck you see before you is the result of dedication far beyond that of any athlete. It is my creation and one I’m proud of. Just one more thing to eat before I go, my tongue, if I can get it from where it is firmly planted in my cheek
January 29th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I have worked on a novel for 10 years as well, but I have had as many as 120,000 words in one manuscript, 40,000 in another and a third 40,000 in what may be teh sequel to the first opus. I wrote 12,000 words over the holiday break. BIC-HOK = butt in chair, hands on keyboard. Just write. I do write for my job–ASP code all day yesterday, but also a blog and sales copy. Then when I get home I do more of the same along with comments on student papers, so I don’t always get a lot of ficion written. But even so, I can turn out 3000-4000 words a week. It just takes doing it and trusting that the Inner Being knows what comes next.
Now if you have any ideas on how to get an outline going, so that I can focus the writing more, I’d love to hear them
January 29th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Excellent post Neil, and it brought it home to me again the reason I’m not a writer (or even much of a blogger, to be honest!)
I’d explain why, but I can’t be arsed
January 29th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
@GD: Your dedication to the cause is truly inspiring.
@Charlotte: Welcome, thank you for leaving the comment.
You want outlines? I use them all the time to think through ideas. My best tip for outlines is to get real physical - use a large white-board to get your arms moving around scribbling and erasing to create a mind map. Sitting at a desk is far too passive for me to be really productive with outlining. I think I feel a blog post coming on the subject - thank you for the inspiration!
@Mike: Sing, man, sing! That’s your passion I think.
January 31st, 2008 at 2:49 am
So true! I get so weary of writers TALKING about writing instead of actually writing! JUST DO IT. It’s the only way to make your writing dreams come true.
February 3rd, 2008 at 6:55 am
An interesting post, Neil. A novelist and freelance, I have a personal target of 1000 words, and I get seriously hacked off with myself on those days when I don’t make the target.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Gee. The only trouble with writing only 12,000 words every 10 years or so is that you NEVER finish much, which is kind of sad. It feels SOOOO good when you actually finish a book and see it published.
Happy writing to all!
Suzanne Lieurance
The Working Writer’s Coach
http://www.workingwriterscoach.com
“When Your Pen Won’t Budge, Read The Morning Nudge”
February 16th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Maybe I’m an over achiever. I can easily write along the lines of 4-6,000 words a day. I have four different writing projects going on, not counting the short stories that come popping up and scream at me that they need to be written RIGHT NOW.
I also do CG art. My computer is my friend for both pursuits. =)
February 19th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Wow, Scath! 4-6k words per day! NaNoWriMo is never going to be a challenge for you
February 20th, 2008 at 1:55 am
I got to see some of my words in print today. I am an intern for James Brausch (which does interfere with MY writing time) but two of his blogs posted articles I ghost-wrote. Even without my name on them, it is good to see my words up there on the screen on someone else’s site.
I have done mind mapping, but never standing up except when teaching mind mapping to English 101 students. I’ll have to borrow a classroom and a white board and try that.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:10 am
Last year was my first try at NaNoWriMo, and I did manage to finish in about 21 days, lol. =)
March 16th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Excellent, inspiring post Neil!
I can easily do a 1000 words a day or more non-fiction, it is with fiction that I am having all the trouble:(
http://amloki.blogspot.com
http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.com
March 21st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I think time is the biggest enemy isn’t it Neil?
I started writing about 3 or 4 years ago, then had the laptop crash on me after around 5,000 pages - so frustrating as I hadn’t backed it up.
Knowing I just had to write, I waited for a gap between my post grad studies. That gap is now, after a period of four years.
There are a million reasons to find why you shouldn’t write - but like your post says, if you have the desire, you just have to do it.
I was so eager to write, and podcast, I started at around 3 0r 4pm yesterday and finished around 10 or 11 with 3000 words. I then immediately sat down and podcast the fruits of the day, silly really as I should have taken more time to have the contents proof-read.
I’m now constantly turning over the plot in my mind - and making notes on the iPod Touch at virtually ever given moment.
I have to take m hat off to you Neil - writing is fantastically rewarding, but unbelievably knackering and time consuming. Best of luck on finishing it - and hopefully seeing a paper version soon after.
ps. I’ve said for ages that your other half should write professionally. Is Jen working on something? She’s a great insightful writer.
Paul
March 21st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
@DG: I’m totally the other way around. Though I generally end up writing a great deal for work, non-fiction brings me far more stress than fiction. My biggest challenge with fiction is reigning in the flow enough to control quality and maintain pace and structure.
@Paul: It is really hard work, isn’t it? Keep going with it, though, as the personal rewards are well worth the effort.
Jen has multiple writing projects on right now, rather different and less public than mine. She’ll talk about those on her blog once she feels the time is right.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 am
I love to write things that happened to me in my life. They say i am a good writer but i can’t say that back to them that “yes, i am a good writer”. It is a matter of what you write and how your reach your visitors. Killer-content: web site copywriting, is king as they said especially if those copywriting catches your readers attention.