A bald man enters a barber shop and asks himself, “What am I doing here?’
Do you ever have that feeling?
I have read that when asked, s75% of Americans say they would like to write a book someday. (emphasis mine) How many actually do? Statistically: five percent (5%)
Yes, that’s right folks,75% of America’s adults want to write a book, but only 5% actually make the attempt.
Of the 5% that try to write a book, make the attempt, how many will actually finish their book and see it through to completion? Again, statistically: 5%.
It rather surprises me that I am one of that five percent. How did I get here? And, What does that say about me? Not really sure but I have some ideas.
First, let me return in time (sounds like the name of a book) to when I was still one of the 95% (of the 75%) of wanna-be writers who hadn’t written a word, a time not too far in the past but moving further and further away with each sunrise and sunset. Well, actually, let’s go back a step further.
Right before I became one of the 95% I wasn’t even one of the 75%. If you had asked me; Do you want to write a book? only weeks before I started the project I would have said NO. It wasn’t on my agenda, not in my thought process, not on my immediate radar. So how did it come about that I wrote a book?
Good question. I’m glad you asked.
I had been reading a lot of books, as I always do, and for some reason I hit a phase where I wasn’t really satisfied with the books I was reading. Now a lot of that probably had to do with the books I was reading, but owing to the fact that I was less than happy with my selections I hit upon the astonishing idea that I should “Write the book I want to read.” Naive audacity at its finest.
So I sat down and wrote a book.
It wasn’t very good and it took me a year (more or less) to complete, but I had so much fun writing. I found I really enjoyed it, and the characters wouldn’t let me stop writing their story. Yes, I lost control fairly early on.
I moved on to the next step and had people, mostly friends, look at it and thankfully they told me – it wasn’t very good. There was a whole lot I needed to learn about writing a novel, POV (point of view) being one of them. So I bought books, went on-line, joined a critique group and I learned. And I got a little better, thankfully.
A few years later I had a book I wanted to sell. Something I wanted to send out into the world for other people to read, not just my loving friends and family. Again, with all the naive audacity of the blissfully ignorant, I started sending out query letters and started receiving the to-be-expected rejections. Another great learning curve.
I kept trying, kept revising the story, doing fine tune edits and eventually….. well, lets save that for another day. Hope you’ll stay tuned.
Enjoy always, T
Tricia Linden 
Lady Tricia
In my poor view (and for certain sure there is no reason for any to give my view any merit :-P), we are ‘here’ because – well, because ‘here’ is where we have to be.
Piers Anthony was once (well – no doubt many times in many forms :-P) asked:
‘imagine your best friend’s son or daughter comes to you. They want to try writing. What might you say to them?’
Mr Anthony replied – ‘I would say write if it is in your heart to do so, but don’t depend on it for money.’
There are many reasons for writing. To find some form of catharsis, to try to convince an audience, or indeed to make money. And some of those reasons, in some cases, might lead to a book being begun. Some may even lead to a book being finished. But if that one book, begun or finished, is going to turn into more? To many? I think you have to be quite mad. Totally insane.
At least, if sanity is defined as ‘being like most other people’ :-). Like those 75%. Or 95%. Or the even higher percentages of people who aren’t mad enough to write a book, finish a book, with all the trials that can offer – and start over. And do it again :-).
quite simply, I think we write, as crazy as writing is, because for us, not writing is worse :-)).
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Sir Graeme,
Yes, you are right. I’ve tried to ‘not write’. It didn’t work. The characters in my story would not leave me alone until I finished telling Their Story. Who was I to think I was in charge here? I was kind of like Whoopy Goldberg’s character in Ghost, once they found out I was open to working with them, they would not leave me alone. And I am most grateful, because it’s the most fun I’ve had….outside of my bedroom,;) but let’s avoid TMI.
Thanks for stopping by. Blessing always, T
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